[Desperado]

CAP Black,

Quick answer: After loading the first round, depress the button on the side of the gadget you speak of until it slides down inside the magazine as you insert the second round. The button will now be kept depressed by the inside wall of the magazine and you can insert more rounds. This is best done with the mainspring on the drum wound and locked into place. A loading tool performs the "button depresed" function, but lacking a loading tool you must do it manually. For a more complete answer, read on....

The confusing part of your post is stating that the repro does not look like the genuine drum. That makes me wonder if the follower has been released (by pressing the button - see below) and is out of place. My original drum looks like my reproduction drum with slight cosmetic differences and the follower/button function is identical. They function the same. BTW: Is your reproduction one of the GT versions - does it have GT stamped on it andwhere?

The only thing I can assume, if your repro is not the same as your original is that the follower on the repro drum has been released so that it doesn't reside inside the magazine - but then I don't know how you could load even one round without working it back into place (with the button extending through the teardrop cutout on the side of the magazine) nor do I think the drum could "fit nicely in a luger". The follower hanging out the top would prevent loading and/or locking into place in a luger magazine well.

Lets start with the follower. The follower is the little piece on top of the magazine spring that cradles and pushes up on the bottom cartridge. I think this is what you are refering to as the gadget and button. A standard P08 magazine does not have this type follower and cutout. On most P08 magazines, if you need to remove the spring and follower, you take the base off (risking damage), then remove the spring and the follower from the bottom.

On the trommel drum you cannot do it that way because the drum is in the way. So to remove the follower and/or spring, you come out the top. Incidentally I don't recommend removing the spring and follower on either type of magazine unless you have to for repairs. Neither seem to be designed to be removed for "regular cleaning".

As stated, the magazine part of the trommel drum has a teardrop cutout near the top that a regular P08 magazine lacks. When installed correctly the follower has a spring loaded button that extends out through this teardrop cutout. Normally, before loading a round, the button will be at the top of the teardrop because of the pressure from the magazine spring. If you press this button, the follower can be removed through the top of the magazine but you have to work it around the ears on the magazine. The ears hold the cartridge exactly in place for loading into the pistol. There is the possibility of bending those ears when removing the follower thus causing jamming problems - one of the reasons I don't recommend removing the follower and spring.

I am assuming that you have the follower back in place with the button protruding through the teardrop cutout or you wouldn't be able to load even one round - the "gadget" should be in the way.

If the follower is in place, the first round can be easily loaded. This pushes the follower down to where the button is stopped by the bottom of the teardrop cutout - the length of the cutout being approximately the same size as the width of a 9mm cartridge. The solution is to manually depress the button so that the follower can drop farther down into the magazine, allowing more cartridges to be inserted. Once the button is below the cutout, the side of the magazine keeps the button depresed so it is no longer an issue until the magazine is empty again.

Using a loading tool removes the problem with the button because the tool is designed so that it depresses the button when you lock the loading tool in place - it locks on using the same cutout that magazine release uses to lock the magazine into the magazine well on the pistol.

I suggest that you have the drum mainspring wound and locked into position before loading cartridges. It will make it easier to keep the cartridges in proper orientation when loading and much easier to unload without getting jamming in the magazine.

I also find that wiping the cartridges with a light coating of gun oil makes the drum load and fire better/easier.

Hope this helps you to find your problem.....

Let me know if this worked.

Incidentally, I thought the repro drum and repro loading tool were sold as a single unit. You need a loading tool if you are planning to load the 32 round drum. Get a repro loading tool as they are much cheaper than original loading tools. Originally, the drums came in boxes with 5 drums and one loading tool - so the original loading tools are more scarce than original drums, and priced accordingly.

Doug