A little quiz......

[G.T.]

OK, during an attempt to repair, how far does a P.08 drum magazine fly, when it slips out of your hand when trying to release the tensioning lever to put pressure on the rounds??....
A) 3 feet to your right, and on the floor..
B) directly over to, and perhaps into, your glass display case
C) only far enough to reach your face..
D) up and forward, to land directly on the nicest set of grips you own...

For me, this time, the correct answer was "C" ....... did I give up like a smart person would do...ooohhh hell no, just can't... and this was still in the introductory round... two days later, I conquered it!!! Well. we'll see, I did the best I could for a beginner with drums... but I know enough now, to really be dangerous... If they don't work, I can fix'em! ... Best to all, til...lat'r...GT


"IF, you set in the pilots seat of a 747 long enough, sooner or later, you'll think you can fly the thing!"......

[Edward Tinker]

GT, sounds like 'my luck', i have recovered parts months later when I moved something and it had sprung away....

I have also been hit in the forehead, so I try and wear safety glasses whenever I mess with stuff.

Never had the courage to mess with a drum mag tho...

[G.T.]

First and foremost, Thanks to my customers for sending me the work, G.T. SPECIALTIES is starting to grow!....... But, on the LP.08 drum magazine.. they are really made super cheaply, the steel is dead soft, and the spring tension is just a bear!! So, with a little use and wear and tear, they are going to get loose and out of spec real fast,,,,... I think they stopped being new around removal from the shipping box, if not then, after the first full loading for sure...The ones I've worked on so far were marginal as far a fit goes, even when reformed on a mandral... they are just dead soft... So, with that in mind, I could load fifteen rounds by hand without a loading tool, I think another 10 wouldn't be too much of a stretch...But, I would never load them to their full 32 round capacity.. just too much mis-applied force in all the wrong places... Like I said above, I almost lost by knock out in the opening round!! .... Best to all, til...lat'r....GT....

[ithacaartist]

G.T.

Interesting info about the construction/material quality of the drum mags; thanks. Perhaps this has inspired me to turn down the desire I have for one to go with my artie, maybe two or three notches. At this point, I can see having one to plug into the Luger for show, but you certainly don't sound too confident about their longevity as a functioning accessory, even after they've been straightened out and set up to spec. And if it's just for show, I think I'll find one that went with an Airsoft or PFC gun, give it a nose transplant, and call it good enough until I win the lottery.

BTW, It has not been established exactly how far an Erma firing pin spring will fly, plus or minus the guide/ejector. I'm glad it didn't hit me in the face--they usually zing off to the right as the upper is fiddled with during installation or removal, distance dictated by elevation the frame happens to be tilted to at the instant of liftoff. Current KGP69 extractor is hiding in my shop somewhere--I know it didn't leave the building because I heard it glance off the blackboard. I ordered another one to fill in until the original makes its inevitable reappearance, and also just in case somehow it does not.

We Presbyopic people are usually already wearing reading glasses with plastic lenses, but I'll agree that a full face shield might be necessary when launching a drum mag at your face!

p.s. I'm glad it wasn't choice (D)

[Ron Smith]

GT, I feel your pain...

When I was working in gunshops, our gunsmith was dissassembling a customer's very expensive and rare double rifle in order to make a new firing pin . One of the extractors popped out and launched itself.

We spent the better part of a day tearing the shop apart trying to find it. A week later, after the gunsmith had fabricated a new extractor, by copying the other. He found the original in his shop apron pocket.

I may have a fortune in small parts and springs in my shop that are invisible, or in a parallel dimension. Everytime I lose one, I seem to find one that I lost 10 years ago, but never the one I'm looking for.

I nearly lost an eye a few years ago, due to a Remington 870 shotgun mag spring. The friction retainer was bent and came loose under full tension directly into my right eye. I couldn't see out of it for a couple of days.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Perhaps this has inspired me to turn down the desire I have for one to go with my artie, maybe two or three notches.

GT I love ya bud but WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DRUM? this is turning into a dis service to the fun and fascinating 32 round snail drum, one of the coolest accoutrements known to Luger collectors!

I have a handful of the things and take great pleasure in shooting them...In over a decade of fooling with them I have never had so much as a hiccough out of any of mine. They all fit and function really great.

I have even loaded up 32 rounds of .30 Luger and ripped em! They are legal for use with a short barrel...nothing like shooting 32 and watching the Artillery barrel smoke...

[rhuff]

Originally Posted by Ron Smith

I may have a fortune in small parts and springs in my shop that are invisible, or in a parallel dimension. Everytime I lose one, I seem to find one that I lost 10 years ago, but never the one I'm looking for.

This is my shop to a tee!!! I accuse a packrat of grabbing my spring/part, and running to his hole with it, never to be seen again for at least a year....then when I find a part hiding somewhere, I may, or may not remember where it came from.

[G.T.]

Hi Jerry, your drum is safe and sound... and untouched as of yet... I've only taken measurments off of it, and of course marveled at it's condition... I've decided that nothing can be gained with dissassembly... I'll have it back in the mail to you right after the fourth... ... When they're right, I think they'll work pretty good... but, I wouldn't count on that for the long run... they're just too damn soft??? ...... They do bulk up a'bit when assembled.. but still feel loosie goosie when trying to load... Thanks a million for the use of your drum Jer... ... best to you, and all of the members on this thread.. til...lat'r...GT...

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by rhuff

I accuse a packrat of grabbing my spring/part, and running to his hole with it, never to be seen again for at least a year...

I figured it was elves. If you listen really hard when you're on your hands and knees under the bench, you can hear them laughing. It gets louder when you hit the back of your head under there.

[lugerholsterrepair]

HAHA! Just kiddin ya..I wouldn't have sent it to you without trusting you to take good care of it!

A loader makes a little bit of difference. I doubt if I will wear any of mine out in my lifetime...they have survived right at a hundred years so far!

[Vlim]

Same here. I test fired an original type 2 Bing using a 1917 LP08 with no problems whatsoever, even fully charged with 32 rounds, no feeding issues whatsoever.

I even loaded it with 32 .30 luger rounds and shot them from a Swiss 06/29. Neither the pistol nor the ammo were meant to be used with that drum and both functioned flawlessly.

Bing knew how to make sheet metal toys, that is a fact

[hyrax222]

I took my Trommel magazin apart to check for rust, old grease and Hitlers lost testicle(not found. Maybe the Russians have it). I cleaned out the solidified grease and relubed with Lubriplate grease. It was very tuff reassembling the spring back in. I'll not do it again soon.

[George Anderson]

While TM08s can suffer from abuse or accident, I have found them to be very functional. Probably the best test I have put them to was to shoot several hundred rounds through an MP18 a few years ago. I sat in the shade loading mag after mag while friends took turns spraying the targets.

[G.T.]

If I was going to conduct an endurance test on a drum mag resulting in destruction...George and Jerry would be the last two i would pick... ... I don't think they have it in their heart to beat a drum to death... .... but if it was an endurnace test on fire and function... they would be the top of the team.... .... probably between the two of them have sent more rounds down range in a drum mag than the Germans... ...Best to all, til....lat'r....GT

[G.T.]

Hi Jer and George... In reading and rereading the posts... I see where we are not seeing the same livestock in the pasture?? I must clarify, ...When using a nice straight correct drum as you would at the range, and properly loaded, I really see no reason why they wouldn't work as designed for many hundreds and thousands of rounds... But, i was speaking of, and assumed we were looking at the same aspect of the drum, that once out of spec, damaged, sprung or expanded... even following repair, it would be vey tough to keep it in spec thru the following years of shooting ..... no matter what type of repair was effected.. Soft metal moves, even with strenghtening ribs, which are there as a concession to weigh & gauge to get the same strength as heavier material.... So, I"LL conceed they are probably some better than my initial position may have stated... but, they are still soft, and in my opinion, designed as disposable part of their battle inventory....... Got to love their stuff though... I'd a brought it all back.... ...til...lat'r....GT BTW, best to all!

[lugerholsterrepair]

GT..A man if your highly technical skills and knowledge must be respected for his opinion. The Trommel magazine..compared to say the .32 round MP40 stick magazine is incredibly complex and fragile there is no doubt. The metal is likely soft as you say but strong as it needs to be under even harsh conditions. That's proven as they have survived quite well for right at 100 years. Like any other complex mechanical delivery system they must be well taken care of, maintained and kept in good order to work well.
I think I find their charm is in exactly what is stated above..Same for the Luger really. Highly complex..some might say over engineered and finicky..all good reasons to love and cherish them for what they are. They will last with care and they are really fun toys! Everytime I pick one up I am in awe of the history held in my hands..It is a priviledge to be fortunate enough to own these things.

[G.T.]

Hi Jer, yes, I agree totally... The Germans just couldn't go with simple... I think they probably started wars just to enable them to build neat stuff??........ My dad used to say, "The only way they could have gotten any meaner, was if they were bigger!" He taught combat bound soldiers how to use the thompson.... how cool would that job be... Best to all, til...lat'r...GT