A look inside a drum mag.

Doug G. · 07-20-2004, 01:47 AM

Ok, I finally got around to doing what I said I would do several months ago. Back then there were questions regarding the safety of disassembling Type 1 (left) & 2 (right) drums. My new Type 1 was not functioning properly so I decided to fix it. Turns out to be a weak secondary spring, stretched it out and it is much better.
Disassembly is very simple; remove screw and nut from back side of mag. Then remove screw on the front wiggle the two halves apart (DO NOT PRY!). The only thing that might pop out is the long feed spring. It will not go far if it jumps out. You will notice that the main spring is in a sealed housing and does not seem to be serviceable. I think that this one would better off left alone unless it is really broken.

Dwight Gruber · 07-20-2004, 02:00 AM

Thanks very much for the object lesson. Still not sure I'm brave enough to work on mine...

--Dwight

Henry Bucki · 07-20-2004, 05:52 PM

THANKS DOUG
Knowing my son its as good a apart when i get mine,anybody ever taken a c96 or g43 and had to put it back together after some one else took it apart?

John Sabato · 07-20-2004, 06:05 PM

Hey Doug! How much crud was inside the casing when you opened it? Surely it had some representation from the battlefields and training ranges it had been on, eh?

they sure look clean inside now!

Ron Wood · 07-20-2004, 06:26 PM

Doug,
You are a man after my own heart. I took down and re-assembled (successfully and without damage) a 1913 Campo-Giro and a Borchardt without instructions and against the "advice" of learned colleagues. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Doug G. · 07-20-2004, 07:07 PM

John, surprisingly enough the only place where crud had accumulated was the main tube that goes inside the gun. The actual drum parts on both were clean.
I took the type 2 apart just to see what was in there, but the type 1 was not functioning properly. Turned out that the zigzag spring had been compressed for so long that it shortened itself. I stretched it out and am going to give it a try tonight.

Jamka · 07-20-2004, 08:52 PM

Hi Doug,

I never dared to dismantle a drummag. When I started collecting, the first one I bought came in with the message of the former owner: 'Do Not Ever Try To Open It'.
I obeyed and cleaned & slightly oiled the outside only.
Well, after reading your tutorial I dared to open all four. No problem (the first time the mainspring jumped teen feet away), and I also must confirm that the inside of those 'trommels' were clean as if they just came out of the factory.
Thanks for this lesson.

Dean · 07-20-2004, 11:42 PM

Wow, They are much simpler inside than I thought they would be. Never realized there was much wasted space in the center of the drum , with the cartridges only around the periphery.

It's a shame they can't make newly manufactured drums.

Big Norm · 07-22-2004, 01:37 AM

Ron,
I am still scared to death to take my Borchardt apart. No guts, no glory, but no pain either. I would be embarrassed to send you the pieces to put back together again for me. Maybe I'll try it this winter when no one is looking.
Big Norm

Dwight Gruber · 07-22-2004, 02:15 AM

Dean,

I don't think that is really wasted space, there is a -honkin'- big coiled flat spring--like a watch spring--under that housing. Its what really powers the cartridges through the mag, and is powerful enough that it probably could take off your fingers if it ever got loose.

--Dwight

John Sabato · 07-22-2004, 01:59 PM

I counted the 'zig-zags' on the springs you show above and discovered that one is much shorter than the others... I am sure that some shortening took place with the passage of time, but I would bet that the shorter one was damaged at one time and was repaired by shortening....

So my question of the day is: Did it function with 32 rounds when you tested it after re-assembly?

karmast · 07-23-2004, 08:25 PM

Respect to every one who was brave enough to play around with Borchardts, C96 or drum mags.

I made the big mistake to fieldstrip a very used C96.
Several grey hairs later and with a little help from my friend I had it together again.

I sweared: Never again!"

Doug G. · 07-27-2004, 02:07 PM

OK, the Type 2 functioned fine, however the Type 1 had numerous failure to feed issues. Namely the round was not getting pushed up all the way. I am going to take it apart and stretch it out more and heavily oil the inside. Will report back after the next test.

John Sabato · 07-27-2004, 03:23 PM

Doug, I would recommend that you swap the springs you have shown above to see if it is the spring at fault... I am sure the shortness of the one is the culprit and doubt that you could stretch it to the length necessary to function like the long one.

If the long spring makes the type 1 function okay, then you will probably have to get a replacement spring the right length made...

07-20-2004, 01:47 AM	#1
Doug G. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 713 Thanks: 1 Thanked 53 Times in 17 Posts	A look inside a drum mag. Ok, I finally got around to doing what I said I would do several months ago. Back then there were questions regarding the safety of disassembling Type 1 (left) & 2 (right) drums. My new Type 1 was not functioning properly so I decided to fix it. Turns out to be a weak secondary spring, stretched it out and it is much better. Disassembly is very simple; remove screw and nut from back side of mag. Then remove screw on the front wiggle the two halves apart (DO NOT PRY!). The only thing that might pop out is the long feed spring. It will not go far if it jumps out. You will notice that the main spring is in a sealed housing and does not seem to be serviceable. I think that this one would better off left alone unless it is really broken. __________________ Suppose you were an idiot.....and suppose you were a member of Congress.....But I repeat myself" ~~ Mark Twain

07-20-2004, 06:05 PM	#4
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,154 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,306 Times in 1,097 Posts	Hey Doug! How much crud was inside the casing when you opened it? Surely it had some representation from the battlefields and training ranges it had been on, eh? they sure look clean inside now! __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

07-20-2004, 06:26 PM	#5
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,022 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 5,178 Times in 1,703 Posts	Doug, You are a man after my own heart. I took down and re-assembled (successfully and without damage) a 1913 Campo-Giro and a Borchardt without instructions and against the "advice" of learned colleagues. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

07-20-2004, 07:07 PM	#6
Doug G. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 713 Thanks: 1 Thanked 53 Times in 17 Posts	John, surprisingly enough the only place where crud had accumulated was the main tube that goes inside the gun. The actual drum parts on both were clean. I took the type 2 apart just to see what was in there, but the type 1 was not functioning properly. Turned out that the zigzag spring had been compressed for so long that it shortened itself. I stretched it out and am going to give it a try tonight. __________________ Suppose you were an idiot.....and suppose you were a member of Congress.....But I repeat myself" ~~ Mark Twain

07-20-2004, 08:52 PM	#7
Jamka RIP Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Antwerp Belgium Posts: 51 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Hi Doug, I never dared to dismantle a drummag. When I started collecting, the first one I bought came in with the message of the former owner: 'Do Not Ever Try To Open It'. I obeyed and cleaned & slightly oiled the outside only. Well, after reading your tutorial I dared to open all four. No problem (the first time the mainspring jumped teen feet away), and I also must confirm that the inside of those 'trommels' were clean as if they just came out of the factory. Thanks for this lesson. __________________ Joop

07-20-2004, 02:00 AM	#2
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,902 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,317 Times in 431 Posts	Thanks very much for the object lesson. Still not sure I'm brave enough to work on mine... --Dwight

07-20-2004, 05:52 PM	#3
Henry Bucki User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marietta Ga Posts: 43 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	THANKS DOUG Knowing my son its as good a apart when i get mine,anybody ever taken a c96 or g43 and had to put it back together after some one else took it apart?

07-20-2004, 11:42 PM	#8
Dean User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: PA Posts: 132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Wow, They are much simpler inside than I thought they would be. Never realized there was much wasted space in the center of the drum , with the cartridges only around the periphery. It's a shame they can't make newly manufactured drums. __________________ Carpe Diem, Parabellum

07-22-2004, 01:37 AM	#9
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Ron, I am still scared to death to take my Borchardt apart. No guts, no glory, but no pain either. I would be embarrassed to send you the pieces to put back together again for me. Maybe I'll try it this winter when no one is looking. Big Norm

07-22-2004, 02:15 AM	#10
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,902 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,317 Times in 431 Posts	Dean, I don't think that is really wasted space, there is a -honkin'- big coiled flat spring--like a watch spring--under that housing. Its what really powers the cartridges through the mag, and is powerful enough that it probably could take off your fingers if it ever got loose. --Dwight

07-22-2004, 01:59 PM	#11
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,154 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,306 Times in 1,097 Posts	I counted the 'zig-zags' on the springs you show above and discovered that one is much shorter than the others... I am sure that some shortening took place with the passage of time, but I would bet that the shorter one was damaged at one time and was repaired by shortening.... So my question of the day is: Did it function with 32 rounds when you tested it after re-assembly? __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

07-23-2004, 08:25 PM	#12
karmast User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 57 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Respect to every one who was brave enough to play around with Borchardts, C96 or drum mags. I made the big mistake to fieldstrip a very used C96. Several grey hairs later and with a little help from my friend I had it together again. I sweared: Never again!" __________________ Every Luger tells a story - but you have to find out what it says..

07-27-2004, 02:07 PM	#13
Doug G. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 713 Thanks: 1 Thanked 53 Times in 17 Posts	OK, the Type 2 functioned fine, however the Type 1 had numerous failure to feed issues. Namely the round was not getting pushed up all the way. I am going to take it apart and stretch it out more and heavily oil the inside. Will report back after the next test. __________________ Suppose you were an idiot.....and suppose you were a member of Congress.....But I repeat myself" ~~ Mark Twain

07-27-2004, 03:23 PM	#14
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,154 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,306 Times in 1,097 Posts	Doug, I would recommend that you swap the springs you have shown above to see if it is the spring at fault... I am sure the shortness of the one is the culprit and doubt that you could stretch it to the length necessary to function like the long one. If the long spring makes the type 1 function okay, then you will probably have to get a replacement spring the right length made... __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*