Swiss 22lr conversion

ithacaartist · 02-15-2012, 06:18 PM

Rick,
From the Datig book, and also Gerben's info posted on my other thread, I understand that ejection was handled two ways in the repeaters. One early Erma kit included an extractor which was intended to be swapped out with the original. From the pics Gerben included, one can see a completely different shape of the one for the kit, with an offset, and probably an extended length to put its business end up farther front where it needs to be to encouter a .22 round. My post war kit uses the forward corner of the right rear mag lip to flick the shell out, and the original extractor is either removed and setaside in a safe place, or--as the tinkerer in me decided--its tip pushed out from the inner slide rail and held out of the way by a small temporary plastic wedge between the outside of the rail and the backside of the extractor shaft.
I noticed on mine that the smaller follower button on the mag does tickle the holdopen and raise it slightly when the mag is empty. But the cycling in general does not move the breech block back very far; therefore I am of the opinion that it just can't work with the kit's toggle train, even if a bigger button were substituted.
The kit's holdopen feature depends on the little blip, against which the heel of the .22 round that sits atop the follower rests. When empty, this little hoink sticks up into the path of the breech block. Instead of stripping off a round, the block encounters the little lug and stops, leaving the breech open. Since this is part of the mag, the action will again snap shut the moment the mag is removed.
My concern is the different energies between a .22 lr and the full sized Luger ammo. I'm thinking that since the .22 would be unable to overcome the main recoil spring and firing pin spring in combination, as does a full powered round, one might change out the mainspring if one could be found to accept and release the proper energies, if the mass of the original toggle train can also be influenced adequately by the .22's explosive force. Sufficient oomph to move the action fully back would also allow the original holdopen to come into play, in conjunction with your larger follower button. Compromise may be impossible if the force of the spring which is strong enough to raise the holdopen into position is great enough to start causing feed issues.
I'm starting to confuse myself now, so will stop. Whew!

02-15-2012, 06:18 PM	#3
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,368 Thanks: 7,432 Thanked 2,611 Times in 1,378 Posts	Rick, From the Datig book, and also Gerben's info posted on my other thread, I understand that ejection was handled two ways in the repeaters. One early Erma kit included an extractor which was intended to be swapped out with the original. From the pics Gerben included, one can see a completely different shape of the one for the kit, with an offset, and probably an extended length to put its business end up farther front where it needs to be to encouter a .22 round. My post war kit uses the forward corner of the right rear mag lip to flick the shell out, and the original extractor is either removed and setaside in a safe place, or--as the tinkerer in me decided--its tip pushed out from the inner slide rail and held out of the way by a small temporary plastic wedge between the outside of the rail and the backside of the extractor shaft. I noticed on mine that the smaller follower button on the mag does tickle the holdopen and raise it slightly when the mag is empty. But the cycling in general does not move the breech block back very far; therefore I am of the opinion that it just can't work with the kit's toggle train, even if a bigger button were substituted. The kit's holdopen feature depends on the little blip, against which the heel of the .22 round that sits atop the follower rests. When empty, this little hoink sticks up into the path of the breech block. Instead of stripping off a round, the block encounters the little lug and stops, leaving the breech open. Since this is part of the mag, the action will again snap shut the moment the mag is removed. My concern is the different energies between a .22 lr and the full sized Luger ammo. I'm thinking that since the .22 would be unable to overcome the main recoil spring and firing pin spring in combination, as does a full powered round, one might change out the mainspring if one could be found to accept and release the proper energies, if the mass of the original toggle train can also be influenced adequately by the .22's explosive force. Sufficient oomph to move the action fully back would also allow the original holdopen to come into play, in conjunction with your larger follower button. Compromise may be impossible if the force of the spring which is strong enough to raise the holdopen into position is great enough to start causing feed issues. I'm starting to confuse myself now, so will stop. Whew!