Hand Loading Ouch!!!!

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by ChrisLL

ithicaartist - what material is that made from? May try making one myself...

Chris, It's plain ol' mild steel, mig welded curved handle, ground to fit the thumb comfortably and ground on the back side to match the contours of these mags. KGP 69 factory mags have a concave channel instead of straight flat sides, and the factory loading tool kept slipping off, mostly 'cause it's flat on the back side, with nothing to keep it lined up/oriented. Also, the originals have a simple hole punched in them for the follower button. Experience showed that a little bit of a lip, like the Luger loading tools, keeps it hooked on; so my creation has one. It is thinner than the Luger tool's lip because there's not as much clearance behind the Erma follower buttons. If you don't have a mill to offset the hole, thereby creating the "lip", just go at it with a carbide bit on a Dremel or Foredom.

The lovely fire-blue/blackened color came right out of the toaster oven, set on "toast" for 10-15 min.

[ChrisLL]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Chris, It's plain ol' mild steel, mig welded curved handle, ground to fit the thumb comfortably and ground on the back side to match the contours of these mags. KGP 69 factory mags have a concave channel instead of straight flat sides, and the factory loading tool kept slipping off, mostly 'cause it's flat on the back side, with nothing to keep it lined up/oriented. Also, the originals have a simple hole punched in them for the follower button. Experience showed that a little bit of a lip, like the Luger loading tools, keeps it hooked on; so my creation has one. It is thinner than the Luger tool's lip because there's not as much clearance behind the Erma follower buttons. If you don't have a mill to offset the hole, thereby creating the "lip", just go at it with a carbide bit on a Dremel or Foredom.

The lovely fire-blue/blackened color came right out of the toaster oven, set on "toast" for 10-15 min.

I like it, looks like it works great and has a lot of character. Love the heat/coloring treatment! Good suggestion on the lip, I imagine that makes a big difference. Thanks.