More Numrich drums sent!

[G.T.]

Hi to all! Just a short note, to let the members know that 18 revised 32 round snail drum sets were sent out recently to Numrich from G.T. Specialties. The should be there by next Saturday, or the following week... Another 18 to follow this week! Lot'sa work, hope you all like them! … Best to all, til...lat'r…..GT...

[Patrick Sweeney]

I tested a couple of those for Firearms News. Thanks for the reminder, I have to send them back, so someone can jump on them after their return.

[G.T.]

Hi Patrick, at the time you tested the drums, I was still streamlining the revision process and also still improving on the durability of each component, wherever and whenever possible??
Since that time, I have refined the interior polishing process, and also made great strides in revising the troublesome followers, both for function and durability.
When I revised the first 100 drums, it was a matter of testing for function, and addressing each drum for it's particular needs, and then making the adjustments. Kind of a 50/50 event, repair, test, repeat!.. Now, after all is done, with a set process of revision, I bench test the drums and usually have 90% to 100% perfect function on the first go around! I am sending out 9 more today, and then 9 more early next week, and will then take a break from them for a few weeks... They are driving me crazy!...... When I count fence jumping sheep at night, they are all armed with MP18's and snail drum magazines!!!! .... The reality of the program, is I have just sent for the next 100 drums, and we go forward again.. I try hard not to be a quitter! Best to all, til….lat'r…..GT....

[DavidJayUden]

Luger bugs everywhere thank you for your perseverance.
dju

[lugerholsterrepair]

The reality of the program, is I have just sent for the next 100 drums!! That in itself is an amazing statement on several counts.



One obvious one is why doesn't Numrich buy you a plane ticket and send you to the manufacturer to show them how to make these things right in the first place?

[G.T.]

Hi Jerry, well, that'd be a very good way to make them better, but, in fact, they are ALL already made! And all are in need of revision! They were really close, missed it by just a little bit... I've tried to explain to others, that in Lugers, "The last five percent of quality, is ninety five percent of the work!" ….... Oh well, keeps me out of the bars! Best to all, til….lat'r….GT.....

[lugerholsterrepair]

Gerald, Well, good to hear there is one man in the World capable of achieving ninety five percent of the work! It's a noble effort and your hard work will be appreciated by many. I can only hope you are being well compensated.

[G.T.]

Well, with you in the mix, that makes at least two!... and I could name several more on this forum, but, I don't want to jinx anyone... ........ best to all, and thanks to all, til….lat'r…..GT....

Decided to jinx them afterall! Olle, Art, Jim Solomon, Rich, Rick, Don Voigt, Thor, Mr. Danner, and there are more! And, that's just a few on the skill side... knowledge side on this forum runs even deeper! Best to you all, and as mentioned before, " This is the herd I belong to!"

(Please keep in mind the above statements have nothing to do with MY skills and skill sets... Jerry has some real talent!!! I, on the other hand, have much less talent then the average plastic model builder, but where I do know I excel is in stubbornness... and maybe attention to detail a close second.. and eccentricity, I am improving... But, I'm still working on that... (: ... Best to all, til….lat'r….GT

[Bill_in_VA]

I’ve put it off long enough; I ordered one of the “GT Special” drums from Numrich this morning. Thanks for taking the time and effort to tune these, Gerald.

[G.T.]

Let us know how you turn out with it... the last 50 or so have been the very best combination of all the revision processes... I've got you covered should any issues arise... best to you Bill, til….lat'r….GT

[G.T.]

Nine more went out today... that is a total of 36 since the beginning of the year... Last ones for a'while as I have to disassemble, revise all the parts, and start the reassembly and test sequence all over again for this next 100 units I just received yesterday! ….At least a few months will pass.... Thanks to all for your patience, best to all, til...lat'r...GT....

[Bill_in_VA]

Mine came yesterday. It’s a lot nicer quality than I was expecting (then again, for almost five bills it ought to be reasonably so.) It did, however, come pre-wound. Putting it side by side with a real Bing trommel it’s a pretty close copy. I tried it in one of my LP.08s and in a 1938 Mauser and it fit well. The loader feels pretty solid and works well too. It also fits a real Bing and an AEG trommel. Both the loader and the trommel have GT’s “stamp of approval.” Plans are to go shoot tomorrow so I’ll give it a field test but I’m not anticipating any problems. Now... I need to find that repro board stock of mine for tomorrow...

[G.T.]

Hi Bill, Have fun with your drum! The reason it is locked open from G.T. Specialties upon delivery, is that when the swing arm is unlocked and rotated to "weak?" the follower spring is fully tensioned and when shipped, tends to pop out the top causing the more faint of heart to return the drums untried!!! …..... It is ready to load and ammo recommendations are primarily WW 115 grain ball, maybe even better is Federal 124 grain std. ball? (the heaver bullet has a bit better energy pulse when cycling it the Luger?)
Most of all be careful! Any jams or malfunctions, clear the weapon first, address the issue later... Best to you Bill, til...lat'r...GT....

[G.T.]

When NUMRICH received the drums, the magazine catch notch was located approx. .080" too high, which in turn, means the drum sets too low in the Luger to effect proper ejection! (I know, me too, it took me 6 months and two cases of ammo to figure that one out!!!!) ... Anyway, one of the major operations in the revision is to weld up the mag. catch notch on the drum, (no small feat in it's self!) re-radius the front spine inside and out, and re-mill the notch in the proper location, same as an original...
Having done that, the loader has to have the stop ears at the top, formed upwards, so the magazine will index correctly, and snap into the loading tool! Soooo, it means, the loader will work on all NUMRICH drum that have been revised, and most all original drums, especially BING manufacture... I sometime also relieve the mag catch cross pin so it engages deeper and as a result, hold it more positively.. Bill has it pretty much nailed, I try to make them as close to original as possible.. Not perfect! But, I'd say it's an easy 95% of what an original is?... Just my opinion, mostly doing them so forum members have a little "Luger spice" in their shooting range bag! ... best to all, til….lat'r….GT.....

[Bill_in_VA]

So I had a chance to 25 rounds through the Numrich trommel. The follower stuck when I removed the loader and the first round tumbled out, so really I tested it with 24 rounds. I used a 4” 1915 DWM as my testing platform. The first three or four rounds loaded, fired, extracted/ejected, reloaded as expected. With the remaining rounds each shot would fire and eject but the toggle would hang open and not chamber the next round. A sharp smack or quick tug on the toggle would strip the round, chamber, fire, and eject, but again the toggle would hang open and not strip the next round. It wasn’t the hold open since a smack on top the toggle or removing the trommel caused the toggle to snap shut. I’m thinking the bottom of the bolt could be dragging on the feedlips. It could, however, also be the fact the my test platform was nickle plated. I’ll try a different pistol next go ‘round. I think shooting it a few more times might wear it in.

[G.T.]

Hi Bill, it could certainly be dragging on the breechblock underside... but, try this first....Best if you can try another Luger as well... Field strip the luger, remove the firing pin, spring and retainer... Load the drum up with 25 rounds and cycle them thru by hand at the bench or range certainly while keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction... I use dummy rounds, and totally recommend only dummy rounds! But with care, you can find the issue using actual loaded rounds... AGAIN! It is then/now a loaded gun, and even with the firing pin removed, anything can happen!!!! Super careful with no one around!!! It should work at the bench just as well as shooting it... If you want me to send test dummy rounds to you, I will do so … Let me know, standing by... best to you, til...lat'r….GT

BTW, the problem may be the drum is too low, or too high in the Luger, one jams the bullet on the feed ramp (low), one drags on the feedlips(high)... but the fact that a bullet is always there means the drum is advancing correctly, just dragging some where?... Also, with the drum unloaded, push the follower down about an inch, so the hold open doesn't engage, and cycle the toggle several times to see if you can feel and drag when empty? standing by!

BTW, it could still be the hold open in that the reinforcing fold on the right hand side of the mag tube at the top, can just touch the back of the hold open tab and it will just barely engage... a little Dremel action will clean it up... on either drum or hold open?...

[DonVoigt]

Bill,
I probably posted this before on another thread- but all drums won't fit/work with all lugers.
Sometimes the magazine part of the drum won't even slide into the frame- but that is usually with earlier pistols.

I expect you can find the "high" spots, put a little black magic marker on the feed lips and on the bottom of the bolt, I'd take the hold open out- so it is eliminated from the equation entirely.
Then cycle the toggle by hand. I've found that without the recoil of a fired round- one frequently has to shake or slap the drum to get the rounds to move under the spring pressure.

The actual recoil is a necessary part of the operation of the drum, at least it is with all I have.

Hope this helps. But do try at least two lugers, or four.

I forgot, also after you insert the luger and it clicks in, pull back down on the drum to seat it firmly against the mag catch, there is often a little movement there- and you need to get it back down on the latch surface- this is especially important if the drum is a tight fit in the grip.

You did take it apart and clean all the grease out that GT left in and then put in some silicone spray or liquid lube?

I find the lube is important and like the "Dupont" silicone in the blue label bottle- but any thin oil is ok. There is a tremendous amount of friction between the cartridges and the drum surfaces- but it will get better with use.

[Bill_in_VA]

I'm going to try another pistol first as well as maybe run a full box or two through it to see if it'll wear itself in. There are some bright spots from where the bolt contacted the feed lips, so if it's still acting up after more use I think a few light passes with a small file ought to cure it.

That said, I don't own an MP18i (yet) so I really don't plan on using this thing very much. It's more about having one and having the choice to play with a trommel without risking damage to a real one, should I decide to do so. Truth be told, it's awkward as hell to use. I couldn't find my repro board stock and didn't want to take an original out in yesterday's weather so I just grabbed one of my shooters out of the safe. The weight of the trommel wants to cause the pistol to roll over about 45 degrees to the left.
With that tendency towards a 45 degree roll and a nickle-plated pistol I kept thinking I should be holding my crotch with my off hand and shouting "yo yo yo home boy!' or "Hey vatos!"