[jcoe]

Here is a magazine that is very similar to the early crimped sheet metal luger magazine, except that brass is used to form the sheet metal tube.The brass mag is shown with a standard sheet metal crimpted mag. Brass mag is on the top(fig1,2,3) or left side(fig 4,5)

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The brass tube of this mag appears to have been made on the same die that was used to stamp out standard sheet metal mag. The bottom piece is made of a nonmagnetic metal that is harder than aluminum, and is held in place by a brass pin.The bottom piece is deeply scarred, perhaps from corrosion or occured during its manufacture. The coiled spring inside is intact, as is the follower which also appears corroded. This mag appears to have had a hard life but still works! Perhaps built as a corrosion resistant mag for sea duty? Any ideas would be appreciated.
John

 

[jcoe]

I have been questioned if the tube of this mag was actually made of steel with a brass coating. This is a valid point because the early crimped mags were made of sheet steel and then coated with brass before a final coat of nickel. The brass undercoating was used because nickel adheres better to brass than to steel. Therefore with time and wear, the nickel coating on these mags can disappear and the brass color appear. However, the tube of the pictured mag is indeed made from brass,is non magnetic and distinctly heavier than the standard steel bodied mag . My thanks to Nico van Gijn for bringing up that point.