[Guest]

Are all drum loaders proofed or marked. The one I have is not. Hope I didn't get ripped
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[Guest_V]

Mike,

Snail drums are not proof marked (as they are not firearms). My Mk 2 (hinged lever) TMs are both Imperial acceptance marked - as I believe they all are. It has been mentioned that reproduction TMs are on the market and the Japanese certainly made a TM repro that could only be loaded with about five or six rounds. Personally, I find it hard to believe that anyone could reproduce the TM for anything like the market price of an original one. Other TM stamped marks include the manufacturers´ trade mark and the round counter.

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[john l lockwood]

hi mike; a while back simpsons was advertising repro drum loaders for $450.00. they stated that they were made with the origional tooling. i have two loaders and neither is proofed though there is a small (inspection?) stamp on the body. it's not in front of me,and i forget exactly what the stamp is. i'll get back to you. regards, --john--

 

[john l lockwood]

hi mike; i'm home now and i have the drum loader in front of me with the handle to the right. near the bottom of the sleeve where the magazine is inserted there is a tiny oval (possibly a crown) over an interlocked script CD, and under that B over N. i believe these to be proof marks. i don't know if all the loaders were proofed, hopefullysome more knowledgable folks can clarify this. i only have a 2X magnifying glass so the stamping is hard to see. regards and welcome aboard, --john--

 

[keoki7]

John, I believe that the term "proof" applies only to a testing process that weapons were put through. That said, I have always referred to the crown/letter markings as acceptance or inspector's stamps. The "B/N" is the manufacturer's mark Gebruder Bing/Nurnberg. Although toy manufacturers, the Bing brothers company produced wartime wares like the Trommelmagazin, loaders and helmets.

 

[john l lockwood]

hi george; thanks for the info, can you tell me what the other stamping signifies? also my other loading tool has the B over N but no other mark, i assumed that the other loader is a repro. --john--

 

[Guest_V]

Sorry, I got this completely wrong, assumimg the TM was meant. Loading tools could clearly be more easily copied. There was a long but inconclusive discussion on this subject here some time ago. One of the points made was the difference between split and tube formed handles. A B/N loader, especially if it shows wear and tear is most likely to be original. But loaders were made by other, most likely smaller workshops during and after WWI. Mine has a heavily worn acceptance stamp on the handle but no maker´s stamp.

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[john l lockwood]

hi all; the handles on both of my loaders appear to be fabricated from 1/2" iron pipe.however , does anyone know what the tiny stamp with the interlocked "cd" or whatever it is signifies? i have never seen it anywhere. mike i hope you got an orig. --john--

 

[keoki7]

John, it sounds as though you are describing an acceptance stamp. The crown on the example I am looking at appears as an oval to the naked eye.

 

[Guest_V]

Goertz quotes an A.W.M. note dated 22nd Feb. 1918: "Final drawings for the TM loader have not yet been completed." He doubts whether they ever were. TM loaders were supplied by Bing and by AEG.

 

[john l lockwood]

so, it is possible that my loader without the acceptance stamp is an origional.there was a question i had posted a while back about the authenticity of my loader due to the use of spot-welding. apparantly the spot welding process was in use by the germans during ww1. regards, --john--

 

[Guest_V]

John, mine is also spot welded. It has definitely seen better days and I had to take it to bits, de-rust most of it and remove a load of gunk from its innards, so I don´t suppose that it is a repro. The acceptance stamp (if that is what it is) is hardly visible. It has no B/N or AEG stamp. So I assume that the loaders were made by sub-contractors, as was usual at the time. Like much Luger ware (grips, muzzle protectors snail drum protectors etc) almost anyone with the necessary know-how could make a repro that is identical to the original. I suppose ageing and rust pitting could be the main indicators of a genuine article.

 

[Guest]

thanks to all for the info. The underside of the tube handle has a very faint line in the metal that runs the length of the tube. It is barely visible and is nothing like Mr. Villiers picture. It is so faint you can't even catch it with a fingernail.

Can someone please give a detailed explanation of the procedure for loading a 2nd issue snail drum with the loader. Someone told me to keep my fingers below the level of the lever on the drum when loading just in case the spring or something doesn't catch as it is loaded.
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[Guest_V]

*****,

both types of snail drum are loaded the same way. (1) Extend the lever (2) turn the lever until the catch button is placed over the keyhole slot (3) press the button, locking the lever in place (4) insert the magazine column into the loader until it clicks in the locked position (5) place a round onto the follower and depress the loader handle (6) continue until 32 rounds are inserted (you would probably be doing the drum a favour by not loading to its fullest capacity) (7) release the magazine from the loader (8) wind the lever a fraction of an inch, releasing the retainer button from the keyhole (9) gently and carefully relieve tension on the lever.
The drum is now ready for use. Do not leave it fully loaded for any length of time or the spring will weaken.