[Guest]

My Finnish contract luger came with a nickel colored (as opposed to blued) magazine with a wooden base. Being like most Finns, it's a mismatched mag. The body of the mag locks up tight into the magwell, no problem, but the wooden base seems to have a little play to it. I can fully load the mag and everything works no problem, but the wooden base can be worked to pivot slightly up and down at one end of the mag, maybe as much as 2 or 3 milimeters.

It doesn't seem to affect function at all, but it doesn't look as nice as it could, since when the mag is in place, the wood base always looks like it's not tight up onto the gun's frame - the end effect being the mag almost looks like it's not locked up properly even though it is.

Is this a normal occurence with the wood based mags, and if not, is there a way to snug it up better?

Or should I just retire this mag to display purposes and get a cheap modern mag for actual use?

 

[Olefogey]

Ron,
From your description, and without seeing pictures of it, I would say you have an ill fitting wooden base. The wooden bases are secured by a single pin on the spine side of the mag, which, if the wood has shrunk or is slightly worn from being chsaged from another mag, allows the front edge to pivot up and down. I have several that do exactly the same thing. You could take the base out and add aTHIN shim to the front....how it would look I don't know.

Dave

 

[Guest]

Right, so the mag friction-fits to the front of the mag body and pivots at the rear, so slightly shimming to front of the base would possibly snug it sufficiently. I may try this - I had thought of removing it anyhow to leech some of the oil out of the wood. It's black with crud and oil anyhow.

I'll try to post some pics of the mag later tonight.

 

[Olefogey]

I know that I am preaching heresy by saying this... there is a fellow in Germany who makes the most beautiful repro wood bases I have ever seen!! I have used two of them before on a 1920 commercial that had a broken bottom and a 1916. Commercials are not numbered. A gunsmith friend of mine numbered the base for me.

Dave

 

[Guest]

If I can get this one to work without replacing it, I will. Worst case, I can get a repro base and use that I guess. Hopefully it won't be necessary.

 

[Frank]

Ron, a friend of mine suggested using a 40 Cal brass case, then cut it in half down the middle lengthwise almost to the extractor groove. Then cut it off perpendicular to the first cut. File the edges then try it for the shim. I have never done it but he says it works every time! Good Luck.

 

[Guest]

Hmm, interesting. I was going to leech oil out of the wood base and then epoxy tiny beechwood shims to the base and then blend them into the patina of the base with diluted leather dye. If it doesn't work, I'll try the casing idea.

 

[Guest]

OK, mag bottom is now repaired with a nice snug fit. I removed the base and epoxied walnut shims along the leading surface (deeped point inside the magazine), let it cure, filed to fit and re-assembled. Voila! Looks like brand new!