Originally Posted by
Mr. Zero
Wyntrout-
I would suggest that it is not the follower length that dictates the round count, but rather the spring stack when compressed.
Try this: remove the follower and spring from the magazine and drop in 7 rounds. Then measure the distance from the top of the last round to the top of the mag tube along the spine. I think what you will find, is that there is enough space to accommodate the follower length. Skirted mags require the spring to have more coils because they cannot go from front to back of the mag tube. When that spring coil is compressed it is taller, thus, 6 rounds instead of 7.
Look at my pictures. I have experimented with all kinds of combinations of followers and springs with these magazines. The tubes are all the same... length and number of holes. The big difference is the length of the skirt. The six-rounder's skirt is about .4" longer and bottoms out leaving about 6 1/2 rounds capacity. Switching to the shorter skirt allows 7 rounds in all of the tubes. The tubes have observation holes for 7 rounds in all versions.
The shorter skirted follower and the matching spring allow 6 rounds in the 5-round Kahr and 7 in the 6-round Kahr, but the spring design doesn't have enough lift at the front of the follower to reliably operate the slide lock in the Kahr pistol, especially during firing.
The plastic Kahr follower takes up a lot of space and the narrower(front to rear) spring allow one less round capacity.
The the top part of the good springs is mated to the follower. The length of the springs coils and correct mating top of the spring holds the follower in place.
In another post I tried the Wilson Combat kit that increases capacity from six to seven in the officer's model magazines. This skirted plastic follower won't work in the Kahr magazines because the front part of the skirt is too short in the front.
Link to that (as soon as I find it):
http://kahrtalk.com/pm-series-pistol...html#post36945
Wynn
Last edited by wyntrout; 11-08-2010 at 09:14 AM.
USAF Retired '88, NRA Life Member. Wife USAF Retired '96
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