Stick magazines

[Embalmer]

Anyone know where I can find a excellent condition Seymore and Crosby marked 30 round stick mags?? In my collecting magazines for my thompson, I noticed they are the only 2 types I dont have that I could find. I got the AO and Seymore Drums... patent date, AO, seymore, crosby 20 rounders... and AO 30 rounders. Figure I want to find the last 2 to have the complete collection, just to have. Ones I have found wont ship here, which is BS..

Any ideas?
Matt

[Ghostsoldier]

Matt,
I bought a crapload of them last year from Tapco (10 of 'em)...I paid 3 bucks each (they were having a sale ;))....and, I got a mixture of all the known brands...some are not in pristine condition, but some were excellent, still wrapped in the cosmoline and wax paper....:)
Rob

[Embalmer]

I checked them and a fw places in state that sold preban mags, and no luck yet... Still determined though..

[wildcottage]

Hello,
just out of curiosity, can anyone explain me, why the original Thompson magazines do not fit the Kahr Tommygun without alteration through a black smith/ gun smith? Is there any gunshop out there, selling already original "Kahr"-altered magazines?

[Ghostsoldier]

There have been no 'new' Thompson magazines manufactured since the end of WW2; the "hook" of the mag catch in the late-model Kahr Thompsons was made larger than the full-auto models on purpose, so the mags won't interchange. You have 2 options:

1) 'Wallow out' the mag catch hole in a stock FA mag with a file or rotary tool (thereby damaging the stock mag forever) so the bigger mag catch hook will engage (that's what Kahr does), or

2) Use a rotary tool or file to make the stock Kahr mag catch hook smaller, so it will fit the stock Thompson FA mags.

I chose option 2 for mine, and did it myself. It was easy; you'll have to remove the catch, work it down a little, reinsert it to check fit, then repeat the process until you can get the catch to 'lock' into the mag....just take your time. Or, alternately, you can buy an altered mag catch aftermarket and install it yourself (around 60 bucks or so).

Either way, Option 2 allows you maintain the integrity of the original mags without damage, and also, you will be able to use any Thompson mag you find in the field....and I have borrowed mags form my buddies in the past, without fear of them not fitting my gun (unless you get one that someone has 'altered' for a late-model Kahr gun, of course :rolleyes:).

I have pics of my mod I can post, if you are interested.;)

Rob

[Bawanna]

There have been no 'new' Thompson magazines manufactured since the end of WW2; the "hook" of the mag catch in the late-model Kahr Thompsons was made larger than the full-auto models on purpose, so the mags won't interchange. You have 2 options:

1) 'Wallow out' the mag catch hole in a stock FA mag with a file or rotary tool (thereby damaging the stock mag forever) so the bigger mag catch hook will engage (that's what Kahr does), or

2) Use a rotary tool or file to make the stock Kahr mag catch hook smaller, so it will fit the stock Thompson FA mags.

I chose option 2 for mine, and did it myself. It was easy; you'll have to remove the catch, work it down a little, reinsert it to check fit, then repeat the process until you can get the catch to 'lock' into the mag....just take your time. Or, alternately, you can buy an altered mag catch aftermarket and install it yourself (around 60 bucks or so).

Either way, Option 2 allows you maintain the integrity of the original mags without damage, and also, you will be able to use any Thompson mag you find in the field....and I have borrowed mags form my buddies in the past, without fear of them not fitting my gun (unless you get one that someone has 'altered' for a late-model Kahr gun, of course :rolleyes:).

I have pics of my mod I can post, if you are interested.;)

Rob

Do you find that the FA mags from different manufactures or even the same mfg are consistent as far as that hole size and location. I got 6 and of course hogged out the hole in the mag, in hind sight your Option 2 is much more appealing and as you say any mag you find would work. But it seemed that each of the ones I got required a different amount of hole modification. I tried to keep each one just as tight as possible and not over enlarge the hole.
Also once a mag is modified it won't work at all with option 2, not just be a bit sloppy?
I'm liking option 2 way better. Never crossed my mind. I might just track down some new surplus sticks and modify my catch. Or I guess getting an aftermarket one and leaving the factory one intact so I could use the mags I got if needed. Nah, toss em and get a bunch of unmodified ones.

I'd love to see your mod pics when you find the time.

[Ghostsoldier]

Joe,
All the mags I have are the same; manufacturing specs in WW2 were tight, so all the makes and models are dead-on.

The problem with the oblong-hole modded mags (after you do option 2), is that the hole is too big for the new catch, the mag will rock in the slot, and the damn thing will fall out of the gun during firing, because of the vibrations.

Best thing to do is throw out the modded mags (some guys weld them back up, and re-file the hole, but that's a helluva lotta work), and get a new mag catch for the Tommy (or modify yours).

Here's some pics of my mod:
Before:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/ghostsoldier/WW2%20HOW-TO/BEFORE1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/ghostsoldier/WW2%20HOW-TO/BEFORE2.jpg

After:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/ghostsoldier/WW2%20HOW-TO/AFTER1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/ghostsoldier/WW2%20HOW-TO/AFTER4.jpg

You can see the catch goes from a shallow notch and oblong button (pic 1), to a deeper notch, rounder button (pic 3), to fit the hole in the FA mags.

Hope that helps!:)
Rob

[Bawanna]

Ok I've waited long enough, time to fix my mag catch. I figure I'll just get the 60$ modified FA catch from Tommy Gunner. That way I can put the original back in if I ever want to.
Whats the latest best deal on original unmessed with Tommy gun mags or is there one anymore. I haven't done much research yet on the mags, was looking at the mag catch but realized can't do one without the other.

[Bawanna]

MAG-725 - Mag Thompson 30 Round Original .45 GI Used Working Condition Blued Steel (http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MAG725-36.html#Reviews)

I found these, cheapest so far, kind of have mixed reviews. Most talk about modifying to fit new models, I have no intention of do that ever again.
I tried looking at Topco but I don't see anything at all Tommy there, maybe I don't have the right Topco?
Tommygunner has the mag catch modified for full auto mags for like 60 as I recall which means I have a memory retention of aproximately 10 minutes. Not bad, yesterday I think it was 8 but who can remember that far anyhow.

[kyletx1911]

a dremel on a tommy not for me:eek:i think will try to do the mod thanks for
the heads up:cool:

[Embalmer]

Luckily i found my stash of 5 30 and 1 20 round modofied from my m1 i sold years back when i unpacked from a recent move. Way prices have gone up cant fathem ruining any more mags. Though read someone repairs modified mags back to original spec. Forgot where though.

[Bawanna]

Well after a year of procrastination I took on this Tommy mag catch modification this morning.
Quite challenging but not terribly difficult. Was very hard to get the old catch spring off the old catch. I modified a new mag catch so if I fail miserably I can at least go back to where I was.

I just reassembled and I think I'm very very close. Gonna take just a fuzz more off to insure positive engagement, tweak the lever part out just a tad since it wants to hit the pistol grip and I think I'm there.

Anybody that has any unmessed with Tommy 30 round mags laying around I'll be looking for some. I have 4 messed with that I'll probably put on the block once I insure that I've got everything working properly.

I might see about welding them back up but as mentioned before I think that would be a lot of work.

[Ghostsoldier]

Good for you, B....I had to tweak mine about 3 times until I had taken enough metal off to make it latch securely....a lot of in-and-out, but it's the safest way.


I might see about welding them back up but as mentioned before I think that would be a lot of work.

I have some buddies who tried that, but with the steel being so thin, they ended up with warped mags....besides, I've bought them from Tapco for 3 bucks each in the past, when they had special sales events going on. :)

Rob

[Bawanna]

Good for you, B....I had to tweak mine about 3 times until I had taken enough metal off to make it latch securely....a lot of in-and-out, but it's the safest way.



I have some buddies who tried that, but with the steel being so thin, they ended up with warped mags....besides, I've bought them from Tapco for 3 bucks each in the past, when they had special sales events going on. :)

Rob

Nice to hear from ya Rob. Hoped you would see that I finally got it done. Was a lot of in and out and some learning at first. Slightly smarter than I was awhile ago.

I checked Tapco quite awhile back and I didn't see anything tommy mag related. I better go look again.

I had Kahr send me a new mag catch in case I goofed and they graciously sent me a couple unmessed with mags that were a little rusty. Gave me something to fit to and they will clean up and work fine for me.
I'm gonna order another mag catch spring now. That was actually the hard part, getting the old spring off the original catch.

For some reason I think I'll sleep better tonight knowing I won't have to modify the rare and getting rarer GI mags. Must have been a ton of them at one time for there to be any left now.

[Bawanna]

I just checked again and nothing Thompson at Tapco. Some places like Midway they are selling for like 60 bucks.

Cheaper Than Dirt had them for around 19 or 20 but I see they now are out of them.

Not doint the 60 dollar a copy version that's for sure.

[Ghostsoldier]

Hey, B...I'm still here. ;) I got a new job, so it's keeping me busy and off the web more than I used to be...but, since it's providing me with more fun-bucks to deal with in the end, I hope to pick up a '27 this year to go with my M1A1! :D
Rob

[Bawanna]

PM sent Ghostsoldier.

[Ghostsoldier]

PM sent Ghostsoldier.

Sent one back, Joe. ;)

Rob