clockwork mags

[Pittbug]

Just read an article in American Rifleman about a new type of mag spring mechanism, designed and manufactured by Mitchell Manufacturing Corp (mauser.org although it's not listed on their website). According to the article it uses a clockwork spring pinned to the mag body and rests under the follower. Because it doesn't take up room between the rounds and the basepad it increases capacity for an Beretta M9 from 15 to 20 rounds. Because of the spring design it also provides consistent pressure on the rounds, so the last round is as easy to load as the first.

Other models are available for the Sig 226 and springfield XD (doesn't say which caliber).

I thought it sounded quite promising....

[caspian guy]

I recall seeing (I may even still own one somewhere) Eagle? used to make magazines that used this system. You could get them for pistols (Ruger P-85 maybe others) and also I think for the mini-14 and the ar-15.

The one I have/had was a plastic bodied transparent mag for an AR-15 the spring was coiled under the follower and would un-wind as the mag was loaded. I believe one end of the spring was pinned or riveted to the inside right side of the mag body and fit into a recess in the mag body.

I recall it working ok but being made out of plastic I never used it much.

Peter Adams

FY-39604

[Jeff686]

Butler Creek 10/22 mags work that way. I often wondered if external springs were allowed on magazines in USPSA, or if there was some additional dimensional limitation other than the standard length limit.

[Dan Sierpina]

I had some, years ago, when I shot a TZ75. I think they may have been Ram Line. They held a round or two more than regular mags. The down side was, if you dropped them in sand, they were a pain to clean. The sand would get into the spring. Most of the local ranges were sand.....

P.S. The time frame was the late 1980's-early 90's....it's not a new idea.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Dan Sierpina

[JFlowers]

May not take the abuse from dropped mags, but what about Open Division "Big Sticks" At 28-30 rounds now, if the spring system would allow even two more so the magazine became 31+1 those mags would never get dropped.

[shred]

Ram-line was the one I had. It's not a miracle spring-- it has to go somewhere.. and there's no free lunch. I wouldn't expect to see them in IPSC mags for a while.

[caspian guy]

I did a quick Google and found a picture of one like I had on Guns America.

From the picture you can see how it works, the spring unwinds out from under the follower and fits in a recess in the side of the body of the mag.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/976700764/Non-G..._EAGLE_MAGS.htm

Peter Adams

FY-39604

[HSMITH]

31+1 is here now.....

[scirocco38s]

Hopefully wil be here at my house soon. 31+1 that is.