New Triple K Model 52 Magazines

[Sevens]

Interesting discussion here, and the hands-on data that we add is REAL, although it is small. I would like to add something that it seems has not yet been said:

I have hands-on experience with nine distinct examples of the Model 52. Oldest from the late 1960’s (52-1) and the latest was literally amongst the very, very, very last built in 1993. (TZT-prefix.)

Across these 9 examples spanning many years, never had even one single OEM magazine stick or show evidence of out-of-spec physical size or dimension. This includes a few magazines altered for 6 round capacity as some folks did many years ago.

FEEDING issues from aftermarket magazines are certainly an issue much of the time and perhaps we could argue that’s the most difficult part to get right.

DIMENSIONAL problems that won’t allow proper insertion and removal from the pistol? —WHO— thinks that is acceptable? I’m not even talking about pleasing the customer base, I’m talking about making a sane and rational business decision to rubber stamp this new product and actually ship them for customer purchase?

I think it is ludicrous to question S&W variances over decades or even suggest this problem is somehow related to the production of the iconic pistol that for all intents and purposes works perfectly from 1961 to 1993 and every S&W manufactured magazine slides in clean and drops free under it’s own weight.

Seems like the obvious fact is that Triple-K got the maximum outside dimensions wrong. They blew it. They screwed the pooch. And their obvious failure was sending these out in to the world to tarnish further whatever their reputation was.

 

[Wolvey]

Sevens,
Just to clarify, my comments on sporadic quality were questioning possibilities of quality issues related to the problems with functioning concerning TK, not S&W.
TK, by just reading the thread, has been successful in making mags for other guns that perform well to the point they are still in business. The fact that the 52 is hand fitted and was not just mass produced raised the possibly to me that this could be a potential reason for all the issues with the failure to make a reliable one for the 52, maybe it has nothing at all to do with it.
The comment about getting stuck in the gun was somewhat tongue in cheek and just based on the bad experiences listed from others. BUT, if it is going to happen, it will probably happen to me lol!
On the other hand, maybe the two I ordered will be fine, I am now more curious than ever to see how they perform.

 

[Sevens]

I would also be curious myself… at $35 each. Not at $83.

 

[gmborkovic]

If they dont work at $83, what does $35 get you?

 

[rosewood]

If they dont work at $83, what does $35 get you?

Simple, if it doesn’t work,you are only out $35.

 

[gmborkovic]

Im trying to follow that logic. I dont want to be out $35 or $83. Im buying a product that is new from a reputable American company. Or am I?

 

[chief38]

Never had much luck with Triple K Mag's and got rid of the all. I no longer consider purchasing one of them and always use original Factory Mag's. Yes, they are more costly but I never experienced any problems with one.

The only exception is with 1911 Mag's. I have other quality Mag's that are also great! I use Wilson Combat, Sooting Star, Colt and unmarked USGI Mag's that never fail me.

 

[Homie]

I guess I got lucky. Mine will work. Both insert into the pistol requiring more force than my originals and both require me to pull them out. However, they both feed an empty case from the magazine to the chamber. Will work with them to figure out what is causing the problems. If they save the wear and tear on my originals, I am satisfied.

Same here-two guns, same results.
Bought three mags-one works, feeding and in/out. The other two feed but are dragging on the drawbar.
Keep us posted.

 

[AJ]

Same here-two guns, same results.
Bought three mags-one works, feeding and in/out. The other two feed but are dragging on the drawbar.
Keep us posted.

Will let some know when I get time to work on the problem.

 

[Troystat]

For what it's worth last year I bought a 52-1 and it came with one magazine, the gun functioned fine. I bought 5 more mags 4 on E-bay (two NOS in their original packaging and two used ones as well as a used one from a dealer. Of the 5 I bought 3 had issues including the NOS ones. Mostly the issues where the Feed lips where to tight. My point is that these beasts are fussy and require tuning to make run right. At least in my limited experience.

 

[gmborkovic]

Mr. Troy, ok, feed lips are to tight. So how do you remedy this situation?
Please dont tell me you have to tune them.

 

[Sevens]

I've run in to this situation before, I've simply taken proven magazines that work perfectly all of the time, taken multiple dimensional measurements with a micrometer, and then carefully made some BENDS to replicate the measurements.

Until you've done it, you may not realize how much effort it takes to make these bends. And in my experience with OEM 52 magazines, when you've made the bends properly, it is a one-time job.

I'm not employed in this industry and my professional background is not in mechanics, engineering or gunsmithing. I'm a hobbyist, and a passionate gun owner who loves older S&W handguns. Given this, I would certainly describe what I've done as tuning a S&W Model 52 magazine.

 

[gmborkovic]

I would agree that bending is one of several processes under the broader category of tuning. Its more specific than just tuning. I guess you could file it or tap with a hammer if you had a mandrel or anvil. Thanks for clarifying the term. You are a gifted craftsman with 20/20 and steady hands to bend mag lips.

 

[Sevens]

You are a gifted craftsman with 20/20 and steady hands to bend mag lips.

No, none of these three. I am absolutely not a gifted craftsman with almost anything, however I can phenomenal handloads. And my vision was perhaps never 20/20 and it is degrading noticeably with time. And my hands...? Steady enough for shooting, but I use a pair of very, VERY well protected pliers, and I bend very slowly, typically making NO CHANGE, and then measuring, and then trying again until I see some change, not nearly enough, and repeating.

Bending the feed lips of a 52 magazine, the way I've done it, is similar to fitting an oversized part. You address the part, VERY little bit at a time, then test, expecting you surely did not do nearly enough, and then you address it again, a bit more, test again, and repeat this slow process many times.

 

[Jaco1234]

Quality control is a concept from the last century. Manufacturers now look at variation. Not just +- dimensions but parallelism, flatness straightness and number of others that contribute to fit.
Did S&W have variation? Of course they did. That is why the Model 52 is hand fitted. The magazines were certainly hand fitted as well. They were squeezed in a vice, whacked on the end and had .005 filed off the screws at the factory.
This is not defense of Triple K. Just saying that Triple K went into the market without understanding how their variance matches S&W’s.
They are relying on the consumer to beta test their product. An annoying concept of this century.

 

[Keith Brown]

Jaco, do you have evidence that the builders of the 52 series pistols squeezed magazines in a vise, whacked on the end and had the screws filed by 5 thou ant the factory? Doesn’t sound right to me but I didn’t work there so maybe this is new information. Hopefully member donk52 will chime in, he actually built the guns.

 

[Troystat]

Sevens beat me to it, what he did is what I did to mine and it worked. I cycled empty brass through mine to make sure they worked then took them to the range and tested them with live ammo. All but one work fine now. I number my mags so I can find the culprits. Of course I still have issues with the jerk pulling the trigger.

 

[Jaco1234]

Figuratively speaking

 

[Wolvey]

Indent

Anyone know why the originals have this indentation? The Triple K's don't have it. Also, they don't drop out, you have to pull them out like AJ.
(AJ, borrowed your pic, hope that's ok, thanks)

 

[Yaworski]

I bought a couple extra capacity Triple K 1911 mags back in the 90s. The first one that I used had the feed lips straighten out and let all of the ammo shoot out of the open ejection port. Never used the second and never bought another.

I haven't had a problem with any ProMag. YMMV.

A magazine is pretty simple and someone else has done all the heavy lifting on design. How difficult should it be to copy one?