New Triple K Model 52 Magazines

[Keith Brown]

I don’t have one of these yet but will try and pick one up, triple k says out of stock. To AJ in particular and anyone else trying to actually find the problem, I would suggest if you haven’t tried it yet to heavily smoke with a sooty candle the body of a good factory magazine and repeat with a triple k. Carefully insert and withdraw once each and give a good look. This might reveal an area to focus on a bit more.

 

[lowriderfxr]

I don’t have one of these yet but will try and pick one up, triple k says out of stock. To AJ in particular and anyone else trying to actually find the problem, I would suggest if you haven’t tried it yet to heavily smoke with a sooty candle the body of a good factory magazine and repeat with a triple k. Carefully insert and withdraw once each and give a good look. This might reveal an area to focus on a bit more.

Keith,

Ill send you this one if you want to mess with it.

Many.

 

[Keith Brown]

Very kind offer Many, I’d be happy to have it and give it a shot, and no problem paying you for it either.

Thanks

 

[Arman4461]

I read this thread with interest, having both 52-1 and 52-2 models with original metal follower mags, and plastic follower mags. Both types work 100% after replacing original magazine springs with new Wolff springs after a thorough cleaning. KKK? I'll have to try one, but I don't expect much.
Cost of original model 52 mags, when found, seem to be Fleabay priced at greater than $125, often more than $150.
I decided to visit a variety of gun shows, looking for the very distinctive model 52 mags. First show, lady had her husband's 40 year collection of thousands of mags. Her face lit up when I asked for model 52 mags, she asked were they the Wadcutter version? I was surprised she even knew the term, but the as-new (except for grease) metal-follower mag that she found at the bottom of her pile of S&W mags told me she knew what she had. $90 later I took my Unicorn home. It works as designed.
I'll be looking for more 52 mags at upcoming shows, while I look for model 52-1 Extractors or complete guns.
Thanks for all the KKK info, especially the post-purchase experiences.

 

[Keith Brown]

Sorry for the long delay, I did receive the Triple K magazine from Many, thank you again.
Finally made the time to disassemble my two factory magazines and the Triple K. There are some differences although which ones and in what combinations are important I do not know at this time.
I’ll post photos, drawings and descriptions as best I can.
First the stripped magazines, first mistake on my part is the orientation of the two factory followers, just caught that.

Next the assembled magazines with one round loaded.

Next one factory and the Triple K followers side by side and overlaying

Next the assemblers code of my gun if anyone is interested or tracking that sort of thing.

Next is a pic of the body of a factory magazine as it’s being seated.

Second pic is of the Triple K being seated, if I captured it well enough you can see the slight bind at the front of magazine, right side of photo.

Both factory’s drop cleanly in with no bind, the Triple K binds lightly the last 5/16 of an inch but is easily overcome, at least in my gun, extraction takes just a light assist.

Correction, the above two photos are reversed, my apologies, I’ll correct but just note for now.

Next two photos are of measurements taken, first is width measurement taken at six points of all three magazines.

Next is a slightly exaggerated drawing to show the front radius of magazine.

Last photo contains a second drawing looking down at magazine from top. These dimensions are given top to bottom, 1st factory mag, 2nd factory mag, and 3rd Triple K.

I have a few other notes but I need to sort them out a bit first.



I’ll add to this shortly

 

[Keith Brown]

Finally shot with this magazine. Fired two factory magazines with my proven load of a Lee cast 148 wadcutter and 2.7 grains of Bullseye, ran perfect as expected. Triple K mag loads okay except for the last round, extremely difficult to get that one in. Fired, or tried to fire four magazines each loaded with five rounds, each first round loaded halfway in and required a slight pull to the rear and slight push forward, it then fired and then the next three loaded and fired as normal. The final fifth round in each loading made it halfway in before stopping. I suspect the rim is dragging hard on the aluminum follower.

 

[Keith Brown]

I’m thinking the two main culprits are the aluminum follower and the undersized spring when measuring it front to back, believe it’s allow the spring to snake inside the magazine body creating additional drag.
Will shoot again this week and swap the innards with factory and see how they run.

 

[g-dad]

Thank you for the update. I've been watching this closely as I has a pair of 52-2s and multiple mags.

 

[Nonno]

Triple K and ProMag, two brands of magazines that I avoid.

ProMag

Please
Remember
Our
Mags
Are
Garbage

As to TripleK, I've tried a lot of theirs, since for some of my unusual older guns, that is the only game in town. About 2/3 have worked adequately, others took some work- filing down to size, adjusting the mag lips, other fiddling to match factory specs... and a few just didn't work at all. I've only had to return one or two, and they were good about refund (although I was out the return shipping cost).

 

[cyberdemonbfg]

I bought two new factory S&W mags sealed in their plastic container for my 52-2 and they would not work, wouldn't even fit in the gun. I called S&W and they said i would have to send the pistol to them and the mags to get them fitted. I did that and when it returned, they worked perfectly. Go figure.

 

[jscoffern]

It seems to me that it would be normal to check and verify that a mag off the assembly line actually functions correctly. I had to take my 52 to my gunsmith to remove it.

 

[AJ]

The mags went back to Triple K a week ago by Priority Mail. Enclosed was a letter with what problems that I had and what I thought was wrong with the Magazines. Hopefully I will hear for their QA or someone responsible. Gave them email, house address and cell phone number. However, I doubt I will...........

 

[gmborkovic]

cyberdemon, did you send your 52 and 2new mags lately? Im surprised they worked on it. Wonder if you got back the 2mags from the blister packs?

 

[bph9]

It is amazing that after decades and decades Triple K and Pro Mag are still in business. I never had a magazine from either that worked. I usually laugh when I read Triple K's advertisements that say "Bench Tested"! By whom? Chimpanzees?

 

[CH4]

I have some of KKK’s leather and find it satisfactory; I didn’t know they made mags.

 

[M14sRock]

Triple K and ProMag, two brands of magazines that I avoid.

To be fair, the ProMag polymer mags for the Colt 9mm AR work great. The 50rd ProMag PCC drum works great. And the polymer 24rd Saiga .308 mags work great. Their steel mags have always been trash.

The Triple K mags for my HK300 in .22WMR all work perfectly. The Hi Standard .22 mags from Triple K can be tweaked with the Hi Standard 'mag tuning tool' and then they work fine.

And some of the esoteric Triple K mags for old Sauer and Mauser pistols can be made to work just fine if one isn't afraid to 'play' with them.

 

[cyberdemonbfg]

cyberdemon, did you send your 52 and 2new mags lately? Im surprised they worked on it. Wonder if you got back the 2mags from the blister packs?

That was quite awhile ago. They looked the same to me. I guess since they were factory mags, they would make them work. I do remember that the person said that they had to be hand fitted for them to work. The guy i bought the gun from had several 52's for sale and must have mixed up the mags, because the two that was sold with the gun, didn't work either.

 

[firebreather]

I remember the problems finding factory mags for these guns that would function back in the early 80's. Two other members of my gun club and I had them and had scrounged gun shops and shows until we had 6 mags apiece. We swapped them around trying to find 6 that would work in each gun. I finally packaged mine up and sent it to S&W with 6 mags with a letter saying make them work. When I got them back two of the mags were not the ones I sent, but all 6 they sent back worked well. Good luck with the projects.

 

[Jim Watson]

My stock M52-2 magazines are fine and I don't need more.
My magazine adventures were with .22s.

The High Standard's two stock magazines are fine but gunshow magazines - I assume Triple K out of the wrap - were dismal. I ruined one trying to tinker it into operation, the other went to a friend who has a gun that it actually works in. I wanted five magazines for Steel Challenge, so I ordered three from the rump organization in Texas. They have the "A" stamp that was supposed to indicate the latest pattern. All feed well into the rampless Supermatic Military chamber. One is as good as the originals, one does not trip the slide stop, one does not drop free. I numbered them and use them in that order, after the originals. So when I come to the one that does not drop free, I will have completed the course of fire and have time to wrassle it out of the gun.

 

[AJ]

My stock M52-2 magazines are fine and I don't need more.
My magazine adventures were with .22s.

The High Standard's two stock magazines are fine but gunshow magazines - I assume Triple K out of the wrap - were dismal. I ruined one trying to tinker it into operation, the other went to a friend who has a gun that it actually works in. I wanted five magazines for Steel Challenge, so I ordered three from the rump organization in Texas. They have the "A" stamp that was supposed to indicate the latest pattern. All feed well into the rampless Supermatic Military chamber. One is as good as the originals, one does not trip the slide stop, one does not drop free. I numbered them and use them in that order, after the originals. So when I come to the one that does not drop free, I will have completed the course of fire and have time to wrassle it out of the gun.

A friend and I were going to use Browning Medalist's for our local Steel Challenge. But a $100.00+ for used magazines decided. We went to Browning Buckmarks for the Challenge. Factory magazine at the time were $20.00 a piece. Maybe you ought to look into using another brand of pistol (IE: Ruger, Browning etc...).