Mod 52 mags

[jcelect]

I normally don't frequent this area of the forum! I'm asking for a friend.
Does anyone own or has ever seen a factory mod 52 mag that will accept more than 5 rounds?
jcelect

 

[elpac3]

Never seen a model 52 factory mag in 6 rounds. The 52 was a bullseye gun where the game was build around 5 round strings.

That said I have seen and have modified model 52 mags to accept 6 rounds. Needs to be done on a mill with an angled extension cut for the magazine follower buttons

 

[Mortimer94]

I have 6 factory mags that were modified to hold six rounds. I had it done in the 90's so I could use the 52 for PPC. Have no idea who did it, but it was done locally.

 

[jag22]

There are some older threads about the modification. Basically extending the cutout parallel to the back of the mag. I have three mags and thought of trying it on one but haven’t had the courage to try it.

 

[Model52guy]

Since the last M52 used magazine sold on eBay a couple of days ago for $200+, I wouldn’t modify any i had.

 

[Walter Rego]

My Model 52-2 came with several magazines. One had been modified or at least someone attempted to modify it to accept a sixth round. Here is an old photo that I found showing the mods. The caption says that the slot for the mag follower guide should be parallel to the rear edge of the mag, although it doesn't look parallel to me in this photo. But the point is that the slot needs to be lengthened enough for another round and also moved rearwards a little, and the follower also needs some adjustment. I got mine to function without problems after some work with fine diamond cut files. The steel is HARD. And after I got it to work I never loaded it with 6 rounds again. If it hadn't been monkeyed with before I bought it I wouldn't have bothered to try it.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

I can see the want for more rounds , but at the price they go for who's going to take the chance for one more round ?

I have one still in the package , the old style shrink wrapped to cardboard . Got to wonder what that bad boy would go for on Ebay ?

 

[jrm53]

I have modified my 4 model 52 mags to hold 6 rounds by indicating a Jo block in the slot and swinging my vise so its true and milling the slot past the round hole at the end of the slot. I used it in PPC shooting, it worked fine and I always slapped the back of the mag on the palm of my hand to seat the brass to the back of the mag. They always feed just like the standard mags and never jam. I ran an ad in the Shot Gun news to modifiy them for folks and never got an inquiry. Jeff

 

[Sevens]

Haha we have two different things being discussed here it seems.

1) OP is asking if factory OEM magazines were ever made or offered beyond 5-rounds. I think we can safely and accurately say no, never.

2) magazines later modified to 6 rounds were very common in decades gone by and yes, it would be a little crazy to make a conscious choice to do that now

I wouldn’t pay market price for a magazine now that has been modified — but that’s not really saying much because I will HELL NO pay current market on 52 mags anyway. But I sure wouldn’t be afraid of a modified magazine, I would just want to see the modification reflected in the price.

As a side note, Mec-Gar has a blurb on their website that tells you to suggest products you’d like to see. I suggested these. They were very quick to reply “sorry, we have no plans to do that.”

Frankly, I think they are out of their damn minds. Look at the market, and these haven’t been made in YEARS and Mec-Gar could price these damn things at $60 each and the public would buy them by the dozen. And Mec-Gar are real pros and if they made these, they would work.

 

[Rick H.]

Haha we have two different things being discussed here it seems.

1) OP is asking if factory OEM magazines were ever made or offered beyond 5-rounds. I think we can safely and accurately say no, never.

2) magazines later modified to 6 rounds were very common in decades gone by and yes, it would be a little crazy to make a conscious choice to do that now

I wouldn’t pay market price for a magazine now that has been modified — but that’s not really saying much because I will HELL NO pay current market on 52 mags anyway. But I sure wouldn’t be afraid of a modified magazine, I would just want to see the modification reflected in the price.

As a side note, Mec-Gar has a blurb on their website that tells you to suggest products you’d like to see. I suggested these. They were very quick to reply “sorry, we have no plans to do that.”

Frankly, I think they are out of their damn minds. Look at the market, and these haven’t been made in YEARS and Mec-Gar could price these damn things at $60 each and the public would buy them by the dozen. And Mec-Gar are real pros and if they made these, they would work.

Well perhaps what Mec-Gar needs is a little push from those that are interested in having them supply Model 52 magazines. If they aren't actively watching the market on these items then I am sure they would assume it's a long dead item. Let's face it, if you aren't "interested" in Model 52's you probably wouldn't know anything about them. So perhaps sending them a little note requesting they tool up for these mags and offer them to the shooting public may push them over the edge. Can't hurt and has worked in other things. And correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the main body of a Model 52 magazine the same as a typical Model 39 magazine except for the feed lips? Granted the follower and spring are different, but it wouldn't be like they would have to start from scratch to tool up for M52 mags. But then again maybe S&W doesn't want them making mags for these guns.


Rick H.

 

[H Richard]

Hmmmm, when I sold my 52-2 about 20 years ago, I included 5 additional magazines. Looks like the extra magazines value is about what I sold it all for.

 

[Sevens]

Well perhaps what Mec-Gar needs is a little push from those that are interested in having them supply Model 52 magazines. If they aren't actively watching the market on these items then I am sure they would assume it's a long dead item. Let's face it, if you aren't "interested" in Model 52's you probably wouldn't know anything about them. So perhaps sending them a little note requesting they tool up for these mags and offer them to the shooting public may push them over the edge. Can't hurt and has worked in other things. And correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the main body of a Model 52 magazine the same as a typical Model 39 magazine except for the feed lips? Granted the follower and spring are different, but it wouldn't be like they would have to start from scratch to tool up for M52 mags. But then again maybe S&W doesn't want them making mags for these guns.

Well, I DID push them, their reply was lightning fast and a friendly but curt "thanks but no."

As for 39 and 52 magazine bodies being the same, that is also a no. The 52 is far more squared at the front where the 39 is round. A 39 magazine will fit in to a 52 and rattle around with a lot of slop. A 52 magazine will not fit in to any 39, 439, 539 or 639, or any of the 3rd Gen single stack 9mm pistols and it also won't fit in to a 952. And it isn't close -- it just is not happening.

It is so very much "not close" that I don't see any way of making a 52 magazine insert and lock in to a S&W 9mm without altering the gun itself. You couldn't make this mag go in without crushing it.

 

[Sevens]

Hmmmm, when I sold my 52-2 about 20 years ago, I included 5 additional magazines. Looks like the extra magazines value is about what I sold it all for.

Maybe, but 20 years ago, I could grab a nice condition 52-2 on the used market for probably $500 or $600 if I had my nose to the ground, and the magazines were available for $20 each, give or take. So while I certainly see what you are saying...

Here's a similar thought that I often have. Keeping in mind that I absolutely love these pistols and I shoot them often, I have put time (and luck) and real money in to magazines, so every single time I take a 52 on a range day, I have a tough zippered pouch with me that securely holds ten of these magazines.

And I always look at this zippered red pouch and laugh because this little pouch is roughly twice the value of most of the guns I see throwing lead from the other folks who happen to be at the range for their 45 minutes of rapid fire.

 

[Walter Rego]

I guess I got lucky with my Model 52-2. In addition to the 1 spare mag that the factory provided with the gun, I also got 3 others plus the one that had been modified for the sixth round. I didn't realize that these things had gotten so valuable until I read this thread, there is one currently up for auction on the well known site that is already over $127 !

 

[RWJ]

Maybe, but 20 years ago, I could grab a nice condition 52-2 on the used market for probably $500 or $600 if I had my nose to the ground, and the magazines were available for $20 each, give or take. So while I certainly see what you are saying...

Here's a similar thought that I often have. Keeping in mind that I absolutely love these pistols and I shoot them often, I have put time (and luck) and real money in to magazines, so every single time I take a 52 on a range day, I have a tough zippered pouch with me that securely holds ten of these magazines.

And I always look at this zippered red pouch and laugh because this little pouch is roughly twice the value of most of the guns I see throwing lead from the other folks who happen to be at the range for their 45 minutes of rapid fire.

I guess the shortage is partially my fault.


When I first retired (or retired the first time, I should say), I decided I wanted to try Bullseye competition and bought a used Model 52 for $600, which had 3 mags, to go with a Hi-standard and a Gold Cup. The first couple of matches I fired were an eye-opening experience, to say the least. Coming from the PPC world, where there was great camaraderie and everyone would help a stranger or newbie out, I was confronted with what I can only describe as sneering disdain when I had to reload mags for each stage, and ill-concealed contempt for holding everyone up. Made my choice then - I would have enough mags to shoot an entire 900 w/o reloading, with an alibi mag for each match already loaded, and they could stick it. By my math, that required 24 magazines, plus a couple of spares. The value of the mags now well exceed the cost of the gun, thanks to those "individuals".


So be it.

 

[Sevens]

Haha now that’s a great story!

 

[Rick H.]

Well, I DID push them, their reply was lightning fast and a friendly but curt "thanks but no."

As for 39 and 52 magazine bodies being the same, that is also a no. The 52 is far more squared at the front where the 39 is round. A 39 magazine will fit in to a 52 and rattle around with a lot of slop. A 52 magazine will not fit in to any 39, 439, 539 or 639, or any of the 3rd Gen single stack 9mm pistols and it also won't fit in to a 952. And it isn't close -- it just is not happening.

It is so very much "not close" that I don't see any way of making a 52 magazine insert and lock in to a S&W 9mm without altering the gun itself. You couldn't make this mag go in without crushing it.

Thanks for the reply Sevens. My point regarding the magazine itself was that it is close in design to the 39 style in form and this could be a plus to a company that makes them when it comes to tooling for a M-52 magazine. In other words they may not have to start from scratch to fabricate said magazine. Or may be they would have to start from scratch, I don't know because I don't design magazines. And thank you for the description of which magazines fit in which pistols, but I already knew that.

Now in regards to the "push" comment, it was meant as a follow-up to your experience and reply when you contacted them. It would seem to me to be foolish business practice to so quickly blow off a customers idea regarding a new product especially if they already make magazines for the 39 series pistols. Perhaps the person you talked to was having a bad day and just blew you off, or perhaps they have a list of magazine ideas that they just respond "no" to. In any event my "push" idea was to have more M52 owners contact them and suggest exactly what you did. Perhaps if they realized there really is a market for these magazines out in the world they would take another look at this idea. Unless someone is interested in M52's specifically they are going to have no idea what the going price is for existing magazines that are out of production. So if only one person calls with a request to manufacture a magazine of course they are going to say no..but if they get 20, 30 or more calls about making magazines for the M52 that may change their corporate feelings. Otherwise the only course of action is to continue looking for old ones and paying outrageous prices.

Rick H.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Model 52 mags are a special breed - marvelously engineered to feed flat-nosed rimmed cartridges. They are unlike any other mag I personally have handled. It's no surprise to me that Mec-Gar or any other aftermarket manufacturers are unwilling to set up for this one of a kind unusual magazine. Check these pics to appreciate the configuration necessary.

John

 

[MaverickDMD]

I've just recently gotten into the Smith 52 and what a dandy pistol it is!

I shoot PPC where stages are typically shot in multiples of 6 to appease the commonplace revolvers typically in use. I have been researching on how to do this modification to the 52 magazine properly because it's a $175 USD mistake if it goes wrong.

I've since gotten the procedure pretty much perfected with tools common to the gun enthusiast, such as a drill press, files and a dremel or the like.

I've taken good photos along the way and I will be finishing up the article this weekend. I will post it on this forum with hopes of creating a helpful sticky-worthy how-to cook book for this mod.

Once the factory magazine is modified, it can still be used to fire 5 rounds without any issues so it is a worthwhile endeavour, particularly if you're a PPC shooter. I can't see why this modification would at all devalue the mag. Apparently, if you're gutsy, it can be altered further to hold 7 rounds too.

 

[MaverickDMD]

Good to go, pictures, diagrams with specific measurements. I'll let you know on which sites I've posted it.