New Triple K Model 52 Magazines - Continued

[AJ]

This is a continuation of the original posting.
https://smith-wessonforum.com/smith...s/717274-new-triple-k-model-52-magazines.html

I had gotten tired with trying to get the first set of the Triple k Model 52 Magazines to work and sent them back to them after talking with their customer service. I sent them with a letter stating just what problems i was having. That was in March/April. On Friday I was thinking of just telling them I wanted a refund, when a email from the customer service said my magazines had shipped. In todays mail were two new magazines. I tried them to see if they fit the mag well and they did. One ejects clean and the other needed a slight bit of assistance to drop free. Only have two dummy rounds of match wadcutter so I tried them. Both load into the mags fine. With the slide locked to the rear, both feed normally when the slide is released. When I cycle the slide by hand both eject and feed the next round just fine. So far I am happy with the results. I would guess they had to tweak the bodies some to get them to fit. I am watching for drag marks on the bodies. I believe the followers are still aluminum as they do not attract a magnet. I will try them on the range on Friday morning and report back.

 

[gmborkovic]

A.J., that is good news. Hope they function. Cant you go out in the backyard and try them?

 

[AJ]

A.J., that is good news. Hope they function. Cant you go out in the backyard and try them?

Live in town, the folks behind me and the cop next door might not like it. But pretty sure if they will feed from the mag and when cycled by hand they'll probably work.

 

[M29since14]

Interested in your shooting report. I could be tempted if you have a good result. Wouldn’t hurt to have one or two.

 

[Drm50]

I’ve snagged a bunch of 52 mags, probably a dozen off eBay. I bid $101.01 on everyone that comes up. Probably get 1 out of 20. Anyway I scan eBay every morning for mags. I noticed some 3k mags have shown up. They use some of that plausible deniability and forget to say they are not S&W manf.
magazines. The reserve doesn’t reflect that they are aftermarket.
Be aware the mag scammers are out there waiting to separate pilgrims from their cash.

 

[AJ]

I’ve snagged a bunch of 52 mags, probably a dozen off eBay. I bid $101.01 on everyone that comes up. Probably get 1 out of 20. Anyway I scan eBay every morning for mags. I noticed some 3k mags have shown up. They use some of that plausible deniability and forget to say they are not S&W manf.
magazines. The reserve doesn’t reflect that they are aftermarket.
Be aware the mag scammers are out there waiting to separate pilgrims from their cash.

Buyer beware! Caveat emptor!

caveat emptor - Google Search

 

[AJ]

Took the new mags to the range with high hopes after they worked at home when hand cycling. Hopes were soon dashed as the first two rounds failed to feed with out assistance. After that the next three in the mag fed. You can feel the slowness of the slide as it cycles. This happened on both mags. The feed lips of the mag seem to need some tweaking. I noticed that the front contour of the Triple K (TK) mag is a few thousands higher that S&W mags also the end of that area is pointed on the TK mags and rounded on the S&W's. An odd thing was if I tried to eject a full mag (TK) from the pistol it would not do so, with out me pulling down hard or prying it out. That said when the mag was empty and the mag release was pushed they dropped clean. So I have sent a notice to Triple K that I intend to return the mags. Awaiting their reply.

 

[gmborkovic]

These m-52 mags are so tolerance sensitive. Do you have another M-52 you can try?

 

[AJ]

These m-52 mags are so tolerance sensitive. Do you have another M-52 you can try?

Tried them in two different 52's, a 52-1 and a 52-2. No joy!

 

[gmborkovic]

Darn AJ, that wad my last go to.

 

[Sevens]

I have contacted Mec-Gar about the market for genuine S&W made 52 magazines and how there is a genuine demand for a great, functional, aftermarket 52 magazine. They gave me a nearly instant auto reply that they had no such plans.

Perhaps the fact the Triple-K decided there was a market may carry more weight than some random guy sending Mec-Gar an e-mail.

It's sad that Triple-K has apparently made a lousy product here. I have faith that if Mec-Gar were to throw their hat in the ring, their product would work.

One can only hope.

 

[Oldbird13]

I belong to another forum as well...Rimfire Central.. and the complaints about Triple-K mags are numerous. I would hate to be a customer service rep for them although you might have good job security due to demand. Personally would rather find and pay more for the real deal.

 

[Drm50]

The Demand for m52 mags is not as great as one would think. There isn’t that many m52 as say compared to m41s. The price is high because of the limited number of original magazines going back and forth between 52 owners.
Like a lot of other mags, ammo, sights, etc the guys that have them thing there is a big demand but actually in the big picture of making a profit there is not. Companies want to sell off the end of production line and retailers want it on the shelf. Nobody wants anything in warehouse or storeroom. That kind of business plan has wiped out many small operations
Even big companies don’t want to shut down stuff that is selling everyday to make runs of obsolete and seasonal items.

 

[Sevens]

Okay, that’s one argument. I don’t think it is a strong argument. The 52 was last made in 1993 and the Model 41 was last made NOT YET, so this is a very odd comparison. 41 is still in production and S&W still offers OEM magazines for it.

And Triple-K willfully chose to develop and market this magazine so that’s at least one industry professional who believes there is a market for them, even if apparently Mec-Gar does not agree.

 

[gmborkovic]

I wonder when they were building m-52, how many mags they had to try
to get two that fit and functioned perfectly. But they had boxes of new mags to dip into.

 

[chief38]

I've not had good luck with Triple K Mag's. Some work fine while many don't. I stopped buying them decades ago. I have no idea if they have improved and quite honestly, I have no desire to even find out.

When I purchase additional mag's for new guns I only buy original Factory mag's. When buying them for vintage guns I only buy vintage period correct mag's. in great shape. While they are a bit pricey to buy that way, I have zero issues with them! Buy once - cry once - hassle free. The purchase price is soon forgotten and they work forever.

 

[Sevens]

Sounds like a fine plan.

Have you priced OEM S&W 52 mags…?

 

[AJ]

I've not had good luck with Triple K Mag's. Some work fine while many don't. I stopped buying them decades ago. I have no idea if they have improved and quite honestly, I have no desire to even find out.

When I purchase additional mag's for new guns I only buy original Factory mag's. When buying them for vintage guns I only buy vintage period correct mag's. in great shape. While they are a bit pricey to buy that way, I have zero issues with them! Buy once - cry once - hassle free. The purchase price is soon forgotten and they work forever.

Sounds like a fine plan.

Have you priced OEM S&W 52 mags…?

I agree with Sevens. Unless you have unlimited funds a reproduction magazine that works would be the way to go for the most of us.

 

[AJ]

This is what I sent to Triple K. Will see if I get a reply.

"Here is what I found

1. The magazines were a bit difficult to load.
A.) Mag spring to stiff?
B.) Mag lips need adjusting?
2. The first two rounds from each magazine would not feed properly.
A.) Mag Spring to stiff? Maybe forcing the round to bind on the lips. Could get the round to chamber by pushing on the slide. After doing that for the first two rounds, the next three fed properly, maybe due to some of the tension from the mag spring being decreased. The slide still cycles slow, but it does cycle.
B.) The front cut out that the round feeds through in the mag body is different from an original by approximately .004" higher than the OEM. Also the end of the cut out on the TK mag is pointed and the OEM is rounded.
3. The magazines will not drop out of the mag well when loaded and the mag release depressed. However, when empty that eject properly.
A.) Mag lips spreading when full and not allowing the magazine to drop clean? This deformation of the lips would seem the case as the magazine ejects fine when empty.

I had great hopes for these magazines as when I first got them I tried them with dummy rounds at home. The seemed to operate fine when hand cycled.

The above problems were noted in two different S&W Model 52's, one a 52-1 and the other a 52-2. Tried OEM magazines in both pistols and all OEM's function in either gun.

Any further questions please feel free to email, text or call me.

Sincerely,
AJ Glaser III
1stSgt. USMC(RET.)"

 

[AJ]

Got an email back from Triple K. They are telling me that "There are some variants identified at the Camp Perry Competition last month. These fit and function in our bench guns and most of our customer guns."

My question to the forum members is Has anyone purchased any of these magazines for the S&W 52 and had them fit and function properly?

Highly disappointed in the product that I am seeing from their company. Feel as if I am doing trouble shooting for them.