Mid last year I finally got around to getting a permit to import a couple of extra magazines for my Astra Constable .32 auto. I selected new TripleK mags over second hand ones and ordered online. I received an e-mail in reply saying they were on a 90-120 day back order. Fair enough, these are not exactly common and if not in stock they need some time to tool up and manufacture the mags.
The magazines arrived when I was in the US in late October last year. With our IPSC Nationals and my resulting ammunition problems it was after Christmas before I got to set up my press to load some .32 auto ammo (this particular pistol will only ignite Federal SPP primers reliably and Federal .32 auto ammo is like hens teeth in Kiwiland) with a 2.1 gn charge of ADI/Mulwex AP50N powder.
On the 9th January I headed off to the range to run a 48 round classic (pre ‘46 design) pistol match (I shoot the Astra in modern replica category as it is a Walther PPK clone). I also took along my S&W Victory, my Tanfoglio P19 in its new carbine chassis and my Kimber 1911 9mm. Getting to the range early I did final sighting in on the P19/Carbine and some practice with the Kimber. By then the first shooters for the evening match arrived.
I set up the range for the planned event and went to set up to shoot. That was when I discovered I had left the ammo for the Astra and Victory in the cupboard at home
Last Wednesday (Feb 6th) I was again running the same match. This time I made sure to take along ammo for the S&W and Astra.
When I got on the line, at the 10 yard mark, both the ammo and the magazines functioned flawlessly for the first three 6 round strings (the ammo groups right in the 10 ring with a couple of 9 ring “flyers”
Returning to the 10 yard line for the next two strings I had problems retaining the new mags. I thought at first I was hitting the mag release as the loaded mag fell out after chambering the first round.
Getting through both strings We moved back to the 25 yard line for the last three rounds of shooting. Again the new mags fell out on loading the first round. Afterwards I compared the new magazines mag release cut out to my old mag hitch had a rounder, and larger, cutout. Deciding I needed to file a little material off the top to enlarge the cutout I continued on with shooting the S&W. (Incidentally, the 25 yard groups were a little high, centered on the 8/9 ring line at 12 9’clock, but I beat my best score this year (July-June) shot with a 5” 9mm. Not bad for a 3 1/2” barrelled pocket pistol with minimal sights).
The following day I sat down at my bench and pulled the grips off the Astra t confirm the catch was not engaging the cutout. Carefully I started to remove some material from the top of the cutout with a needle file. Every few passes with 5he file I would reassemble the mag, load in 7 empty cases and the primerless/powderless round I keep for setting up my loading dies, and try it out. Despite removing what looked like enough material to match the old mag they just wouldn’t engage the catch properly.
Comparing the new mags to the old one it looked like the top of the cutout was raised slightly, something I confirmed by passing my thumb over the cutout a few times. Using need,e nosed pliers I lifted the top edge of the cutout ever so slightly. Now the mags locked into the catch properly.
On Friday Iwas passing the range while on patrol so I took along the Astra, the two new mags and 16 rounds. During my short morning break I dropped into the range @nd function tested both mags, which fed flawlessly.
I feel that the new mags not engaging the mag catch properly is more likely to be as a result of the particular catch fitted to this pistol, not a manufacturing fault by TripleK.
Overall I am very pleased with the new mags. I no longer have to stand on the line reloading my single magazine between shot strings.
The magazines arrived when I was in the US in late October last year. With our IPSC Nationals and my resulting ammunition problems it was after Christmas before I got to set up my press to load some .32 auto ammo (this particular pistol will only ignite Federal SPP primers reliably and Federal .32 auto ammo is like hens teeth in Kiwiland) with a 2.1 gn charge of ADI/Mulwex AP50N powder.
On the 9th January I headed off to the range to run a 48 round classic (pre ‘46 design) pistol match (I shoot the Astra in modern replica category as it is a Walther PPK clone). I also took along my S&W Victory, my Tanfoglio P19 in its new carbine chassis and my Kimber 1911 9mm. Getting to the range early I did final sighting in on the P19/Carbine and some practice with the Kimber. By then the first shooters for the evening match arrived.
I set up the range for the planned event and went to set up to shoot. That was when I discovered I had left the ammo for the Astra and Victory in the cupboard at home
Last Wednesday (Feb 6th) I was again running the same match. This time I made sure to take along ammo for the S&W and Astra.
When I got on the line, at the 10 yard mark, both the ammo and the magazines functioned flawlessly for the first three 6 round strings (the ammo groups right in the 10 ring with a couple of 9 ring “flyers”
Returning to the 10 yard line for the next two strings I had problems retaining the new mags. I thought at first I was hitting the mag release as the loaded mag fell out after chambering the first round.
Getting through both strings We moved back to the 25 yard line for the last three rounds of shooting. Again the new mags fell out on loading the first round. Afterwards I compared the new magazines mag release cut out to my old mag hitch had a rounder, and larger, cutout. Deciding I needed to file a little material off the top to enlarge the cutout I continued on with shooting the S&W. (Incidentally, the 25 yard groups were a little high, centered on the 8/9 ring line at 12 9’clock, but I beat my best score this year (July-June) shot with a 5” 9mm. Not bad for a 3 1/2” barrelled pocket pistol with minimal sights).
The following day I sat down at my bench and pulled the grips off the Astra t confirm the catch was not engaging the cutout. Carefully I started to remove some material from the top of the cutout with a needle file. Every few passes with 5he file I would reassemble the mag, load in 7 empty cases and the primerless/powderless round I keep for setting up my loading dies, and try it out. Despite removing what looked like enough material to match the old mag they just wouldn’t engage the catch properly.
Comparing the new mags to the old one it looked like the top of the cutout was raised slightly, something I confirmed by passing my thumb over the cutout a few times. Using need,e nosed pliers I lifted the top edge of the cutout ever so slightly. Now the mags locked into the catch properly.
On Friday Iwas passing the range while on patrol so I took along the Astra, the two new mags and 16 rounds. During my short morning break I dropped into the range @nd function tested both mags, which fed flawlessly.
I feel that the new mags not engaging the mag catch properly is more likely to be as a result of the particular catch fitted to this pistol, not a manufacturing fault by TripleK.
Overall I am very pleased with the new mags. I no longer have to stand on the line reloading my single magazine between shot strings.
