1927A1 Mag Catch problem

[acgeorge]

Finally picked up a extra mag catch to mod, for use with standard unmodified mags. Before I began to modify the engagment surface, I test fit it. When installed, and the mag catch is actuated, it slightly pops out of the frame, on the left side, as if you were disassembling it. If I push it back in, it pops back in and rotates back into position. I removed the spring of both the new and original catches and made some dimensional checks. All seems OK, or atleast matches the original catch. I tried the new catch without a spring, nothing observed to influence the catch. I tried the new catch with the original catch spring, same thing, pops out!

I don't have any other catch springs to try, however, I'm guessing its the spring.

Any thoughts?

First post

[Bawanna]

I've been gonna do the same thing so I'll follow this thread with interest. Ghostsoldier has been there and is intimate with that piece. He's modified his own. There was a good thread on how to do the mod itself but I don't recall any mention of the thing popping out.
I've only been into mine once so I'm of little help at this point.
I was under the assumption if a guy got the full auto mag release it would work for unmodified mags but I need to confirm that again too.
I suspect he'll save the day again here directly.

[Ghostsoldier]

Thanks for the confidence, Bawanna.

Welcome, acgeorge!

I'm no expert, and this particular problem didn't occur when I modified mine, but I would think it's the spring itself giving you issues...make sure it's fitting correctly and seating as it should on the new catch (although I'm sure you have already done this). It's been a few years since I modded mine, so my memory is a bit foggy, but I think I may still have the tutorial for this, if I can find it and you need it....

Rob

[Bawanna]

Ghostsoldier was I right about the full auto piece being the one that works on unmodified mags? Thought that's what you'd said before.

Glad to see your still around even if we don't hear from ya often.

[Ghostsoldier]

I'm still here...working a lot, so my web time is curtailed...but, I'm here!

Yep...the FA mag catch will work, but I can't swear it will fit a SA gun; that's why I chose to modify my stock SA latch...it was cheaper, and since I wasn't going to use the modified mags anyway, I didn't care if it got screwed up or not...

Rob

[Tat2dman]

Might be tottally off base here,but I always thought it was easier to slot the hole in the stick mags on my mill!

[Bawanna]

Might be tottally off base here,but I always thought it was easier to slot the hole in the stick mags on my mill!

Thats no doubt true but there have been no Thompson mags made since WWII. So its sort of sacrilage to deface an original unmessed with mag. Thats what I did to 3 I got for mine. I won't ruin another one.
I want to fix my mag catch and get a bunch of unmessed with mags and call it good. Then I'll just sell my defaced mags to someone.
Actually that's what Thompson does for their guns. They mill out the catch hole on a WWII mag. The mags aren't new production.

[Tat2dman]

"So its sort of sacrilage to deface an original unmessed with mag."
Never thought of it like that,I didn`t realize they were all original,Wow they must hav`em by the ton!