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How are magazines made?

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09 June 2013, 07:56
richj
How are magazines made?
I'm talking about Savage 99 or Win 100 type magazines.

Is the steel - spring steel?
Is it hardened after it's formed?

Has anyone made a magazine for a centerfire rifle?
09 June 2013, 19:51
butchloc
most magazines are roll formed, then heat treated then finished
09 June 2013, 21:43
richj
1050, 1074-5, 1095 annealed will work?
09 June 2013, 22:16
mete
First there's a misnomer as many steels are called "spring steels " .Some are hardened by HT and some are hardened by cold working.Both stainless steels and alloy steels can be used.
Annealed steel is a poor choice for springs.However 1095 has been used for a very long time for springs for clocks and watches.
09 June 2013, 23:16
richj
What would you suggest. I was think of forming 410 SS then ht.

I can buy 410 in small qty.
10 June 2013, 17:18
Don Markey
What I want to know is what's the project?
Don
10 June 2013, 18:57
richj
Finnwolf mag. may do it out of a block of alumimun instead.
11 June 2013, 18:31
J Wisner
First off, it all depends on the part.

Winchester first used 1010 steel for the M88 mag and casehardened the feed lips.
That only lasted about 3 years before they redesigned the magazine and changed the steel to 1020, 1/4 hard

Currently we are using 1026 steel 3/4 hard for the M 88 / M 100 magazines. The hardness is the key, as well as the thickness of .040"

But the base is still 1010 dead soft as it has to be drawn deeper to form the bottom recess.

The Savage 340 magazines were speced out from the factory as 1020 steel 1/2 hard

Currently we are using 1065 - 1075 DQ annealed steel for the 22 rimfire magazines, as that is what Remington had speced out for the 511 magazines, and Winchester for the 52 / 69 / 75 magazines.

In talking to Triple K magazines a while back, they buy lots of our magazines, they have a good source of annealed 4130 - 4140 material, and have been using that for a number of years now. That way they can heat treat just the feed lips if needed.

FYI, I make thousands of formed flat and vee springs each year from annealed 1050, 1065, 1075, and 1095 steel. It all depends on how you work with it. Plan ahead regarding stress risers, and corners, and if you coin any section of it, and most importantly the final heat treatment.

James Wisner
11 June 2013, 19:55
richj
Jim

thanks. all that is way over my head.

rich
12 June 2013, 07:57
ted thorn
The mag box's in Remington 700's and Ruger 77's and Kimbers are butter soft


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