madmax1299 Posted December 20, 2022 Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 I was able to unite me MP40 and it’s mags (thanks Washington state) and neither fit the MP40. They are both kur 42’s and I haven’t heard of any of those not fitting u like the bte mags. I’m trying to find measurements of the mags. Part of me is thinking it could be the mp40 mag well since not one but two KUR 42 mags didnt fit? But it does not look bent at all. The mag do look to be in really good shape so maybe they were defective and they were not used? I found this post (Oversize MP40 mag - The MP38-40 - 43/44 Message Board - MachineGunBoards.com Forums) that gives measurements which got me thinking, was their a standard measurement for the magwell and magazines officially published by the German army? Just trying to get a baseline to go off of to find what the issue is here. Thanks for any help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted December 20, 2022 Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 I laid in a supply of magazines for my all matching bnz 41 MP40 after I bought it. I learned that the quality of most original magazines could be spotty. Some didn't fit or function at all. Those marked bte tended to be the worst. Every Steyr 98E or kur magazine that I've ever tried fit to perfection. I learned that the quality of these is so good that they could be purchased without needing to try them first, though springs, followers, or floor plates could need attention or replacement. I realized that the gun was built to specs, and that if there was a problem, it was invariably with the magazine. What are the maker's markings on your mag well and receiver stub? Just looking at your single photo, it does not appear to be modified. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reichstall Posted December 20, 2022 Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 Strange I think something must be out of place in the mag well . i never heard of this for a mass produced weapon that would need to be in spec. Now I have seen some mags that were not labeled that did not fit they were too fat. lets us know outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavalry Posted December 20, 2022 Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 I’m having the same issue. Out of a dozen mags only 3 fit into my “late style” magwell. They are tight front to back. Almost all my mags are Steyr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 20, 2022 Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 Interesting, I have a bnz41 all correct gun and it runs great, all mags fit and feed fine. Now, I switch to another (shooter) German stamped bolt and the gun will not feed. Bolt goes forward and stops.... Odd how this could be, likewise with the different mags. You'd think with the typical German mfg process that everything would fit and work just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 3 hours ago, TSMGguy said: I laid in a supply of magazines for my all matching bnz 41 MP40 after I bought it. I learned that the quality of most original magazines could be spotty. Some didn't fit or function at all. Those marked bte tended to be the worst. Every Steyr 98E or kur magazine that I've ever tried fit to perfection. I learned that the quality of these is so good that they could be purchased without needing to try them first, though springs, followers, or floor plates could need attention or replacement. I realized that the gun was built to specs, and that if there was a problem, it was invariably with the magazine. What are the maker's markings on your mag well and receiver stub? Just looking at your single photo, it does not appear to be modified. Here is a link when I first got it and posted. I’ll have to double check the mag well but I’m 99% sure it’s steyr like the rest of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 3 hours ago, TSMGguy said: I laid in a supply of magazines for my all matching bnz 41 MP40 after I bought it. I learned that the quality of most original magazines could be spotty. Some didn't fit or function at all. Those marked bte tended to be the worst. Every Steyr 98E or kur magazine that I've ever tried fit to perfection. I learned that the quality of these is so good that they could be purchased without needing to try them first, though springs, followers, or floor plates could need attention or replacement. I realized that the gun was built to specs, and that if there was a problem, it was invariably with the magazine. What are the maker's markings on your mag well and receiver stub? Just looking at your single photo, it does not appear to be modified. I have also heard that steyr mags always fit which makes me think it is the mag well. Maybe got pinched? I’m assuming a gunsmith could fix it, but I was hoping to find some factory measurements or is someone else could measure their mag well/ mags to see what mine should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 46 minutes ago, cavalry said: I’m having the same issue. Out of a dozen mags only 3 fit into my “late style” magwell. They are tight front to back. Almost all my mags are Steyr. All your steyr makes are tight? Do you have to force them in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2022 43 minutes ago, Rekraps said: Interesting, I have a bnz41 all correct gun and it runs great, all mags fit and feed fine. Now, I switch to another (shooter) German stamped bolt and the gun will not feed. Bolt goes forward and stops.... Odd how this could be, likewise with the different mags. You'd think with the typical German mfg process that everything would fit and work just fine. I also have a BNZ 42, I was thinking all mags should be the same since the Germans were so precise. It leads me to think it’s the mag well, but it see no damage to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted December 21, 2022 Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 (edited) 8 hours ago, madmax1299 said: I have also heard that steyr mags always fit which makes me think it is the mag well. Maybe got pinched? I’m assuming a gunsmith could fix it, but I was hoping to find some factory measurements or is someone else could measure their mag well/ mags to see what mine should be. I wonder if during demilling someone clamped the mag well in a vise and tightened the jaws a little too far. In one of the photos in the original thread, I'm seeing jaw marks. Those mags should fit perfectly. Edited December 21, 2022 by TSMGguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 10 minutes ago, TSMGguy said: I wonder if during demilling someone clamped the mag well in a vise and tightened the jaws a little too far. In one of the photos in the original thread, I'm seeing jaw marks. Those mags should fit perfectly. Eagle eye! I will look when I get home and get some pics of the magwell. I just got a caliper today so I will get the measurements and post them too. If anyone else on the feed could get a measurement of the inside of the magwell I would really appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavalry Posted December 21, 2022 Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 9 hours ago, madmax1299 said: All your steyr makes are tight? Do you have to force them in? They won’t force in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerD Posted December 21, 2022 Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 I had mag trouble some years ago and stumbled on these dimensions. Unfortunately I can not cite the source. .906 x 1.362 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 5 hours ago, RogerD said: I had mag trouble some years ago and stumbled on these dimensions. Unfortunately I can not cite the source. .906 x 1.362 I know the magwell is tapered as it moves to the front, is that .906 in a specific spot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 I measured the magwell whre it was getting stuck (about an inch from the front of the magwell) and got .8770 and the midway point on the mags is about .88-.89. i am begging to lean toward the magwell was pinched during demilling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted December 21, 2022 Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 2 hours ago, madmax1299 said: i am begging to lean toward the magwell was pinched during demilling. Very likely. Those mags should seat slicker than snot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax1299 Posted December 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2022 Here is the update: I tried a couple clamps to widen the magwell to no avail. Gave up and took it to a gunsmith. He used a copper mallet and pounded out the bottom of it a bit which helped, followed by a slight filing of the magwell entrance. Boom 1 of the two mags slide in with no force. I get home and put the other mag in a vice and pinch it ever so slightly and boom, it fits too. I am a little sad it had to be filed, and i have to vice the one mag. From a history aspect I was screaming but compared to the MP40 the gunsmith had, my mag entrance had alot sharper edges on the inside entrance and the mag he used (which fit my mp40 perfectly after the filing) was .5 mm smaller than the one I had to vice. I like to think I did gods work without destroying any historical value, but I will hopefully get some feedback from the collectors in the board. Thanks for everyone who responded before this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 25, 2022 Report Share Posted December 25, 2022 On 12/22/2022 at 2:24 PM, madmax1299 said: Here is the update: I tried a couple clamps to widen the magwell to no avail. Gave up and took it to a gunsmith. He used a copper mallet and pounded out the bottom of it a bit which helped, followed by a slight filing of the magwell entrance. Boom 1 of the two mags slide in with no force. I get home and put the other mag in a vice and pinch it ever so slightly and boom, it fits too. I am a little sad it had to be filed, and i have to vice the one mag. From a history aspect I was screaming but compared to the MP40 the gunsmith had, my mag entrance had alot sharper edges on the inside entrance and the mag he used (which fit my mp40 perfectly after the filing) was .5 mm smaller than the one I had to vice. I like to think I did gods work without destroying any historical value, but I will hopefully get some feedback from the collectors in the board. Thanks for everyone who responded before this! Good outcome. I am one of those guys who wants the gun to work... damn the torpedos. So, if the gun was already demised, or for that matter fully original but still will not accept magazines due to some field accident, or handling accident... then fix it. I don't see where any harm to the value or collectibility is impacted by "professionally" making the gun whole again. I've had to file/grind magazines galore for my PPSH/K/M76 and others to make them fit nicely. Drum magazines are the worst and each one has to be hand fitted. All that being said, I would approach the issue from the perspective of "least harm" first, instead of working on the gun well, why don't you just work on two or three magazines so they will fit? That might be the more humanitarian (:) approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68coupe Posted December 26, 2022 Report Share Posted December 26, 2022 "All that being said, I would approach the issue from the perspective of "least harm" first, instead of working on the gun well, why don't you just work on two or three magazines so they will fit? That might be the more humanitarian (:) approach." Respectfully I submit that both the firearm and mags are on what I would call the "expensive" side. I humbly suggest that the "least harm" would go to fixing the damaged gun. Once repaired, any mag should fit, requiring no mods to otherwise excellent antique mags. V/R Karl, 68 coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 26, 2022 Report Share Posted December 26, 2022 Good point! Well put. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavalry Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 I’m think I am going to put some sandpaper on the front side of a mag, and use it to loosen up the tight magwell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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