Who made the very first WWII drum mags ?

[buzz]

I guess it must have been during the 1940 British contracts?

 

The Brits apparently ordered like 4 drum mags and 6 stick mags per Savage Thompson, they had to have come from somewhere.

 

Was anyone making drum mags in 1940? Or were they still dipping out of the Colt supply?

 

 

[bug]

Doug Richardson speaks of a "Savage" L drum made by US Co with a NY address. Front and back have U mark like the later Bridgeports.

 

Bob D

[TSMG28]

Buzz,

 

I agree that the first of the United Specialties drums is probably the first made during/for WWII (circa 1939). As noted in The Ultimate Thompson Book, this is the first drum made under Maguire's ownership of Auto-Ordnance and has transitional features. It is also the first to employ drain slots on the faceplates. Again, TUTB indicates that the second United Specialties drum is believed to have been made around the time the new Bridgeport plant opened because it is the first one to have a Bridgeport address (circa 1941), hence the source of the common "Bridgeport drum" moniker.

 

I recently viewed an example of one of the transitional United Specialties drums in the U.K. I am not aware of very many in the U.S., though I do know of at least two.

 

It is certainly possible that some of the Worcester Pressed Steel pre-war drums were acquired by Maguire with Auto-Ordnance and shipped to Britain. However, since Britain signed contracts in 1940 with both The Crosby Company and Worcester Pressed Steel to produce drums for them, my guess is the pre-war drums were no longer available.

 

Roger

Edited August 11, 2014 by TSMG28

[buzz]

I have a 1928 savage made in early 1940.

 

It appears that it was one of the fabled US-police-order guns instead of a british contract gun.

 

So I'm trying to figure out what stick and drum mags would have shipped out with the gun originally.

 

I guess it could have been any mag made in 1939 or very early 1940, or prior to that.

[joseph12297]

Another question I have.

If a PD or someone else in the US wanted an L Drum in 1940-1945 were they SOL or could they get one, and if so it would be a leftover Colt Era only if available?