Model 52 Magazine

You may have noticed a recent post in the commercial section where an individual is looking for model 52 magazines. They are out there on E-bay but way too expensive. I let my last 52 mag go a long time ago but I still have lots of model 39 mags. Has anyone ever tried making a 39 magazine work for a 52? You can still buy 39 mags for under 20.00 new and you can buy the followers for the 52 here http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/SmithWesson-33495/AutoPistols-42024/52-2-35293.htm?page=2 I just wonder if anyone has ever tried it?

Len

Has S&W stopped making them?  Anything can be made.  But it won't be inexpensive.

I don't know if S&W quit making them. I mean I thought S&W quit making them a long time ago. I do know that every vendor I could think of had zero inventory. Ebay had some for 90.00+. And by "made" I really meant modified. I wish I had one here I would try and make one of the 39 magazines match.

Len

I think I saw S&W 52 magazines on their site last year, but just checked and do not see them anymore.
If I remember correctly they had a plastic follower and heard of some issues with them but do not remember what they were.
I still have three of them, wish I had not sold a few awhile back.

As far as modifying an M39 magazine, I dont know.
I think the length would be okay since max length for 9mm is around 1.169" and the .38's are at that also.
The width of the rim may be an issue cause they are about .050" difference.

Clarence

Just to add on the ones that are on Ebay currently are black plastic followers if it matters to you.
Look at the pictures real good and ask them a question if you cannot tell for sure as I did and the response was plastic.
I would personally want the early/ original metal followers as I have now that run flawlessly.

Clarence

Well I'm glad I bought them when they had them; two years ago Brownell's had S&W Factory Model 52 Magazines; with a LEO/Military discount I ended up with 5 magazines for the price of 4.  I just checked their website and they don't list them now...

New here and am glad to find a bullseye forum. I got my first model 52 and have completed a trade and got a lot of NIW S&W mags w plastic followers, opening 2, one works flawlessly of these mags; on one the bullets will not feed but jam by hitting the feed ramp too low. I just took it out of the Brownell bag.

Is there a way to adjust the mag so the bullet hits higher on the feed ramp?

Shooting w the other new mag, no problems, and shooting w the used mag the gun came w, no problems. I fired 1 box of rem wc 148 gr match of 50 w no problems and NIW am using hand loads I have custom made commercially locally 2.8 bullseye wc.

I believe the mag is the problem.

I have a pistol smith I can take it too if needed but thought I would ask.
I can take a pic of the jam if it helps. here is my gun.

I have done a second trade too and have enroute used 52 mags w metal followers I will keep myself. I hope they are as good as I have read.

tschiemer;

Welcome to the forum.

You may want to check the overall length of the factory loads.
I bought a case of the Remingtons years ago when I first got one of my M52's.
They were nose diving.
What I found was they were about .005-.010" too long and the nose was dragging in the magazine.
Reseated all of the rest of them the .005-.010"(cant remember for sure) and they all ran flawlessly.
It would be something to look into.
Good luck.

Clarence

Update, two issues: the feed lips were bent and my pistolsmith fixed it so it runs great; secondly, on another fixed matter, my commercial reloader said the WC were barely too long. Using a different and totally flat WC and 2.8 gr Bullseye- all is well!

Update: Can you convert a model 39 mag to a 52? The answer is "NO". The 52 mag is .030" wider than a 39 mag. The rim on the 38 special will not go into the mag. They (39) are also shorter in length by about the same .030" with a much rounder front. I picked up a 52 with only 1 mag so thought I would try. Now I need to find another mag.

Len


They can not be converted but they can be built.If you have model 39 mags then Numrich has everything except the pins to build them  and you can get those on e-bay. I cancelled my request to buy a mag after I found they had all the parts.

WARNING WARNING WARNING....... I mention in the above post that you can get all the parts from Numrich to make a "new" magazine. This is what they sent me as new/old stock. They are taking it back and looking for a better one. That's good, but, no one should send something like this out of their store. I am ticked to say the least. I got 2 magazines. The other is usable (for values of useable) after a lot of steel wool and elbow grease. I would not recommend purchasing any mags from them.

Len