Who knows how to make box magazines from scratch?

[cavhasbeen]

Thanks for furthering my education Mr. Shopdog! I've been in a number of blacksmith shops in my life including one that had worked thirty men in its prime, and never even heard of a flypress. Interesting tool to say the least.

[Shopdog]

cavhasbeen,once adjusted/tuned..... they are stupid fast.We use hydraulic "H" frame presses here,and will continue.Flypresses when doing lower tonnage work,like forming gauge metal will leave an H frame for dead on speed.They also "bump" better.

There's a 1970'ish video on U tube.Its a factory Remington tour.About halfway through they're using one on a shotgun brrl or ?You'll know it when you see it...... watch not only "what" the guy is working on but,the speed and bumping finesse. Also how dang fast it is.

Edit to add;The video is Remington arms,"one at a time",1969

[Clark]

In 2006 and 2007 Century was selling Beretta 92s pistols for $240 with a magazine and later without.
I modified 92F magazines to fit. High speed steel would not cut the mags, I had to use carbide.


I don't know WHY the mags are hardened, but I could offer guesses; stiff upper lip, lighter weight, corrosion proof, just because.

[Harter66]

Tim
I see a brake and slip roll in your future .
The slip roll will need a set of flange tools .
I suspect that much like many of your day to day tools that you will have to make a few custom brake radius feet . Probably a spot welder electrode or 2 also .
The biggest thing about about magazine tooling is that it's like tooling for aviation . There's a tool set that works for 20 jobs , like a sheet metal brake . There's the right tool that works for that job on 10 models , like a magazine jig for BHP , M9 , 92/96 , P series Ruger etc . Then you have the Beech jack that you can use on 3 models that are really just 2 and have an 85% parts interchange from 1947-to 2000 when they were discontinued , like a hammer sear tool for a S&W N frame .

Itll cost you a days to make that first set of tooling for something like a 1903 pocket 32 ACP . But once the angles are set up and you can make the basic tube then you have a base for about 30 different small 32s . Then you only need the feed lip form/correction tool and a quicky jig for the floor plate retention . 3D printing for followers is likely the easy way out there .

Think about that polishing tool you have for the barrels .
There's no reason to draw or block sand a new round barrel for finish is there ?
A few special end face finish tools , a dozen specific form tools and an oven to do nitriding in and you're golden .