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An easier way to tension magazine springs

19K views 39 replies 24 participants last post by  Steelwaver 
#1 · (Edited)
This is a lot easier to do than to describe. Beats the heck out of winding the hex nut with my thumb and finger in my experience! Click on the link for photo's, as
Photobucket has dumped them from direct usage here.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/gunsmither/library/Tensioning%2010%2022%20mags?sort=3&page=1

By using a piece of tape to hold the hex nut in place, you may more easily tension the magazine spring when winding it, using the entire back plate as a tension winding device to optimally tension the spring.

A piece of tape is also handy to hold the feed lip insert in place while you tension the mag spring, while winding the spring with whatever method you use.

If your magazine already feeds fine, and you are satisfied with the spring tension, next time you dis-assemble the magazine for cleaning, tape down the hex nut in place first. That way the nut will already be in position to re-tension the spring using the backplate to wind/re-tension it to the original state that existed before you dis-assembled it.

Start by positioning the rotor all the way in its upright position, so it rests against the metal feed lip insert. Then position the backplate top end about 90° to the left, and insert the hex nut so it's spring tip hole will line up with the rotor's spring tail with the backplate in that position. Then tape the nut in place. Now push the taped nut on to the rotor spring tail to engage it in position to wind up the spring.

Now rotate the entire backplate clockwise 1-1/4 -1-1/3 turns, using your thumb and middle finger, all the while keeping your index finger on the taped hex nut, pushing lightly against the taped hex nut to prevent it pushing out against the tape.

For a little more tension, moving the hex nut clockwise one or two hex spaces, so the backplate top is faced about 180° opposite of top, will give you about 1-1/2 - 1-5/8 turns.

When the backplate is wound around all the way 1-1/4 to 1-5/8 turns, until its top is in the upright position, seat the backplate/hex nut assembly onto the magazine body. This may require a bit of "wiggling" to get it to seat correctly, keeping your finger on the taped hex nut. Then insert and tighten the screw, and back it off about one 1/8 of a turn for rotation clearance. You may also choose to leave the screw loose in place if desired, while tensioning the spring.

I sure hope this makes sense from this old duffer!

SAFE and HAPPY Shooting my friends! Joe
 
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#6 ·
Well, your timing was great. Read this earlier today, and thought I don't need that info right now. Famous last words. Went to the range and one of my mags started sticking about every third shot. I will be testing your method sooner than later!
 
#9 ·
Man, do I feel like a stupid idiot or what...:confused:
All these years (about 45 of em) and I never even realized that those mags could be pulled apart, cleaned and reassembled....until I read this thread. I've had a 1022 since the early 1970s and when the mag stopped working properly, I'd just go buy a new one. It's now on it's 4th mag, 3rd barrel with probably a zillion rounds of ammo. Fortunately, I never threw any of the old ones away. I just tossed into a big old junk box. After reading this thread, I went out to my shop, pawed thru the junk box and found em. I sat here on a rainy Sunday afternoon and pulled all three of em down, cleaned em all up and put em back together per this thread....and....viola!!!! They all work like brand new!! Thank you, Joe! I now have some extra working mags.:bthumb:
 
#17 · (Edited)
Hello Joe,

Your photo link works just fine, and I appreciate that you do this type of thing (posting photos and instructions). Your system works very well, in fact I used it just yesterday showing my youngest son your photos and then how to clean a few magazines.

The broken link I was referencing is located in post #11 by 'midwest swiss'. I'm guessing it's a link to a reassembly tool for the 10/22 magazine.

I'm sorry for the confusion I may have caused. I will make better use of the quoting feature to save folks undue effort in the future.

By the way, I purchased a Ruger Pistol takedown tool from you about a year ago, and just yesterday got around to doing a full field strip of my lightly used MK II. I gotta say that little stainless loop is brilliant and worth every penny of the tools cost. It works so much better than any of the other methods I have used in the past.

So to you sir, "Well Done & Thank You", to everybody else … buy this guy's tools. They are great (I also love your 10/22 bolt tool)
 
#20 ·
This is a lot easier to do than to describe. Beats the heck out of winding the hex nut with my thumb and finger in my experience! Click on the link for photo's, as
Photobucket has dumped them from direct usage here.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/gunsmither/library/Tensioning 10 22 mags?sort=3&page=1

By using a piece of tape to hold the hex nut in place, you may more easily tension the magazine spring when winding it, using the entire back plate as a tension winding device to optimally tension the spring.

A piece of tape is also handy to hold the feed lip insert in place while you tension the mag spring, while winding the spring with whatever method you use.

If your magazine already feeds fine, and you are satisfied with the spring tension, next time you dis-assemble the magazine for cleaning, tape down the hex nut in place first. That way the nut will already be in position to re-tension the spring using the backplate to wind/re-tension it to the original state that existed before you dis-assembled it.

Start by positioning the rotor all the way in its upright position, so it rests against the metal feed lip insert. Then position the backplate top end about 90° to the left, and insert the hex nut so it's spring tip hole will line up with the rotor's spring tail with the backplate in that position. Then tape the nut in place. Now push the taped nut on to the rotor spring tail to engage it in position to wind up the spring.

Now rotate the entire backplate clockwise 1-1/4 -1-1/3 turns, using your thumb and middle finger, all the while keeping your index finger on the taped hex nut, pushing lightly against the taped hex nut to prevent it pushing out against the tape.

For a little more tension, moving the hex nut clockwise one or two hex spaces, so the backplate top is faced about 180° opposite of top, will give you about 1-1/2 - 1-5/8 turns.

When the backplate is wound around all the way 1-1/4 to 1-5/8 turns, until its top is in the upright position, seat the backplate/hex nut assembly onto the magazine body. This may require a bit of "wiggling" to get it to seat correctly, keeping your finger on the taped hex nut. Then insert and tighten the screw, and back it off about one 1/8 of a turn for rotation clearance. You may also choose to leave the screw loose in place if desired, while tensioning the spring.

I sure hope this makes sense from this old duffer!

SAFE and HAPPY Shooting my friends! Joe
Thank you Joe also great tool for installing the bolt I've created one for my 10/22 Magnum Works excellent!
 
#21 ·
This is a lot easier to do than to describe. Beats the heck out of winding the hex nut with my thumb and finger in my experience! Click on the link for photo's, as
Photobucket has dumped them from direct usage here.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/gunsmither/library/Tensioning 10 22 mags?sort=3&page=1

By using a piece of tape to hold the hex nut in place, you may more easily tension the magazine spring when winding it, using the entire back plate as a tension winding device to optimally tension the spring.

A piece of tape is also handy to hold the feed lip insert in place while you tension the mag spring, while winding the spring with whatever method you use.

If your magazine already feeds fine, and you are satisfied with the spring tension, next time you dis-assemble the magazine for cleaning, tape down the hex nut in place first. That way the nut will already be in position to re-tension the spring using the backplate to wind/re-tension it to the original state that existed before you dis-assembled it.

Start by positioning the rotor all the way in its upright position, so it rests against the metal feed lip insert. Then position the backplate top end about 90° to the left, and insert the hex nut so it's spring tip hole will line up with the rotor's spring tail with the backplate in that position. Then tape the nut in place. Now push the taped nut on to the rotor spring tail to engage it in position to wind up the spring.

Now rotate the entire backplate clockwise 1-1/4 -1-1/3 turns, using your thumb and middle finger, all the while keeping your index finger on the taped hex nut, pushing lightly against the taped hex nut to prevent it pushing out against the tape.

For a little more tension, moving the hex nut clockwise one or two hex spaces, so the backplate top is faced about 180° opposite of top, will give you about 1-1/2 - 1-5/8 turns.

When the backplate is wound around all the way 1-1/4 to 1-5/8 turns, until its top is in the upright position, seat the backplate/hex nut assembly onto the magazine body. This may require a bit of "wiggling" to get it to seat correctly, keeping your finger on the taped hex nut. Then insert and tighten the screw, and back it off about one 1/8 of a turn for rotation clearance. You may also choose to leave the screw loose in place if desired, while tensioning the spring.

I sure hope this makes sense from this old duffer!

SAFE and HAPPY Shooting my friends! Joe
Joe what is the 1022 mag peephole for?
 
#24 ·
"Invention is the Mother of Necessity" - quote some famous dude! Congrats on a great idea Kfxguy!

Years ago when I was working on a magazine hold open device that involved modifying the magazine, I made a clever spring retractable push in gizmo with a 7/16" socket. It was a lovely piece of work. My bolt hold open after the last shot invention required hundreds of disassembly / reassemblies of the magazine trying to perfect different ideas to hold open the bolt. My spring loaded socket pusher worked great. Then one day the tape idea popped into me head. It was much quicker, and saved me a lot of time, so I never looked back. No more counting flats for me!
 
#32 ·
Due to the enclosed shape of the magazine and the very restricted opening, plenty of debris would remain floating around inside after being in the cleaner. While that might free up the operation for a while, the junk would still be there. A puddle of drying HotShot might glue it all together. Just a better idea to open it up and manually remove the crud.




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