Magazine questions

[SDDLUP]

Angus,

I called Arredondo and they only have the short followers for Tanfoglio pistols in 38 Super and 40 S&W. Will the 38 Super follower fit in a 9mm CZ-75 Magazine? If not where can I get such a follower and spring. Also will the factory P-01 fit a pre-B CZ-75? I'd pay the $40 or $45 for a factory eighteen round magazine that I might be able to tweak to get twenty rounds into. What's the best route to go to get increased capacity (more that 15 or 16 rounds) in what would basically be a factory length magazine? From what I have read around this board so far eighteen should not be a problem (if the Arredondo follower will work) but if there is a way to get nineteen or twenty...even better.

Thanks!

[Walt-Sherrill]

The .38 super is, I think, a larger cartridge, than 9mm or .40, so THAT follower is  unlikely to work in a P-01.  The .38 super is generally associated with the large-frame Witness models.  

The 9mm and .40 round are generally used with the small-framed versions and use the same mag tube (with feed lip adjustments.)  The .40 follower should work if its NOT made to work for one of the conversion units and much larger mags.  You may have to call to find out.   I don't know if any adjustments would have to be made to make the .40 follower engage the slide stop.

A factory mag for a P-01 might work in a pre-B, but only if it is not flush-fit on the P-01.  The flush-fit mags are "compact" mags and would be too short for a pre-B grip frame.  The mags with the extender/filler are full-size mags; with the extender installed, they wouldn't work in the pre-B.

Pre-B guns are the hardest to find mags for and, generally, only true factory mags made for the 75B or pre-B work without problems.  Your best bet is to buy some factory 10-rounders for range use, and look around for some of the pricier 15-round hi-caps if you plan to carry.  

(Forum members have said that the new Mec-Gar 16 round mags don't always work in the pre-Bs.  Remember:  while Mec-Gar makes factory mags for CZs, a Mec-Gar made factory mag is not the same as a Mec-Gar mag for the CZ-75B.)

I'd be very surprised if any 9mm mag could be tweaked to 20 rounds.  Angus has been working on a new design and has 18 rounds working, but has said that 19 rounds problematic, so far.  (I get the sense that he'll eventually have the 19-round mag working, but its not there, yet.)  

Angus has made no mention of 20.  There's only so much space in that mag tube; more than 19 would probably take a new mag tube.  You've got to keep enough space in their for springs!  (Perhaps a new technology spring is the answer?)

I think that after 15 or 16, paying a lot extra for a round or two more seems a waste of money for anything except the big IPSC gun games.  There, in IPSC, it may be very cost effective, and offer financial rewards.

For range of carry, the extra two rounds aren't going to be as useful as spare mags.

[hartzpad]

I think SDDLUP is referring to an SP-01 mag and not a P-01 mag in his post because he refers to it as an 18 round mag.

[Walt-Sherrill]

The 18-round mags are after-market versions of the stock factory mag that Angus has been developing.  

As far as I know, the SP-01 and the standard 75B mags have the same dimensions, externally.  

The changes allowing for more rounds are internal, with different followers.   (The SP-01 is built, like the Champion, on the standard/full-size 75B frame design, with an accessory rail on the front [ala P-01].)

For a P-01, the SP-01 mags would work, but stick out (as the P-01 is a compact gun.)  Vice-versa wouldn't work.

[Jeff Bergquist]

The photos I've seen show the SP-01 as having larger than full-size 18 round mags that protruded from the butt, not the standard full-sized mags.

Jeff

[hartzpad]

I've also ready people saying that the 18 round SP-01 have witness holes up to 18, 16 round CZ-75 mags don't have an 18th witness hole.

[Walt-Sherrill]

Perhaps he meant SP-01 mags, as you say.

Does anyone have SP-01 mags they can try in a P-01?

They would probably work -- i.e., fit in the grip and lock in place -- but they'd extend a bit, and I doubt that the P-01/40-P bases would work, without giving up rounds.

[SDDLUP]

Thanks guys!

Yes I guess I do mean the SP-01 magazine! I need to call CZ USA and see if these things will fit a CZ-75. Angus did make mention of using a twenty rounder in competition in a post about magazines and that would be awesome if I could get a few of those. I have thirteen factory fifteen round magazines (for three CZ-75s) they have a small rib on the bottom that will need to be removed to use the short follower and spring setup.

It would be nice to go show up at the range with some of my friends that have Glocks or Hi-Powers and show them an 18-20 round CZ-75 magazine.

If someone really wanted to try it they could use the continuous tension spring such as those I have seen on some Eagle AR-15 magazines. The springs flatten out along the sides of the magazine and then coil up under the follower as the magazine empties... if I am recalling the way they work correctly. Anyway I think when they are fully loaded they take up basically NO room under the follower.

[Walt-Sherrill]

RamLines use that type of spring in some of their mags, and I've had Magnum Research (Baby Eagle).  (In fact, the Magnum Research mags were obviously built by RamLine, as they were identical, except for the name on the baseplate.)

The disadvantage of that type of spring, at least in the RamLines, is that they can't be replaced -- they're riveted, on one end, to the mag tube, and on the other end, to the follower.

When the springs die, the mag is dead.  (And because the follower and baseplate are different, they can't really be resurrected with minor fixes.  I just tossed mine -- as they were very inexpensive.)

Angus hasn't perfected the 20 rounders, yet -- that a product he is developing.

[elsolo75]

Take a regular hicap CZ-75 mag, preferably without the indents on the sides of the tube near the baseplate. Add a CPMI +3 aluminum basepad and a longer Wolff spring, and you will have 20 round 9mm mags, that only stick out the length of teh CPMI basepad.

Thinner follower and a spring that collapses inside itself, a few more rounds is possible.