Tokarev issues: bad mag or bad ammo?

[raftman]

So, as many of you may know, I did recently become the proud owner of a TTC pistol, it came with 2 mags. I attempted to fire this gun for the first time today. It wasn't long before I observed a rather odd phenomenon. Upon firing the first round from the mag, most of the time, the mag gets released, and thus fails to feed the next round. Now, observing the gun and mag afterwards, it became apparent the slot in the magazine that is supposed to catch on the magazine release mechanism appears worn/damaged. This seems like a likely cause for the mag popping out. What I am unsure of, is whether the mag came damaged, or whether this damage is the outcome of the ammo I used. The ammo is a non-descript box I bought from a surplus store, bearing the text:

HP 59
70
7,62mm Patronen/MP41

Now I had heard that the 7.62x25 submachinegun ammo was hotter than either the typical Tokarev ammo or the Czech load 7.62x25 and should thus be avoided if you're firing a TT or a CZ52. Does the MP-41 actually identify this as submachinegun ammo? Or is this ammo just fine and the mag likely came damaged? Or this there a different cause altogether? I didn't try using the 2nd mag because it was too cosmolined-up at the time, and now I am afraid to try it, for fear the ammo will ruin my other mag.

Here are some pics to better explain the damage.

First, a picture of the pistol with mags, after all, they do say, if you don't have a picture, you don't actually have it.

The mag I didn't use:

The mag I did use:

 

[Slopemeno]

I'd say either your mag catch, or your mag catch spring is at fault.

 

[raftman]

The spring seems to have a good amount of tension though. I've looked at the magazine catch inside grip. It certainly doesn't seem very substantial, but I've not seen what a "good" one should look like. Would the catch just need to be replaced if that's indeed the problem?

 

[Slopemeno]

Yeah- it's possible the catch or frame is mismachined, giving it minimal purchase on the magazine. Numrich/Gun Parts Corp probably has the part.

 

[raftman]

Fired 100 rounds of Prvi Partizan ammo today with the other mag, no problems. Mag didn't get chewed up, didn't pop out.

 

[Russ5924]

Looks to me the good mag. has been reworked my someone. And a very poor repair with a grinder. What have you got to lose grind the bad one like the good one

 

[44 AMP]

Not the ammo

I don't see how, short of blowing the mag out of the gun, that the ammo could have anything to do with it.

The good mag is the one with the smaller hole, right? OK, what you've got is a mag that some one "modified", probably to make it work in a different gun. The "modification" makes it too loose to hold and function in your gun.

The cure is to replace the bad magazine. IF the dealer sold you this as "new", then it needs to go back for "warranty" work. IF you bought it as is, then you are s.o.l. Sorry.

If you know someone who was willing to take the time, you might have the mag body welded, then cut/file the catch opening to match the good mag, and see if that works.

 

[raftman]

... short of blowing the mag out of the gun

That IS what I had suspected, largely on account of the somewhat unsubstantiated claim that certain loads of the 7.62x25 will do such things to either the TT or CZ-52. It's a rumor that floats around here and there on the net that some will state with conviction is true, and others laugh off as a myth.