"Make your own" CZ99 mags... a question

[scoobysnacker]

Ok, I have purchased an inexpensive CZ99, and thus far the only issue I have found is scarcity of affordable magazines.

The Beretta 92 series mags fit, but you need to cut a notch in the front for the mag to lock in. I have sucessfully tested this out and can confirm.

Now, my current issue/question:

I have found some cheap Taurus 92 mags, and these also fit. However, I measured wrong, and cut the hole too high. I want to try to lower this.

The mags fit, but they are a little bit loose... so in theory I have a little room to work with.

Would some aluminum tape (not nylon or "duct tape", but the actual ALUMINUM tape), wrapped around the magazine, with a tab folded through and on the inside of the mag, be strong enough? I need to drop the hole just a few hair's length, not even 1 mm to get it to seat right.

Thanks

[g.willikers]

Can't imagine any kind of tape working out well.
How about just taking the magazines to a welder to spot weld the errant holes and redo them?
If that's too expensive, buy a little portable gas welder outfit from the local hardware store, the kind that uses oxygen and mapp gas and doing it yourself.
It's not any harder to do than soldering.
They come in mighty handy for all kinds of things.

[Skans]

I can picture what the OP is saying - I'd bet several layers aluminum tape works...for awhile anyway.

[scoobysnacker]

I can picture what the OP is saying - I'd bet several layers aluminum tape works...for awhile anyway.

Yeah, I'm talking about the roll of metal, not duct tape (although, actually, it's probably good for ducts! )

There seems like a little wiggle room at least front and back, probably some in the sides too. I need to move the hole down about 1/2 to 3/4 mm or so, I think that would be enough. It does feed snapcaps as it is, but not quite high enough to lock the slide back, and the little wiggle room causes it to move back and come free. A band around the magazine, with a small tab folded through the hole at the top, to lower the hole and raise the mag, with maybe a second strip down the back to remove the excess wiggle.

The "tape" I'm considering is basically thick aluminum foil, with a contact adhesive backing. You cut the aluminum into the necessary shape, peel off the paper covering the adhesive, and apply it where you need it.

I'm considering a couple ways to do this, depending on the thickness and strength of the aluminum. I think the best way would be to make something resembling a T, with the vertical part being the same width as the hole. I would fold that onto itself until it's as thick as the magazine wall, then insert that folded up part into the hole, as filler, and adhere the horizontal part around the magazine at the right elevation.

If it's not too thick to interfere with the follower, run a strip down the inside, with a long tab coming out, and run that tab out and over the new hole. Apply some more strips to make the whole front level again.

I know, it sounds ugly to look at, but the mags were real cheap, and a 1 inch by 5 yd roll of this aluminum tape costs about $5 on Amazon. I don't have any other gun that will take these, so it's just a project to try to make a few range mags.

[JohnKSa]

Would some aluminum tape (not nylon or "duct tape", but the actual ALUMINUM tape), wrapped around the magazine, with a tab folded through and on the inside of the mag, be strong enough?

It will work for awhile. It's not going to be a permanent solution.

On the rest of the mags, cut the hole so it's definitely too low and then fit it by taking a swipe or two with a file and trying it in the gun. Repeat until you've got it right.

The mags fit...

Tell me you didn't cut the holes in all the mags without checking any of them first...

--Moving to Gunsmithing--

[scoobysnacker]

It will work for awhile. It's not going to be a permanent solution.

Yup, that's what I was afraid of. Luckily (for me), this is totally a project, the gun is down the list as far as personal preferences. I have others.

Quote:
The mags fit...

Tell me you didn't cut the holes in all the mags without checking any of them first---

Ok, my lips are sealed

In defense, this started off with more precise intentions in mind.
I had successfully modified one of my Beretta 18 rd mags, using a drill press and a piece of paper to match the holes. That worked, but it was a hassle; the Beretta mag was hard steel, and I broke a bit trying to put a hole in it. (It seems to be a way better quality mag than these Taurus mags).

So this time around, after finding these 2 super-cheap Taurus aftermarket mags, I made more precise measurements, based on the FRONT of the mags. That was a mistake, as there seems to be a tiny difference in how far down the mag is... the Beretta seems to match the CZ99 completely, and these are off.

It gets better; since the drill press left a rounded hole and I wanted a notch, I looked for a dremel at my dad's workshop. What I found was a small industrial grinder... ok, I thought that might work better. But apparently the grinder runs at 6 billion rpm, tries to vibrate into another dimension, and is meant to cut through stuff way harder than the mags.

I won't relay all the sordid details, just that I don't plan on ever picking that beast up again. So, back to the drill press, to clean up the mess. It did, and cut easily through the first mag. So I did the 2nd, and again it only took seconds to go through (as I said, the Beretta mag took a lot of effort and broke a carbide bit).

The mags match in the front as far as the cuts, but I think the sides are taller by a small amount. There-in lies the rub; but as it's pretty much stated that these mags could interchange with the right notches, I assumed they were 100% equal.

On the rest of the mags, cut the hole so it's definitely too low and then fit it by taking a swipe or two with a file and trying it in the gun. Repeat until you've got it right.

Um, yep... if I do this again, that will be the plan. I'll see if I can find more $5 mags.

Thanks, and again, this isn't more than a project, I don't plan on this pistol being more than a "oh I have one of these" for the range.

[Snyper]

You might be able to solder or braze a piece of metal over the cutouts

I wouldn't trust tape of any sort.

I'd also consider using epoxy instead of tape

[scoobysnacker]

My brother suggested JB Weld. My concern there is whether it would crumble or compress. I don't want any tiny crumbs falling into the magazine, and maybe riding a round into the action.

My thought about solder is along the same concerns.

I think the magazine catch, being a piece of steel, will dig into either the epoxy or the solder.

Now, keep in mind, the "tape" I am suggesting is simply a flat strip of aluminum, no fabric of any kind. So perhaps the solder or JB weld, with a top layer of the aluminum over it, might work?

[Snyper]

My thought about solder is along the same concerns.

I think the magazine catch, being a piece of steel, will dig into either the epoxy or the solder.

I was talking about using solder or epoxy to attach a piece of metal, not to be used to just fill the holes.

Aluminum is pretty soft.
I'd use steel flashing or shim stock
Solder isn't going to stick to Aluminum anyway, and heating a thin piece of metal while keeping it perfectly flat can be tricky

Epoxy would be far easier no matter what metal you use

[scoobysnacker]

if nothing else, I guess I have a couple of followers, baseplates and springs as spares.

In theory still functional as Taurus mags, although I don't have any. Also in theory I can destroy them further attempting to make them fit the Beretta... unless the Taurus notches are too high. I will need to look at that. But I have spare Beretta mags.

It kind of sucks, I just missed out on a deal on gunbroker; someone listed a 10 pack of CZ99 mags at a fairly low price, and a buy now price of $120. I didn't need 10 mags, so I didn't go that high. Someone else followed me by 1 minute and did buy them up... and I expect to see that buyer dealing them out 1 at a time for much higher.

[4V50 Gary]

A bit of weld filed flush comes to mind.