Help from the machinists / metal workers

[Newfie]

I need some bar stock. 1/8 X 5/8 X 6 or 8 inches long. Must be annealed tool steel, not hardened.
I am trying to make some flat base plates for my Beretta 1935.
If anyone could send me a piece in a mailer I will gladly cover the cost.
Alternatively, can anyone tell me where to go to buy some?
Thanks,
DD

[blackpowdershooter30]

McMaster has everything

[Meketrefe]

I need some bar stock. 1/8 X 5/8 X 6 or 8 inches long. Must be annealed tool steel, not hardened.
I am trying to make some flat base plates for my Beretta 1935.
If anyone could send me a piece in a mailer I will gladly cover the cost.
Alternatively, can anyone tell me where to go to buy some?
Thanks,
DD

When you say flat base plates what do you mean with plates?
I will check if I have a piece of cold rolled steel in 1/8".

[Newfie]

When you say flat base plates what do you mean with plates?
I will check if I have a piece of cold rolled steel in 1/8".

Meke,
I should have said base plate for the magazines. The Beretta has a "pinky" finger rest.
My hands are large and my little finger will not fit into the rest. Because I need to let my little finger fall under the base of the grip that finger extension gets in the way. Therefore I want to try to make some flat base plates for the magazine. My magazines are OEM and they are rather expensive when you can find one. Therefore I prefer to just remove the OEM base and replace so that I do not ruin the OEM base.
I will see if i can find a photo.
Thanks for looking.

[Meketrefe]

I think 1/8 might be too thick and there are better ways.
I would make a new plate or see if I can use a extended base from other magazine that is cheap like a keltec 380, shield, ruger, ... or something like that.
So many stubbs to choose from that can be retrofitted and it is going to feel better than the metal itself.

ideas...






..

[Newfie]

Screenshot_20171019-191132.png

I tried using Walther PP bases. They were just a very bit too large. When I slid them onto the magazine it was just a tad too loose. With the springs under full compression with the magazine fully loaded it was possible to get the bottom plate to pop off if wiggled just right. First photo shows what I want to end up with. Second photo shows what the originals that I have are like. Neither photo are of my pistol. Thickness of the one with the finger rest does in fact mic out to 1/8 inch.

[Meketrefe]

IMHO what you probably want to do is to take a base and if a tad loose simply cut a tad in the end for the latch and then crimp it or mold it with a tad of epoxy.
Whatever you don't want to stick simply rub with grease and the rest you can profile with an existing stub.
You can even fabricate the bottom metal from mild steel and then hardened but you might be able to cut from another mag and then stick the stub in there
also cut a little.
IMO that is much better than the original extension that actually can rip your pocket, catch on clothes or worse.

[Meketrefe]

It cannot be a 380 or 9mm, it has to be a 32 ACP that is narrower.
You can choose from any of the 32 ACP pistols. I think the keltec P32 might work just fine.
These can be found for $9.


go to the keltec forum and see if someone can measure the width of the base for you but based on what I see they are almost the same
you might have to file a bit from the rear end but otherwise this or other similar should work.

http://www.keltecforum.com/forum/p-3...extension.html

[Newfie]

I will see if I can get some Pics of the magazine disassembled. That will show what I need to do better. Looks like the Keltec Mags might not allow for the European style magazine release to lock the Mag in place. Second from the left in the photo would be my choice if it would in fact fit snugly on the magazine and allow the locking pin on the piece that rides on the spring to lock in place.

[Newfie]

Hope the Pics help. All I want to do is replicate the original base plate without the curved finger extension. I am afraid I may spend a lot of time and expense ordering and trying different .32 base plates from other manufactures. The walther seemed like a good choice, however it was a very loose fit andd the pressure of the compressed magazine spring would pop it off. The photo of the nickel plated base plate on the magazine is the Walther. Even in the photo you can see it is a loose fit.
The reasons I am looking for a piece of bar stock 1/8 X 5/8 is it is very close to the dimensions of the original Beretta base plate. Beretta measures .610" wide by .111 thick. A 1/8 X 5/8 piece of bar stock is close enough as these dimensions do not have to be exact for what I want to do. 1/8 = .125" ( close enough to .111 ) and 5/8 = .625" ( close enough to .619 ) The groove in the base plate that slides on the small rails of the magazine body ( see pics ) is .035 " plus a smidge. ( hard to get my feeler gauge in the groove. But .035 will go with a tiny bit of play ) Tooling would most likely need to be made to cut this slot. A fly cutter of sorts. Thus non hardened annealed tool steel is what I am looking for.

[Meketrefe]

Yes,
I think it will work and an aftermarket with the same dimension will work. All you have to do is to file down on the catch end for the magazine latch to slide over.
It ill be a lot easier than fabricating a metal extension just because of the lips you need to slide over the bottom. So by finding one that fits the rest is an easy
job. Even of you have a flat bottom in metal you can epoxy an extension to it. A lot easier than trying to work that metal and it will work better in the end too.
I think the keltec might work. Just need the dimensions. I can give you some dimensions but I don't really have a 7.62 caliber / 30 acp...
I would ask anyone with any of those modern pistols with inexpensive extensions. I bet several will fit like a glove.

[Meketrefe]

I am just saying what I would do and I do have tools to work metal but I don't think it is worth even trying.
BTW I check on the metal sheet I have but is too soft and too thick anyway.
Most likely you will find small cuts at the local ACE hardware store on the hobby section. They have stainless too.
But again, try a polymer extension. The bottom release lock is easy to adapt if you ahve to. Is nothing but a flat plate with a knob. Can make one with a screw or a rivet if actually needed.

[Newfie]

This is what I am working toward. Though this one looks a bit chintsy.

[Newfie]

Yes,
I think it will work and an aftermarket with the same dimension will work. All you have to do is to file down on the catch end for the magazine latch to slide over.
It ill be a lot easier than fabricating a metal extension just because of the lips you need to slide over the bottom. So by finding one that fits the rest is an easy
job. Even of you have a flat bottom in metal you can epoxy an extension to it. A lot easier than trying to work that metal and it will work better in the end too.
I think the keltec might work. Just need the dimensions. I can give you some dimensions but I don't really have a 7.62 caliber / 30 acp...
I would ask anyone with any of those modern pistols with inexpensive extensions. I bet several will fit like a glove.

Think I was struggling to download Pics as you were replying.
Thanks for looking on the metal.
Believe me, I would be delighted if I could take an off the shelf .32 base plate from a pistol in current production and just slide it onto my Beretta magazines. Even with some minor modifications it would be great. That is exactly what I was trying to do with the Walther base plate. And believe me two of them with retainers was not $9.00. Keltec has several options and a couple of them would suit me fine if they will fit. I just hate to start collecting parts for pistols I don't even own if the will not work on the Beretta.

[Meketrefe]

Do you have the dimensions of the lips where the bottom has to slide into? With of the entire base, with of the metal itself, lenght, etc... Lenght is not as critical because most likely you
will have to cut a tad for the latch. That is easy.
The most important part is to have the dimensions so you don't start collecting parts uncessearly. Once it works on paper there is a good chance it will work on the magazine.