Nambu Type 14 magazine problem

[criticalbass]

I posted questions about this on Gunboards "firearms of the rising sun," but thought someone local might know how to fix the problem.

Gun seems fine, and a gunsmith smoothed up a very rough action and replaced the springs. The follower in the mag seems to set too flat, causing the nose of the bullet to hit below the feed ramp.

I think the spring may be weak. Wolff offers new mag springs, but after close examination of the mag, I admit defeat. Can't see how to disassemble the mag.

Any help would be appreciated.

This gun belongs to a good friend who doesn't care that the cartridge is wimpy and the gun has a rep for poor reliability. He loves it nonetheless, and wants it to work. He mentioned just buying another mag. I suspect he is currently suffering sticker shock if he has started shopping online . . .

 

[SMS]

Found this user comment on a Midway USA page, maybe it'll help:

The hardest spring to replace is the magazine spring. If you have a drill press and take your time, it is not difficult to replace. The bottom part of the magazine is slipped into the magazine and held on with 2 cross pins which have been pinged or spread on each end to hold them in place. I used a 7/64" drill bit to remove the ends and then redrilled the holes slightly larger with a 1/8" bit. I went to the local hardware store and bought a simple piece of brass rod 1/8" in diameter. Cut to the correct length and with the ends pinged (flattened out slightly), the magazine will operate as new.