Paintball

[monty]

I've always been curious to try a front feed mod on my PTX. Like the ones AgentSmith has used in the past. Last year I gave one of my PTX mags to a friend of a friend who has proper tools, but he's been dragging his feet so I'm itching to get something done for this season.

I was wondering if I could make a decent one myself using a drill and a dremel? Has anyone tried this? Any tips, suggestions to share?

I have 5 other mags to use so I don't mind sacrificing one more for testing.

[PistolRogue]

It can certainly be done with more commonly available hobbyist/household tools. I'm blessed to have access to a bridgeport but it's definitely not a necessity. Just take your time and be sure to measure carefully and take a little out at a time.

[agentSmith]

I've done a few round mags, 2 PTXs and my good friend Kenzo's Delta68:





I'll try and get a closeup of one of the PTX mags tonight, my son's stuff is here at my house. It's certainly doable as far as the hole in the mag. Getting the spring to stay in well is a little tricky, I'll see if I can find a description of this before I retype the whole thing!


One thing I would REALLY recommend if you've not done this before is to practice making holes in the sides of plastic 10rd tubes. This will give you cheap, disposable, tryout pieces to get your size and shape settled before you have to touch your marker!


Rob

[monty]

Good idea using the tubes. I'll give it a try.

I'm pretty confident I can clamp it down properly. I'm going to try using a hand drill or small drill press (if I can get my hands on one). I hope to start with a small bit to make a pilot hole and just keep switching to larger bit until I hit the max on the drill then continue working the hole open with a dremel. Not the best way but it's all I can get my hands on.

I've read a couple of threads about the springs. If I understand correctly, some people try over stretching them to compensate and some people make guides. Have any examples with PTX mags?

[agentSmith]

Well the problem with the spring is that it will porpoise out of the hole sometimes as you lock back the follower to load the mag.
This is game endingly inconvenient...

What I did was increase the diameter of the spring only in one section, leaving a spring that looked like a python that just swallowed a rabbit. One section of larger diameter and the rest unchanged.
I identify what part to enlarge by cutting the hole, then slowly locking the follower back over and over. What I found is that the SAME section of spring was always the part to pop out, so I widened this section like this:


Just opening it and releasing it. With patience it's not too hard. I do a few rings then try it, if it still comes out i widen more of the spring. Essentially you're making the spring barely less diameter than the tube, this locks the spring into the tube for the section that matters. Most of it goes into the cup in follower or is held in by the end of the tube.

I hope that makes sense!

Once you find what size hole you want using the tubes, you can trace it onto the mag and then it's 'grind to the line'!

Rob

[monty]

Thanks for clearing that up. Does the spring eventually shrink back? Will i need to repeat this over and over again?

[agentSmith]

I played for years without having to mess with it once I got it right.

Rob

[biteweasel]

And if widening the spring is too hard (I broke my first spring trying to do this) use the other method of a spring guide, it works well but doesn't look pretty. Also it requires an extra hole out the front of your mag(as I modded a twenty round mag I did not nee to do the front mag hole.)

I used an old sealent gun nozzle for my guide.

[PistolRogue]

In all honesty, the only real fab work to do a guide is to drill two extra holes- one into your spring follower, and one into the cap of the springfeed. For the amount of time it takes to get the spring right by expanding the coils, IMO, adding the guide is more worthwhile. You can make the actual guide rod out of just about anything- metal rod you've got laying around, a wooden dowel, etc.

Making the SA17 A More User-Friendly Primary

Lighter is better though, for the record. I used aluminum and am still trying to get around to ordering some delrin rod (just because I'm picky and want something "prettier" than wood since black delrin won't need to be repainted). Even the aluminum is heavy enough to slow the springfeed a bit, though not enough to cause an issue as of yet. It shot plenty of people out last weekend at EMR.

[biteweasel]

Hello monty, any luck with that front loading port??