Rockola Mags--How about a Follower that stops the Bolt?

[Amanda4461]

Folks,
I just cleaned my DCM Rockola's magazines. All but one (the 5-rounder) have the sloping follower, so that the bolt does not hold open on last round fired. Can these mags be converted by a simple follower swap? If yes, any idea who carries them? While I rarely shoot the old Jukebox, I decided I would give her a range trip tomorrow, and the mags just caught my attention. Doesn't matter if they are S-OCT-B, SW, B, KSG. None of them hold back the bolt
Any idea why these mags were designed this way? Seems silly, like the Olympic pistols are set up. I always assumed it had to do with the M-2 for some reason. Probably just an old line of gunwriter BS.
Thanks!
Amanda

[dave]

Why don't you just try it???? The M-2 was not even around when the carbine was adopted!

[Tuna]

The follower from a 30 round magazine with the bolt hold open cut will fit in a 15 round magazine. The reason it was not used in the 15 round magazine was the fact that when you remove the magazine with the bolt open it goes forward so no matter what you have to pull the bolt back to reload so why add another step to make a follower that is really was not needed in production. Cost was everything during WW2. The reason for it on the 30 round magazines was the fact that with so many rounds in the magazine it was hard to even guess when it might be almost empty. I have not seen anyone offering new followers with the cut for the 15 round magazines as a replacement. Some of the new Korean magazines have the cut follower in the 15 round as well as the 30 round magazines. They are good magazines too.

[Amanda4461]

Thanks Tuna. Makes sense, I suppose. I personally would hate to hear a "Click" when using the gun defensively. Don't know, but I kinda doubt a GI had the presence of mind to count rounds. Bolt hold-open removes all doubt, but then so does the click. Too hung up on the 1911 slide stop telling me to reload, I guess. I'll check into the Korean mags, just for the hell of it. Can't ever have too many mags:-)

[jonnyo55]

Actually, you can modify the existing followers to hold the bolt open. Just take a hacksaw (a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel is much easier) and make two cuts; one vertical and one horizontal. Basically what you're doing is cutting the back upper corner off the existing follower. Use the 30 rd. follower as a guide...

[Tuna]

With AIM surplus selling the Korean 15 round magazines for about $10 it's worth getting those instead of working over a magazine that is old and wearing out and possibly collectible.

[fn111557]

I had a couple of the old Korean mags that were causing feed problems. I took the followers out of them and put them in my GI 15 rounders and they work fine.