M1922 M1 magazine

[barkerwc4362]

Anyone have a picture of what an M1922 M1 magazine? I have looked in Brophy and the Batha without luck. Are there any identifiable markings on the magazine? All Brophy comments about is that the MI magazine fits flush with the floorplate. A friend is in possession of his father's sporterized M1922 M1 and no one knows where the magazine is. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, how can you tell an M2 magazine from an M1922 M1? Thanks again.

Bill

[MK111]

I hace been try to find out myself. I have all three models of the Springfield 1922's. It appears the 1922 orginal was a longer magazine and I just bought one and it's on the way to me now. The 1922M2 is stamped M2 on the side. But one expert says the 1922M1 magazines are not marked. I have two unmarked ones and I need to try in the 1922M1 to see how they fit. I also have a new after-market magazine and if it fits the 1922M1 I will have no need for it and will sell it.

[Herschel]

Bill, The 1922M1 magazine and the M2 Rifle magazine look exactly alike. The difference is that the M2 magazine is slightly longer thus extends slightly higher into the receiver. They both fit flush with the floorplate. The M2 magazine is marked on the upper left side with a small M2. The 1922M1 magazine is unmarked. Either may be found blued or parkerized. The M2 bolt must have an M2 magazine and the 1922M1 must have the 1922M1 magazine. An original 1922 magazine will work with a 1922M1 bolt but you're not likely to find one. The 1922 magazine does extend some half inch or more below the floorplate and it will not have the three little teeth on either side as do the 1922M1 and M2 magazines. If your rifle has the M2 bolt (bolt will be marked M2), then you will need the M2 magazine even if the bolt is in a rifle with receiver marked Model of 1922M1. Expect to pay $100 for an original magazine. They come up regularly on the internet auctions. Make sure you get the correct magazine as they are NOT interchangeable. I may have given more information than you need but some explanation is needed. There is a lot of misinformation posted about the 1922 series Springfields. Some even refer to the M2 Rifle as a 1922M2. I try to avoid using the designation 1922M2 as there was no such rifle and not giving the correct nomenclature sometimes causes confusion as what model is being discussed. Lastly, I have never tried one of the aftermarket magazines now available but have heard that they are not reliable. There is an M2 Rifle magazine listed on gunbroker. Do a search for M2 Springfield and will find it. The picture clearly shows the M2 marking.

[barkerwc4362]

Hershel,
Thanks for your response. I sent to my ex-brother-in-law. He is the one with the rifle. The rifle was sporterized in the 60's by a German gunsmith. Nice re-blue and era period stock. All done very well. This is not a bubba job. It was an "Issue" rifle not a NRA sales gun. It appears to still have it's orginal Lyman real sight. Date on the barrel is 6-27. I don't have the serial number on me. Were these surplussed thru the NRA in the late 50's early 60's?

Bill

[Cosine26]

I have no personal experience with the available commercial "M2" magazines, but as I remember it, there was a posting on the old Jouster board that said they had some problems.
I have two 22 "Springfields" but I differentiate between them One is a "M1922M1I" (and so marked with a "B" S/N) while the other is a true M2. Unfortunately the true M2 had been converted to a target rifle with a heavy barrel and polished.
Incidentally I have an extra M2 magazine but is not for sale - sorry.

[Herschel]

Bill,

With a 1927 date it was almost certainly a 1922M1. Nearly all of these were upgraded to M2 by replacing the bolt, stock and magazine. If that was done to the rifle a B would have been added to the serial number and the model number restamped to read 1922MII. So, you are probably needing an M2 magazine. Most of these rifles that were in govt inventory were sold as surplus in the late 1950's. Don't look down on the rifle if it is well sporterized. Two of the Springfield .22's in my collection have been sporterized and they are two I prize the most. One was done by Griffin & Howe and the other by an unknown gunsmith but his work was superb.

[Cosine26]

Just a little footnote in history. By 1957 there had been a long “dry” spell during which “Springfield” rifles were not available from the DCM. In the January issue of the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN there was a two page spread on the availability of the M1903A3’s at $30 + $2.85 Packing and handling for “serviceable”, and $15 + $2.85 for “unserviceable.
I think that many people jumped on this opportunity and failed to notice a small notice back under the DCM notes, that a small quantity of M1 & M2 22 caliber rifles was available for the $30 and $15 prices plus the $2. 85 P&H. Either M1 or M2 rifles would be shipped with no choice. As soon as I saw this (within hours of receiving my AR) , I airmailed my request and as I understand it, I was one of two people in the state of Kansas who was lucky enough to get a “serviceable” M1922M1I”.
At the time I was just out of the USAF, starting a new job and a new family so funds were short, but I recognized this as an opportunity that I could not afford to miss.
The rifle was in excellent condition, but had been rebuilt was parkerized and carried a 1942 SA barrel. It was an M2 and was marked “M1922M1I “with the “B” serial number. The second “one” was not a "one" but was the capital letter “I”. I do not know whether this was standard or if the builder just happened to have an “I” instead of “1”. Perhaps Herschel will know. It came with one magazine and no sling.
I did later manage to scrape up $15 and get an "unserviceable" M1903A3 and it was truly U/S. It smelled of the orient, the front sight was loose, the FP hole was enlarged and the stock looked as if it had been in many hand to hand fights.

[MK111]

It is very common to see the "1922M11" with a capital letter "I" and the number "1". My 1922M11 looks like ith "1" was stamped on with a chisle point.

[barkerwc4362]

This rifle was not upgraded and is still in it's M1922M1 configuration. It has an "I" instead of a "1" after the M1922M. I am familiar with the fact that most of the M1 variants were converted to M2. This one somehow escaped. It has no letter "B" added to its serial number. The father purchased a 1911 from the NRA and this rifle may have been purchased around the same time.

Bill

[MK111]

You very lucky to have a M1 that escaped the M2 upgrade. The unaltered M1 version is getting harder to find. You will see many more M1's upgraded to M2. I have all three styles plus a M1 upgraded to M2. I was just lucky to find a orginal M1 magazine last week. Can't wait to recieve it.

[Cosine26]

Bit of Trivia
The following info is quoted from War Department Technical Manual TM 9-280 entitled “Caliber .22 Rifles All Types”, dated 16 March 1944:
“b. U.S. Rifle, Cal., .22, M1922. As initially produced this rifle was designated as RIFLE, U.S. Caliber .22 M1922. Successive improvements have been indicated by the designations M1922MI (later changed to M1) and M2. [Note that initially an capital “I” was used in lieu of a “1”].
Later on in the same paragraph the following notation appears when addressing the M1922’s:
“Most of these rifles were assembled with the NRA type of stock (stock M1922 assembly) and shotgun type of butt plate (plate, butt M1922). Nearly all of these rifles not have the later type of bolts and magazines, and the sights have been changed to the No. 48C Lyman receiver sights in general use on subsequent models.”
“c. U.S. Rifle, Cal. .22, M1. This rifle, formerly designated as the M1922MI, ….” [Again note the use of the capital “I” in lieu of the “1”]
I cannot verify the accuracy of this info but this is an official WD TM and not a reproduction, that was given to me by an Army armorer.

[Herschel]

Cosine26, That is an interesting comment about the War Department changing the nomenclature of the 1922M1 Rifle to simply .22 Cal. M1. I have both the 1940 and 1944 editions of TM 9-280 and had never noticed the changed nomenclature in the 1944 edition. The 1940 edition shows the nomenclature as 1922M1. Of course none of the receiver markings were changed to obliterate the 1922 from the 1922M1. Well, I had best not say "none" were changed as many non-standard things happened at SA. Unfortunately this gives false hope to those among us who have cobbled up parts guns and think they must have a limited edition, prototype or special order item.

[Johnny Peppers]

As far as I know all the 1911 and 1911A1 pistols sold through the DCM in the 1960's were noted as Unserviceable on the form DD 1149, but most of the 1911 pistols were fresh from arsenal overhaul, and the 1911A1 pistols were from excellent to a few that were new in the original factory shipping boxes. Their price was $17.00, luck of the draw.

[Cosine26]

Hi Herschel,
I just went and looked at my DCM acquired “M2” and I had never noticed that it has the capital “I” instead of a “1” for M1922M1. It is in the below 2000 S/N range and was evidently originally manufactured as a M1922MI and converted to an M2. The annotation on the receiver is in 6 lines read from the right:
U.S.
Springfield
Armory
Model of 1922
MII CAL. .22 (the second "I" is an add on, by SA I presume)
1xxxB
It has a SA 5 42 barrel.
The bolt itself is just marked “1XXX” and is equipped with the slotted headed screw.
If interested contact me and provide me an e-mail address offline and I shall provide the complete S/N offline.
Cosine26

[MK111]

Thanks for the new information on 1922MI. I just check my two rifles and indeed both have a "I" following the "M". Never noticed that before. My 1922MI converted to "M2" the second "I" looks like it was put on with a chisle just a straight line thicker at the top. But I guess we will agree that the "I" does stand for "ONE".

[Loy Hamilton]

anyone show a M2 SN 11633?

[bmorrill]

Just to add to the thread - I have an M1922 (127xx) that had a number "2" struck over the "I" when it was upgraded to M2 specs, instead of a second "I". Barrel date is 11-26 and there is no "B" following the s/n.

[emmagee1917]

The mag was mine. Triple K out of Calif. It would feed if loaded with 2 , maybe 3 rds ( too long ago to remember) , if loaded with 5 it would not work at all. The guy who sold it to me at the Phx. SAR show said lifetime warrenty , but would not do it. Told me to ship it to the factory. Did that , they said it was bad , but never sent a replacement. Asked for my old one back so as to place on a table and tell everyone about my dealings with them , they refused. I was out 35-45 dollars on the mag , 5-10 dollars UPS , and maybe 20 dollars on phone calls. Ended up running into a seller who had several ( 4 to 6, don't remember )orig. ones for a little more. They all work perfectly. But I will never buy a triple K mag again and I still turn people away from that seller when I can. Chris