Magazine question.

[Peter Laidler]

The actual designation is SPRING, auxiliary, magazine.

It was used to smooth the path of the nose of the bullets as they slid up the inside face of the magazine case. HOWEVER, there is another train of thought that it was to offer a bit of a buffer to prevent the nose of the rounds 'mushrooming' as the rifle was fired. There was a similar spring fitted into Bren magazines early after its introduction. This was to cover up some of the rough butt welding along the join. This rough welding did interfere with the smooth path of the bullet nose up (or down) the magazine case.

The Boys rifle however had a similar spring and this WAS to prevent mushrooming of the nickel bullet nose that occurred during the fierce recoil

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