Bauer Magazine Catch Spring

[Chas B]

My Bauer .25 runs like a champ, but it has one problem. The magazine tends to drop out every few rounds. I've tried keeping my little finger out to the side so it can't trip the magazine catch as the pistol rotates under recoil, but it still drops out every now and then. I think the spring is too weak.

Parts diagrams for the Baby Browning and PSP pistols, which are also used for the Bauer, show a magazine catch spring that has several coils on the end of it, while the spring in my Bauer has a single loop followed by a short dogleg. Parts are said to be interchangeable between the variations of the Baby Browning.

I've considered making a heavier spring, getting a spring for a Baby Browning or PSP, or putting a second spring in place to keep the catch closed. Does anyone have any experience with this issue?

 

[eden892]

The Bauer is a copy of the baby Browning, I have owned both and parts will interchange I swaped the slides and barrels on them and they both fired without any problems. I wish I had not traded them off years ago.

 

[Jim K]

All I can tell you is that my Baby has 5 1/2 coils in that spring. Did you buy the gun new, or is it possible some previous owner found the mag catch too hard to release and cut the spring down.

BTW, that little gun is one of the nastiest guns I have ever worked on. The parts are small and complex, and overall tricky. Also, BTW, you may have already found out you need a slave pin to put those parts together.

Jim

 

[Chas B]

I got a new mag catch spring from PSA, but it's very different. It's short with about about 6 coils instead of a long with one coil. It doesn't work. It's way too small for the recess in the Bauer, so it jumps sideways and ends up diagonal. It sort of operates the catch like that, but it doesn't operate the magazine safety strut at all that way.
The Bauer spring is easier to install because the single coil is trapped on the slave pin during initial assembly.
So I'm back to the original spring, which seems to work fine, though previous firings had the mag dropping. A similar spring made from slightly heavier wire should work.
Assembly is tricky, though I found that pushing out the slave pin with an undersized assembly pin allows just enough play to permit the use of a small screwdriver to lever the catch over the lip on the heel of the frame. Then, with the magazine in place to keep the mag safety strut in place, the undersized pin can be replaced with the actual pin. Easier said than done though.

 

[lathedog]

I had one and the mag catch broke.

As an FYI - if you have the plastic mag catch consider ordering a spare.

 

[Jim K]

A gunsmith should have no problem winding a spring to fit, and leaving the extended part on just like the original. In fact, Chas B, you could probably do that yourself. You can buy spring wire at many hardware stores for a buck or so for two feet. Get the right size, then wind it using a small brad in a vise.

Jim

 

[critter]

Chas, I must have the identical twin to yours. Mine does the same thing! Interested to see your fix if it works. Thanks.