Magazines -- how are they designed?

[HCM]

I think Bruce Gray might have some insight on this.

[Handy]

I have thought a lot about this before, especially after I starting buying HKs. I also think Beretta makes their own mags, and are very good ones. Fred Craig used the 92 mag when he designed the Merc M11.

Otherwise, I think that there isn't one way for a gun company to go about designing products. Certainly all those old wondernines were at least using a variation on the BHP mag, which cheapo aftermarket companies took advantage of by creating one hi-cap mag body and just cutting different mag latches in them. While a company like HK might do a lot of fundemental research and high speed camera work, I don't think that's how Ruger, Kahr, Taurus and Tanfoglio get things done. Trial and error also works, and you won't know how any individual company is doing things. It certainly seems like S&W flies by the seat of their pants with some things, but maybe they have some sheet metal geniuses in the magazine department.


Anyway, fascinating topic.