Making 5rnd 7.62x39 stripper clips... Pictorial...

MiltonBradly

MiltonBradly

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Location
Hamilton ON
I was cleaning up this morning in my work room and noticed a pile of old stripper clips... I started tinkering and came up with a simple process to cut them and use them as 5 round clips.

1) Strip 5 rounds off a clip...
step1.jpg


2) Using the last round as a guide, file a light score across the edges of the clip with a sharp edged file. A safety edge file could be made for the task by grinding the face of the file flat that will be riding against the last case. I think the scuffing to the case is minimal and wont effect feeding.
step2.jpg


*Update* I just tried crimping the clip with side cutters instead of filing a grove to weaken the clip and it works just about as well. The fracture isn't quite as clean and it might take a bit of trial and error to figure out exactly where to crimp to get two even pieces, but it works!


3) Place the clip in a vice with the scored edge aligned to the top of the vice jaws. Wearing gloves bend the clip away from the scored edges. The clip is hardened steel and will fracture cleanly across the weakened line made by the scored edges. The gloves will protect your hands against bumping /scraping sharp objects as the clip can give way quite abruptly.
step3.jpg


4) You now have two 5 round clips! I like to run the fresh edges against my belt grinder to smooth them out and de-burr them.
step4.jpg


5) Load 5 rounds back on the clip (the fresh edge is wide open and easy to load from. Using side cutters or pliers crimp one or two of the corners of the fresh edge down to retain the loaded rounds.
step6.jpg


step7.jpg


There you go! Two 5 round strippers ready to go! It takes less than a minute to do one so you can churn out a bunch really quickly. The only down side is that they only feed from the one factory end...

Pile.jpg



HTH
MB
 
If I could make a suggestion, paint a 1/2" stripe on the crimped end with a white or any other bright colour paint marker. It gives you a quick visual check to make sure you are jamming the right end into the stripper clip guides. If you shoot in any rapid fire type events like the EESA Blast Off it could save you a few valuable seconds on your reloads.
 
I pretty much do the same thing using bolt cutters for my hunting loads. I cut it about where the 7th bullet goes, and bend up the tab so I don't fumble around with the wrong side the stripper in low light or when its in a pocket.
 
... just another little development ...

If you bend the clip the other way (inwards to the curvature) it will be a little harder to break, but seems to crimp over the lips on both sided eliminating the need for step 5. The down side is you are left with minimal room for error over the "bend back" technique as the crimp left is tighter and forces the rounds closer to the retaining tongue. The result being the first round is more likely to fall free in handling.

If the fold is not made dead center you will be left with one good 5 round and one not so useful 4 1/2 round clip :(


HTH
MB
 
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