DIY - Leica M10 custom soft release button for precision shooter

 Just made this custom soft release button mod few days ago for one my good friend.



Button is cut from the used brass casing shot from his Sako rifle, then drilled through to get primer diameter. I used generic brass soft release button and trimmed its diameter to primer size as well. Used cut primer is straightened and pressed in from the top, while trimmed soft release button is pressed in from the bottom, forming rigid assembly.



With so many casings sizes available it's quite easy to adapt preferred diameter and depth to a soft release. Most challenging part is a trimming of soft release base to smaller diameter, because it's hard to hold it. I used 2mm drilling bit, wrapped few dozen layers of aluminum foil to form a pipe. Then used a small nut to fit pipe inside and finally screwing in the soft release conical thread into aluminum foil pipe. It allows to trim soft release button in a high-speed rotary tool by using metal or diamond file.


I've extracted primer and drilled that pocket to primer diameter. Soft release button is also trimmed to primer diameter and fits tight from the bottom.


Then I've extracted anvil from used primer, straightened and polished its bottom, then cut it to be about 2mm long for proper fit from the top.

Tinkering with photo equipment is my big hobby. It's often quite challenging to explore disassembly steps or designing new useful accessories, but also a joy to share them later with people. I keep these activities apart from primary work, though appreciating a small tips for a coffee if you find my shared results useful.