The magnetron injection gun (MIG) has been the predominant choice as the electron-beam generator in gyrodevices and it can be tuned by externally installed magnetic-field trim coils. The double-anode MIG, traditionally employed in most experiments, has the intermediate anode as an internal tuning mechanism. The single-anode design, on the other hand, is simpler to construct but lacks an internal beam tuning mechanism. The current paper describes a method to allow mechanical tuning of the MIG. Since the tip of the cathode is located in the region of the highest electric-field gradient, its extension and retraction relative to the rest of the cathode assembly provide an effective means for local electric-field profile modification and, therefore, a tuning mechanism for the electron-beam property and quality. It is demonstrated, in computer simulations and experimental tests, that the tuning mechanism adds a useful degree of freedom to the single-anode MIG for beam optimization. This method may also be applied to the double-anode design. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.