A magnetic trip unit for actuating a latching mechanism to trip a circuit breaker upon an overcurrent condition, the magnetic trip unit includes: a flux return component in electromagnetic communication with an electrically conductive strap; a tube disposed within the flux return component; a stator disposed at a first end of the tube and connected to the flux return component, the stator having a stator surface at one end; and a plunger slidably extending from a second end of the tube, the plunger comprises a plunger surface at one end facing the stator surface, the plunger further includes another end adapted to operably interact with the latching mechanism, the plunger is biased to a predetermined gap position.