New guy to forum with first luger.

[Mauserguy85]

Hello, I’m new to the forum. I’ve been a gunboards and k98k forum senior member for many, many years. Just recently I got interested in Lugers. I’ve been primarily a k98k collector for the past 20+ years, so forgive my ignorance on this subject. I wanted a luger that is WW2 era, looks the part, mostly “matching” but that I can also shoot once in a while. Luckily, a fellow forum member there explained that a R/C may be that compromise that checks most boxes. So another fellow member had this that he was willing to part with. Grips are repro (want to change that asap for something more appropriate) and mag is force matched? Soviets? Any opinions and or input is always appreciated, good or bad.

Bore is a shiney very good+ but my pic doesn’t do justice because I slathered the inside with ballistol….

I noticed that the trigger numbering font is off compared to the rest and if I’m not mistaken, trigger should have been blued? Can someone explain that? Replacement? Humped? Soviets?

Also 43 on the outside of the cover plate, but 57 on the inside?

[Mauserguy85]

More pics.

[aldo35]

The numbers don't look forced. The grips look original black plastic too

[Mauserguy85]

Few more pics. You mean original black plastic grips to the R/C refurb process (I have read that the soviets made some post war grips) or original WW2 German? The gentleman I purchased from said they are “definitely repro”. The bottom of the inside of grips looks non-German work to me, but I’m coming from a k98k perspective so I’m ignorant to what is right/wrong for Lugers.

[Curly1]

welcome to the forums

[HerrKaiser]

The 57 on the back of the side plate is correct, it means it is the original sideplate if I remember correctly about my 3rd Reich mfg guns. I am mostly an imperial collector.

Welcome, nice looking first Luger.

[Mac Cat]

Welcome to the forum.
Nice pictures.

You will want to buy a new Mec-Gar magazine for shooting purposes.
I wouldn't worry about the grips unless then don't fit snuggly.

Download the FAQs until you can get a good luger reference book.
For WW-2 Mausers, I like The Mauser Parabellum 1930-1946 Analysis of a Million Luger Pistols, by Don R. Hallock & Joop van de Kant

[ithacaartist]

Original black grip scales would be Bakelite. These at least seem to have the proper holes in the back, which should receive grip screws--threaded the same. Heat up a pin red-hot and apply the point to a discreet area on the back. If it produces a little wisp of smoke, they're Bakelite. If it melts a little hole, they're after market plastic. East German VoPo grips are Bakelite, but they have a bulls-eye molded on them.
Yes, the trigger should be blued, not strawed. The X on the frame usually indicates East German, oftentimes reworked for maintenance/rehab, part of its history.
Try downloading our FAQ, which is linked at the top of every page. It's very informative and will likely answer many other questions you might have. (I don't know if it's the same as the one on Jan Still's forum.)
WWII Lugers are reputed to be built of the best steel of any of them. Enjoy yours! Avoid +P, +P+, or NATO ammo. Winchester White Box or Blazer Brass 115 grain FMJ should work fine.

[Mauserguy85]

Does anybody have a nice picture of a 1941 side plate and trigger lever? I was having having some trigger reset issues and would just like to confirm that the lever isn’t a “repro”…

Trigger would not reset after firing. I had to partially rack the toggle. No issues with feeding, cycling and chambering…. So I noticed the lever pin looks different to other Lugers I’ve seen. Also the lever itself seems like it was cast, not milled. I isolated the problem to be the lever for sure by using snap caps and trying to get it reset. Could someone help identify this lever and pin as “correct original” or repro? Also, if it’s a repro… any leads to where I can find an original replacement?

[velodog455~]

Dry fire it with that plate installed and note carefully if the striker goes forward with only minimal rearward movement of the trigger. If so, that would suggest that plate trigger lever is too thick where it contacts the sear and is letting the firing pin go forward too quickly for the trigger to get to the rearmost position before sear reset (with live ammo). It's a good place to start your trouble-shooting.

I have this problem with a 1916 Erfurt P.08. I can dry-fire the pistol, and maintain a fully rearward trigger position, and follow that up with pulling the toggle back fully and releasing. In that instance the trigger fully resets but with live ammo it doesn't. This, of course, is a very slow reset and why I think it resets in dry-fire mode.

An often suggested fix (if you would rather try it first before buying a new, expensive plate) is to file a few thousandths of an inch off the the area of the trigger bar that depresses the sear. I would start with removing .005" of material, test it for function with live ammo, and repeat for another .005" if it still won't reset the trigger. I wouldn't go any further than that though.

If all that fails then you probably don't need a whole plate assembly, just the trigger lever and pin, at least IMHO. These can be found on Ebay fairly regularly. Good luck with it.
-Bob

[tharpo]

The lever pin on the back of your sideplate does not look original. See my example. The location of the 57 stamp is not normal. Also, make sure the plunger on the end of your sear bar is resetting and not sticking in.