Am I the first to notice this??

[mrerick]

The toggle lock on a Luger or Maxim gun works because the action remains locked for a short period time while the cartridge remains in the chamber and the bullet exits the gun. It works like the human knee.

The joint is locked by a slight negative angle until it is pushed slightly into a positive angle that can then completely bend and collapse the action.

The original M1900 Lugers had a small metal point that retained the toggle joint in that position until it was pushed or pulled straight back slightly. This was found to be unnecessary and removed with the M1906 changes.

I don't have a M1917 Navy, so am not sure if its action is exactly like the M1906 / P.08 actions.

Is there excessive galling on the front face of the frame ears (whose job is to push up the toggle, breaking the breech lock condition)?

Note that there is a range of recoil springs used in Lugers, and different models need different springs. See the FAQ document for details.