Gentlemen (and Ladies, too),

I'm not sure this is a new idea, but it is certainly a way to break that chip off that isn't mentioned much.

Certainly, one should use caution in removing the left grip, being careful not to jack the bottom end up before the top has rotated away from the shank of the safety lever, but I think that loose grips are a major contributor to chipping that little chunk off. Here's what I'm thinking:

Loose grips will break during use, particularly if the looseness is caused by compression or wear of the raised portion on the fronts of their back sides, which runs most of the way from top to bottom. Consider that, when the gun is properly gripped firmly, the grip frame is propelled back in relation to the grips by the force of shooting. This effectively hammers that little ridge mentioned above. A slight looseness will grow, in response to this force, and when they are sufficiently loose, the proper close fit of an original grip will cause the wood behind the safety lever shank to come into play.

The data I can present, beyond this bit of reasoning, is limited to my own experience of breaking a newly-repaired chip to break right back off again. After reattaching the bit for the second time, I used a fine, round file to give it a little "breathing room", and also made sure the grip is a snug as possible. No problem since.

If suspiciously loose, the grip can be snugged--front-to-back--by laying in a bead of good, clear epoxy to fill and build up where there should be wood. O-rings behind the screws may help keep the bottom from drifting around, but will not address any front-to-back looseness effectively. What may seem tight initially will be thoroughly tested by actual shooting.

We are both owners of fine history!!

David your theory makes perfect sense. When I broke the chip via recoil, close inspection afterward indicated a slight bit of looseness in the left grip. Since then I use washers or build up any loose grip as needed with epoxy or CA to make sure the grips are tight.

Loose grips...

If you're too lazy to do epoxy (like I am), I've had some luck using a small amount of high temperature hot glue to build up the areas of the underside of the grip that might be chipped off. Then, if you press it into the frame before it completely cools, it will mold itself to the frame and you can get a nice tight fit.

A good idea! I do the same thing with the epoxy when it cures enough to not be runny, but still plastic, after wrapping the frame in a layer of Handi Wrap.

I agree, I've got several all matching DWM 1900s but personally would NEVER take any of them to the range.
Vintage collectible pistols in my opinion should NEVER be shot, I don't think even delegating them as "special occasion" guns, if shot, there is a chance of probability that something could break, and when that happens one no longer has a nice vintage Luger but just a box of Luger parts, it takes only one cartridge to destroy a gun but there is no way to predict which cartridge will be the last one.
My 2 cents.

Late to the party of very old thread.


My very first Luger was a beater twice-reblued Old Model AE which I shot occasionally with an Ideal shoulder stock--long since gone. I have a fake Old Model short-frame 9mm (I bought it for the example) which I will eventually shoot some. Everything else is safely ensafed.


--Dwight

I shoot my 1939 42 mauser all the time. It is all matching even the grips. Recently, a very small chip came off the left grip while firing (not the big million dollar chip). I found that little chip and glued it back on and the used 220 grit sandpaper wrapped on a dowel to relieve the grip notch.

I have an early 1937 Mauser (rust blued and strawed) with considerable holster "rash" pitting on the left side that I use as my shooter.

It's all matching and functions flawlessly.

With this "designated marksman", I don't feel the need to fire the other Lugers.

(BTW, I'm thinking of calling these old resurrected threads "Zombie Threads"...)

I mean, I did shoot my all matching DWM 1920 commercial. But I only did it once because I didn’t have a shooter and I was too enamored with my first, highly anticipated, Luger to not shoot it. That said, now that I have a shooter, I don’t have interest in shooting my good one anymore even though it’s .30 Luger cartrige is crisp and smooth to shoot. Only desire i have now to save enough money to get an arty/Navy shooter to rig out and have some real fun with.��

I have shoot my 1900 AE. I have not made a practice of shooting my 1900 Lugers because I am not comfortable with the flat spring/toggle locking system. However, I have frequently shot my later Lugers with the improved recoil spring system. Being basically lazy, my problem with shooting my collectible guns is the requirement to completely clean them. I now have shooters that do not get the same attention that the other Lugers receive.

Right now my oldest and most historic Luger is my 1900 AE.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...7&d=1311507248

Years ago I posted photos of it here: http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=26591 I still have it.

I have shot this 1900 on one occasion. A few magazine loads, and that's all.

On the other hand, I have one of the "Russian capture" or VOPO Lugers. This one stays in my range bag and gets shot whenever I feel like it. It functions flawlessly. You know what? In the hand it feels just like a $10k Luger. Do the math.

My big issue right now is whether I will shoot a Model 1902 Carbine I am negotiating. That's a tough decision. Any advice?

Curl

Very nice 1900.
I'd have to shoot the carbine, if it were mine.:evilgrin:

For what it's worth, in my opinion life is far too short. Lost a good friend last month who passed way to young. Enjoy shooting it without reservation.

that is true - lost a lot the last ten years

ADMIN - cape buff are not near as cuddly and perhaps a member or two were soft hearted, but they said your dead carcass was not soothing ;) ebt



I completely agree..I am not fond of trophy hunting or actually any kind of hunting. Or the pictures people are proud to show to any and all. A friend whipped out a photo of a black bear he had murdered..I wasn't very pleasant about it when I made him put it away and stop talking about it. No..I'm not a nut. I am aware of some hypocrisy. I eat meat. I know animals need to be harvested. I just prefer not to be forced to look at these kinds of photo's. On purpose or by accident. I like the bunny though!

Before I really understood the rules of preservation and "respect" for the 1911 Luger we did shoot it occasionally. More accurate than my Beretta 9mm because of the more comfortable grip. The recoil is also less "jumpy" than the Beretta.
After learning from this forum though, it has retired and is safely preserved for the future!

Right there with you. Paper doesn't suffer or bleed