An update..a thorough cleaning seems to have stopped the issue. YEs..it WAS dang dirty deep down. And I’m pleased I now know the entire field strip procedure.

Lotta powder particles and general soot were removed.

as a sidebar... I think my repro mags..the feeder plate..causes jams. The angle appears higher than the original mag. Can one disassemble these? The 2 pins thru the base?

On edit they are Mec-gar mags, made in Italy.

The mags can be taken apart, but unless you whip up a jig that correctly supports the body when you're diddling with it, and apply a few other tricks of the trade in the process, it may cause more problems than it is likely to solve. Though not necessarily perfect, MecGar mags have an excellent reputation for function.

I've never heard of this as a solution to the problem, and without making some comparisons to other mags they've made, I have my doubts that this is indeed the cause. You might try swapping mags with someone who has a "proven" one that works fine in at least one other Luger. I'd do it, if you're prepared to cough up all the necessary postage... But first let's see what light other comments may shed upon the scene.

As the guy from Ithaca said- I doubt very much the Mec-gar mags are a problem.

Now you need to describe the "problem" that the mags appear to cause.

If you have a "marginally functional" magazine, send it to GT and he will make it better than new....

It takes special fixtures and mandrels to work on Luger magazines. G.T. is the best in the world on working on these, and is reasonable. Marc

Hmmm well..apparently I was mistaken. Just had the same malfunction with the orig. mag. Sigh... apparently this thing needs a thorough going over by a competent technician.

The mode of failure is the shell ends up “too high” and gets trapped at bout a 45 degree angle by the returning breech assembly.

Luger Doc..you interested in having a look? Please contact me... actually I’ll drop you a PM.

Thanks folks... I really love this firearm. Looks like as usual..love is gonna cost me more :D

Rich, it also could be a main spring that isn't quite up to snuff. This would come into play as the action moves forward. A weak main spring can make it seem as if the mag spring is too strong. The geometry of how the round is held in the mag changes as the round moves forward, and can impart a bit too much "rise" to the front end at about the point it encounters the feed ramp. The block does not ride over the rim in this case, just squeezes it because the front did not hit the chamber vertically centered enough to be guided in. The nose of the round can also catch on top of the chamber.

Changing main springs is not that bad a chore if you have one of Jim Solomon's tools, and have watched a YouTube or two to see how it is done.

You really need to start at the beginning, with full pictures and description of exactly what matches and what does not.

Where you got it , when it was last shot, if you know, what ammo are you using , just about anything is better than what we know now.

What a fascinating thread to follow. I am enjoying the detailed responses with potential solutions: a nice education for this rookie.

OP, please keep us posted with the requested photos and information, and your fixes with the results.

One free thing that you can try. Load 2-3 rounds in a good mag, work the toggle train to load a round into the chamber. If this goes o.k., then put a bit of upward pressure on the base of the mag each time you fire the Luger. This will slightly raise the mag/cartridge for feeding a new round in the cycling of the toggle train. It is another thing to check......just a thought.


Are you firing your Luger one handed or two? Just a question, not an accusation of anything.

I fire two handed typically. Now that you mention it the last time I can recall firing one handed is when it went off when the breech slammed home :D

I DO notice a bit of “play” in the mag. It will move up an eighth inch or so. Hmmm... I don’t know what that would tell someone but I’ll try that.

The mag catch could be worn if it works with your hand holding the mag to take up the slack. That's an un-numbered part and an easy fix, if so.

The troubleshooting section of Gortz & Sturgess discusses rounds jamming nose-high, and attributes it to the mainspring being too strong. I can also imagine a too-weak spring causing the issue as Ithacaarist suggests. Either way mainspring seems to be a possible culprit.

In .30 Luger I have found on some pistols this type of jam can be caused by the pistol wanting a slightly longer-length round. So you might consider trying various ammo types to see if there is any difference. Winchester White Box 115 gr. is recommended baseline.

Rich, I do have an FFL, but at the moment I have a few jobs to complete before I can get to yours. TH

I had exactly the same problem and followed ithacaartist's advice, got a new spring from Lugerdoc which solved the issue completely. Many,many thanks.

Sigh..OK Doc. I guess send a PM if you free up. I’ll get an email notification.

I’m not gonna mess with it... don’t feel confident enough. “A man’s got to know his limitations” :p

Umm Who is “GT” folks?

Gerald Tomek. A member of this forum under the name G.T.
He is, from what I gather, extremly knowledged in Luger magazines.

Look for the thread "Reproduction snail drum - progress".

’36 s/42
 

Has issues. Am not willing to wait on repairs, nor spend a few hundred on it. Not numbers matching, and unsafe to use at this point. Refinished, pretty..and an original mag... plus 2 repros.

having issues with it (admin added and moved)

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1485477162

PM Sent

pm sent