Wish I had known one could shoot without the hold open BEFORE this!
Of course now it is all very obvious :(

Ah well. I have to learn.

BTY.... Are there any OTHER parts whose breakage can be prevented by removing them BEFORE shooting??

AND....

Is there a way to bond these two pieces back together to at least make the part functional?
Spot welding perhaps? The break is clean and the two pieces fit precisely together, no other missing pieces.

If you know someone who can TIG weld small parts, then perhaps the hold open can be salvaged. I usually remove my original numbered extractor and firing pin and shoot with mismatched replacements, then put the originals back in when I get home.

Nope. That was the one. But... you can replace breakable numbered parts with mismatched parts.

Number one being the extractor. Note that the replacement has to be adjusted to your pistol by a competent gunsmith knowledged in Lugers.

The other thing I do. I don't use any Lugers made before 1937 as shooters. But I do shoot a lot. :rolleyes:

PS. What gunbugs pointed out about the firing pin is very valid. It sliped my mind because I only use non original (to the pistol that is) competition prepared firing pins in my shooters

It is a real Pain in the .... to shoot without a hold open.

It was your shooter , right? That is why you bought it- just buy a replacement hold open an move on. JMHO.

Life is not without risk! :crying:

Yup, was my shooter, fortunately.
Was planning on a replacement HO in any case.
Thanks to all!

Really? Besides combat use, which is a very unlikely use for a Luger at this time and age, the hold open isn't really necessary. Even ghe German Army Board thought they could do without it. And that was with combat use in mind.

"I do have original Swiss made HOs with spring installed, which will work in your shooter. TH"

Hi Tom, checked here as mentioned for a HO, but no more to be had.
Yes I would like to place an order with you for an appropriate holdopen with spring.
Please let me know what information you need from me? Also payment terms of course.
Thanks

Maybe, I'm lazy, but I like to be able to lock the action open and see an empty chamber.

The Germans changed their mind- didn't they?:D

It is pretty much, even very necessary to insert a fully charged trommel mag!

But if one only loads 5 at a time and shoots targets, it would be fine.

JMHO.:cheers:

Well, for me I can do without the holdopen when I shoot.
I never load the mag with more than 5 rounds anyway, and I do tend to count when I shoot.
Of course I want to avoid inadvertant dry-firing...

Still, I think the gun should have a holdopen (even if now non matching) in the event that I would like to sell it. (which is not the case now for sure. I like this gun!!)

Had to go to the police station today to verify my serial numbers and the entries on my permit (part of Dutch weapons documentation) and we had a nice chat about Lugers in general. In general the Dutch police are very reasonable... and likeable people, at least the people I know now through the documentation procedure for weapons ownership. :)

There is this Survey of Broken Parts, which should also be included in the FAQ...

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=6491

Although brief, that survey is very interesting! Dwight is to be commended for a job well done! What would also be interesting is to know the details of the guns on which these parts broke- manufacturing date, and ID e.g. "1918 DWM" I wonder what the lineup would look like... Are Erfurts, Mausers and DWM's all about equal? Or does one manufacturer show more breakage than the others?
Interesting......
Thanks a lot!! Very informative :)

equal- who knows, if you think about it a minute there are very few broken parts reported- so no significant conclusion can be drawn.

It is a little like lightning striking, you hear about it, but don't know anyone that has been struck! And it is really only important if it happens to you. JMHO.:D

well, that is what I do. :D

And about seeing an empty chamber, I can half open the action and it stays that way. I can even insert the mandatory empty chamber flag in between competition series.

I guess we'll never really have a handle on which manufacturer (if any) has "the most broken parts." Good point, so many of these guns over the years, and no, not everyone reports their broken part. Tom Heller might have the best idea, from his order records of replacement parts....
Ah well... this question will never really be conclusively answered... and yet I have seen the following statements:
"Mausers have better metallurgy than Erfurts or DWM's"
"Mauser concentrated on their metal quality."

And, all of these guns are just.... OLD! Even the Mausers!

The moral of this saga is: "Shoot 'em and enjoy 'em... but... you takes your chances..."

Pretty much enough has been said about this subject and that we will "never" know the answer.

But..., I'll just add - we will also never know how much abuse any pistol has endured when we buy it- so don't blame the pistol or the mfg.- it was probably the prior owner(s) that "done it"! ;)

And don't forget.

" Time wounds all heels " :D