Schtzenbob,
Interesting tool you have modified to remove the main spring. I would have never thought of using a divider to do this task.

Jeffrey

Always, Always, Always wear your safety goggles.....springs have a habit of "springing" away in a heartbeat........

Fiocchi in .30 Luger is too short to properly feed in some Luger actions. It is also too weak to correctly operate many Luger actions. Prvi Partisan ammo is longer and a bit stronger. The Luger action is intended to be a balanced system and will not operate correctly no matter what the mainspring strength if energy from the round is below the required level. Lugers are robust and IMO Prvi will not damage a mechanically sound Luger.

I can tell you from experience that some Lugers cannot be made to operate correctly with shorter/weaker ammo by weakening the mainspring. I once tried to make a Luger cycle with Fiocchi by weakening the mainspring; I finally got it to feed but the mainspring was then so weak it would not return the toggle to battery. With a stronger mainspring and Prvi it functioned perfectly.

I personally would not adjust a mainspring until I had tested a .30 Luger with both Fiocchi and Prvi. When I find I must adjust a mainspring, I start with one that is too strong and progressively weaken it by removing 1/2 coil, re-testing and so on until the spring will reliably operate the pistol with the selected ammo. Tedious process perhaps, but I find it satisfying to return a Luger to proper function.

Cool trick with the dividers! I'm going to make one of those. :)

Jim Solomon I think makes a traditional tool. With a little practice it isn't difficult to remove a mainspring.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...highlight=tool

Wow what a great idea. Main spring are my worst nightmare....

[QUOTE=Rick W.;315830]Bob,


"My Luger loads are probably in the middle range of published reference reloading data. I use 80 to 100 gr bullets(30 cal) and Unique powder. Unique has gotten a bit cleaner but still not as good in clean as newer powders, but I still have cannisters of it to use up. I have started to venture into resizing 312 bullets down to 309 for flexibility, jury is still out, but at least trying to be open minded."


I've come up with a number of boxes of 100gr Speer Plinkers that I'd like to use in my 30. I'm concerned about the depth the bullet seats in the shell. I've got four rounds loaded with 4 gr of Bullseye that i'm taking to the range tonight. I also reload with Unique but had a tin of Bullseye I wanted to use up.
I'm sorry if it looks like I'm hijacking this post but this is the first solid info I've seen on 100gr in a 30.

All .30 lugers are not created equally when it comes to feeding- some will feed and shoot nearly any .30 luger round, others not.

Thanks to the guys who talk about reloading away the problem; but remember perhaps only 10% or fewer of the guys with a .30 luger will ever load for it!

The only "factory" ammo currently loaded is Fiocchi and PPU, try them- if one or both works -fine.
If not diddle with the mainspring after determining if it is a recoil problem or not. Old stock Winchester and Remington are hit and miss in my .30 lugers, some like it others don't- I would not pay a "fortune" for old stock ammo expecting it to be a solution.

Easiest way to do this is load one round, fire- if it locks open then the ammo is "strong" enough and the problem lies somewhere other than the mainspring.

Could be several things, from magazine to feed ramp to overall cartridge length, extractor, ejector, or something else.

Once you are tired of trying to fix it yourself, consider sending it to Lugerdoc for his evaluation.

JMHO. ;)

Does anyone make replacement mainsprings for the Old Model?

If so, can anyone report on its success or functionality?

Thanks,
Curl

Not that I have seen.
There are what appear to be old reproductions and NOS springs available, and used springs.

Lugerdoc will/does/may have a replacement spring for you.
You can PM him on these boards.

This sounds like a job for Superman... I mean G.T.!

Thanks for the replies. I have learned that LugerMan has a couple of OM mainsprings listed. I assume they are vintage and not newly made, but that's my assumption.

The good thing is, I don't need this part (as in, I don't have an Old Model with a broken mainspring).

My thought was that if I had an extra mainspring and an extra extractor I might consider shooting my Old Model Parabellums on occasion with the substitute parts in place of the original parts. I believe these parts are the most susceptible to failure, and Gortz & Sturgess make that point also. Having a replacement mainspring or extractor to fail upon firing wouldn't be as heart wrenching as having the original part to fail. I think the other parts are robust enough to trust with the only reservation being the left grip panel being prone to the "million dollar crack."

Anyway just a thought and probably will remain thought only.

Thanks again,
Curl

Curl et al, I do have new repro M1900 flat recoil springs in stock. TH

Looking for gunsmith near Ohio to replace Luger Mainspring..
 

Anyone know of a good gunsmith in Ohio (N. Ohio) who can replace the mainspring in my DWM 1920 Luger (.30 Luger) so it will function with available lower powered Fiochii ammunition? Thanks for your help.

I would reccomend looking at G.T. or LugerDoc. I know they’re out of state, but living here in Northern and Western Ohio (Bowling Green and Sidney) there aren’t very many competent Luger gunsmiths that I’ve been able to find.

Please read post #23 above. I tried exactly the same idea and it did not work. If you insist on going ahead, let us know how it turns out; it's possible it works in some Lugers and not others.