Another broken part
 

Dwight,

I have a 1913 Erfurt that has a small chunk off the bottom of the sear bar.

Mike

Mike, can you post a photo of the damage of your sear bar. I have never heard of that type of problem before... Any idea what caused that damage since that part really doesn't receive a whole lot of stress on its bottom?

1913 Erfurt
 

Ed,

The gun is a 1913 Erfurt; s/n 4906, no stock lug, added hold open, unrelv. searbar. The safety is bit loose and sticks up a little bit. I assume that when fired the searbar caught on the safty and broke. I guess I should one day send it to Tom Heller for repair!

Mike:D


http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...furt_copy1.gif

Another broken extractor to report.

This thread is quite old, but Dwight may still be maintaining data. In all the years shooting my Lugers I have only had one break a part during a shooting session. This was on an Artillery model. Thank goodness it was an un-serialed part.

Keeping a good mainspring and magazine spring helps keep them working right. I have witnessed and have pictures of a rear toggle link that cracked due to over pressure load or a weak mainspring, or both. Sadly on a SWISS Luger
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/SwissTop.jpg

Hows it going Thor? I know this is an old thread, but after reading the post about the cracking in the rear toggle on the swiss luger. I have a 1900 AE that is showing some cracking in the same locations of the swiss.

You say it could be a to weak main spring or to strong of one. You are refering to the leaf spring that is in the grip of my luger. I went shooting it the other day just to shoot it and the toggle would not close completly about 2 or 3 times a magazine load. I would have to manually push the toggle down to shoot the next round.

Is this reprentative of a weak mainspring. I was using a new aftermarket macgar magazine that has a tight spring in it.

I re-examined the rear toggle after shooting it that day and the cracking in the corner did not appear to have grown. I have been wanting to change out the mainspring and rear toggle as soon as I can, but xmas put a slight dent in my wallet for the momment. See Pics of the indication.

Attachment 30853

Attachment 30854

Attachment 30855

Hi Glenn,

In his e-book about the mechanical ins and outs of the Luger system, Gerard Henrotin has included a section with photos, illustrations, and explanation/description of areas within a Luger that show wear from use and/or abuse. This is an opportunity for us to do a case-study to check out these areas, if you have the time to take more pics.

Unfortunately since I haven't renewed the passwords necessary to access it on my new computer, so I cannot suggest these areas except from memory and what I do actually know.

The firing pin guide, when jammed back into the action, I'm pretty sure hammers the portion of the rear toggle link that presents itself when in the upright, over-extended position, so we're looking for details of where they've touched. There is also interaction with the little ears inside the rear of the frame, between the main "ears" of the barrel extension. And, as Eric pointed out not too long ago, check the peening action on the rear of the frame where the ducktail stop hammers it when the action is all the way back, and beyond. He cleverly dubbed them a Luger's fingerprint (as no two are exactly alike?) Maybe some sign of interaction between the receiver lug and its stop? That's all I can come up with for the moment, but you get the idea?

An overpowered load hyper-energizes the action, giving it more mechanical energy than it was designed to deal with. A weak mainspring's effect would be similar, in that it allows hyper-extension to take place using the energy of a proper load; The same parts will collide in the action as using too strong a cartridge. When the mechanism reaches all its stops and extremes, and there is still mechanical energy left, well, that all gets invested into doing damage. Just a question of time before something gives out.

The fresh mainspring rule I think may be the number one procedure to protect a Luger during shooting. Lack of lube, it would have stoppages or something, but not have the gun be beating itself with every shot.

I have a few Erma La, Ep, Et .22s. When digesting a mag of CCI Stingers, they are more than likely than not to break both ears from the front toggle link, and peen the legs of the rear toggle link with the rear of the breech block. I had to replace the toggle, and filed the sides of the legs flush again, never to use a load of greater than about 1200-1235 fps. No breakage since that rule was established.

I haven't had anything break that I would post to this survey...Until I got my 1900 AE...It came with a broken fining pin guide... :(

Since replaced; however I decided not to chance firing it since my toggle duckbill has left quite a 'fingerprint'...

(I did have a S/42 takedown lever spring wear out...Or wear flat...)

Rich,
The head of the firing pin spring guide looks as if it's been hammered. "Fingerprint" by Sasquatch! This pistol is either tested to the max by this, or set up--all ready to break!

Results after examining the parts
 

Well I completly took my 1900 apart an examined the frame, toggle and firing pin. What I found was as followed:

1. There was an imprint on the backside of the frame where the toggle has hit the frame, but not all that bad.
2. Obvious areas on the toggle knobs where they have been rubbing somewhere on the frame.
3. The inside of the frame had an indention where the firing pin guide has been hitting the frame. The mainspring lever ctach on the rear toggle had some marks on it around the location of where the firing pin guide would be hitting the frame, but no excessive scarring of the metal.
The "T" portion of this levr was slighlty bent, but still sits in the main spring seats with no problem.
4. The ammo I have been firing is "Fiocchi 7.65 parabellum - 93 grain full metal jacket"

Look at the pics and see what yall think and what should be done so I can still make this a shooter.

Attachment 30863

Attachment 30864

Attachment 30865

Attachment 30866

Attachment 30867

Attachment 30868

Attachment 30869

Attachment 30870

Attachment 30871

Attachment 30872

1900 safety sear spring breakage
 

I found this a little while back when I tore my 1900 AE completely apart. I always wondered if the grip safety was working properly and realized that the grip safety sear spring was broken. I figured this was the location that I needed to put this information at.

Attachment 42297

Attachment 42298

Attachment 42299

You're right, Glenn, it's a goner. Tom Heller cam probably fix you up. It's a little tricky to engage the spring with its lug on the lever, while seating the pivot pin of the lever in its hole, but be patient and you'll get it. Been wanting a 1900 shooter! :envy: