Help with Erfurt 1918
 

Just found a shooter Erfurt 1918 (refinished but matching numbers), got it home and the take down lever will not budge.
Any tips or tricks? Soaking in oil right now
Thanks!

Are you pressing the barrel to the rear to take the pressure off?
dju

It should be easy. But as above push the barrel against something and while holding it there move the takedown lever down and lift the sideplate off. Same when assembling. Do not force it or worse use a screwdriver. If you are not familiar with field stripping a luger I suggest you look it up before you attempt it. It is very simple but only when you know how. Enjoy your luger and welcome to the Forum. Bill

yes

tried it at all levels of pushback
even broke the toggle to go back a little further
nothing works
noticed the tiny pin on the right side sticking out a bit. do not know if this is normal
Thanks for the welcome

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I'm leaning toward the takedown lever retaining spring being broken or ill-fitting and causing a bind. Any chance you can pull on that stub on the right side? If the spring were broken in the right place it might actually pull out the side.
I'm beginning to lean toward medieval violent force. Tape up a straight screwdriver and while pressing the barrel back a bit use very light force on the tool to start the lever down in back. It shouldn't take much and be gentle, as you don't want to break off the takedown lever.
But probably best to wait 24 hours to see if someone else has a better idea, as I'm probably overlooking the obvious.
While you are waiting put on some penetrating oil. Probably not the solution but it won't hurt.
dju

Also you may want to use a small punch and try tapping the spring back into the frame, then try the normal takedown procedure.
dju

All good advise, but I use wood or plastic to move stubborn TD levers.

As you say that it is matching, must be something "else" that has it in a bind, like David says maybe the spring. It sticking out a little is not bad, but it may be broken and binding.

That looks like a home made spring, which is probably binding the lever. I also use a wood or nylon/Delrin tool to move parts like this.

Took it to the local gunsmith who was able to take it down.
He just said it was really tight and mechanically fine.
Said the pin was long and trimmed it. Pin had been replaced when it was refinished.
He gave it a good clean bill of health and told me to go shoot it.

Montage with some family heirlooms

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/...psvlfjfqjx.jpg

I'm really tired of hearing of using a hard surface to push back the barrelled receiver to release the TD lever. The perfered method is to pull back the toggle on an empty mag to hold open. Then the lever should move easily. In this case, a bad repro spring is causing the problem. TH

Welcome to the forum, and glad to hear that you found the problem. A bit of "tuning" should make the takedown process easier in the future. I assume that you know to use std. velocity FMJRN ammo for best results.

Welcome, Erich. Tom beat me to the post! If your lever is still unacceptably stiff, contact Lugerdoc for a good spring that is in spec. The levers were not supposed to be that difficult to move!

Thanks for the welcome. I have wanted a P08 for a long time,
and this one popped up local for a reasonable price so I jumped on it.
Hopefully I can get it straightened out.

welcome to the forum , very nice p08, enjoy it and be safe

"I'm really tired of hearing of using a hard surface to push back the barrelled receiver to release the TD lever. The perfered method is to pull back the toggle on an empty mag to hold open. Then the lever should move easily. In this case, a bad repro spring is causing the problem"

Works great when dis-assembling but when assembling don't you still have to push the receiver back to get takedown leaver in place?

Hugh, With the toggle held back on an empty mag, the TD lever should install with no problem, unless you have installed a new TD spring, and then it's best to remove the whole top assy to install the lever while pressing it down against the spring pressure while pushing it from left to right. TH

Tom, the only reason I would remove the take down leaver is to remove the receiver. Now when I replace the receiver and replace the side plate and takedown leaver I still must apply pressure to the receiver to replace the takedown leaver. When I replace magazine and try to exercise toggle to the hold open position the receiver moves forward and will not stay in hold open position. Applying backward pressure to receiver at this stage to replace take down leaver seems only alternative. Am I missing something here?

The takedown lever should be removed/replaced WITHOUT the receiver installed on the frame... you will find this a WHOLE lot easier...

To install or remove the receiver from the frame, all you need to do is open the takedown lever by either loading an empty magazine, pull back the toggle until it locks on the holdopen, or press the muzzle against a hard surface like a tabletop. Then the receiver will install/de-install easily.

That is the way I have always done it but Tom suggested that you can remove and install the takedown leaver without applying pressure to the upper...

Pressure is required to both remove and replace, however I suspect that placing the muzzle on a hard surface and pressing down is what made Tom cringe...
dju

My my, just use a "protected" hard surface!

Hugh, it works the same as taking it apart using the mag. With the upper in place, all ready to "push", simply insert the empty mag again and pull back on the toggle until the holdopen locks the upper back. No pushing on the cannon required, either way! It's a great "cringe eliminator"... The only reasons to remove the takedown lever itself are to detail clean its well, refresh its straw treatment, or replace its spring. Zorba will attest that it's safer and easier to work the takedown lever back in when you're dealing with just the grip frame!

I don't have an early manual, can someone who does tell us what one sez?

thanks for all the tips, got it worked out and the more I move it the easier it works.
thanks again!

Because of the difference of opinions concerning the "correct" method of field stripping the P08 for cleaning, I went to the Mauser manual that comes with the Mauser Parabellum Lugers. On page 11, it states to push the muzzle against a hard surface to remove the tension of the recoil spring, and then turn the lever on the side plate for disassembly.....just saying what Mauser recommends.

Pushing on a hard surface seems easy enough. I have no problem with that but I use a pad even on my workbench to perform that function.
Jack

Pressing the barrel does nothing on my Erfurt
Have to lock back on an empty magazine, then I can rotate the take down lever.

On a brighter note, I ran 150 rounds through it flawlessly yesterday at the range!
What a fun shooting gun.

I have a friend who uses his palm to accomplish this. I'm just waiting to get the call.

Erich, welcome to the forum. Glad your Luger is functioning well.

The little "L" shaped thing under the take down lever is not a pin. It is a spring. When properly made, there is a small cut taken out of the side of the spring which will allow the take down lever to seat properly, and to be moved without undue force.

If someone replaced the spring with an L shaped pin that is completely round in the middle, this is what is causing the binding, and it should be replaced with the proper spring.

If your gunsmith is not familiar with Lugers, he might have missed this even though he got the lever working again.

here's what the spring looks like:

yes, I characterized it as a pin, but it is a spring. (newbie)
Working fine now :thumbup:
The sight picture on the P08 is unique and takes some getting used to!