New Member & my 1916 DWM Luger
 

I've just joined the group.

My Grandfather left me a 1916 DWM Luger P08 which he took off a German paratroop Captain during the battle of Crete in May 1941.
I've had the gun in my possession for the past +25 years. It's in original condition, unblued, with all matching serial numbers right down to the firing pin and original magazine.

The holster was unfortunately beyond repair.

I go to the shooting range once a week and put about 10 to 15 rounds through the Luger, along with my Smith & Wesson M&P 9c and Colt Cobra .38 special snub nose.
From the outset I had bought 2 aftermarket magazines to use for the Luger at the range.

During my past 2 visits to the shooting range the Luger started jamming/stove piping after every other shot. Very frustrating! I've been using SIG 9mm Luger 124 grain rounds.

Snooping around on this forum, and through a process of elimination, I eventually figured out it must be the magazines. This morning after a very frustrating session with the jamming Luger, I asked one of the guys at the gun shop if they by any remote chance had a Luger P08 magazine lying around. After about 10 minutes of digging through a couple of boxes, he produced a mint condition nickel magazine which he told me was Swiss made (I’ll post some pics, perhaps someone can identify the magazine). I went straight back into the shooting range and fired 8 rounds, no more jamming or issues, she performed flawlessly!

She's 101 years old now!
Here are some pics:

Pics-

Hi, Mike, and welcome to the forum.

Magazines often cause this kind of problem.

The Swiss magazines are very well made, and usually function well. It's often better to shoot a Swiss or a later WW-II era aluminum based Luger magazine since dropping a wood based one could easily break the base.

G.T. in the USA (on this board) can repair and recondition original magazines if you want to do this, and are able to ship it in to the USA.

Marc

More pics-

Thanks for your message Marc, much appreciated.

The original magazine is in good condition and full working order, however I don't want to use it. I've asked the shop to try and track down another one of these Swiss magazines.

Failing that, what's the consensus on the Mec Gar magazines.

Thanks & best,
Mike

We generally recommend Mec-Gar, and G. T. can improve even those.
IMHO you should definitely retire that matching wood-bottom magazine, as it would be heartbreaking to have it split under spring tension. And they do.
Regarding the beyond-repair holster, we have a guru who may be able to assist. Post some photos or contact Jerry Burney (Lugerholsterrepair) directly.
Thank you for sharing.
dju

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the forum.

Nice 1916 Luger you have, it seems to be in excellent condition. That matching mag really boosts the value (at least here in the USA), and they are breakable - good call on not shooting with it!

I don't like the Mecgar Luger mags, I find they jam as much as any. I only shoot with genuine aluminum bottom 3rd Reich Luger mags - they always work with my early Imperial WWI Lugers flawlessly. I know a lot of folks like the Mecgar mags, but this is my experience.

If you really want one, I have brand new stainless Mecgar mags that I don't want. I'll sell you one for my cost - I'm pretty sure we can get it to SudAfrika for a couple dollars.

- Geo

Ive personally had great success with mec gar mags and use them instead of my two ww2 mags even though they work excellent

Geo99,
your experience with Mecgar mags is an anomaly- must be the combination of the mag and your particular pistol(s)? or ammo?

What ammo do you use?

Don,

Pistol are Imperial WWI Lugers, I don't shoot them much. I often get FTF failure with Mec-gar mag. They work fine with any original German made magazine (DWM, Erfurt, Mauser). Go figure.

Ammo is whatever 115gr 9mm I happen to have, usually reloads. I do know that Luger's can be finicky about what they will digest. I was going to try 124gr, but I haven't bothered yet, since I can get them to cycle properly if I use an original mag with my ammo.

One new Mec-gar I had - the spring felt weak and worn out compared to my German police mags, so I assumed my problem was due to the mags and I stopped using them.

- Geo

Thanks George,
maybe you got a bad batch of Mecgar mags.
Springs are quite strong in the ones I've used- maybe 6 or 8 from a couple sources at different times.

Just curious, as "we" recommend them often as a solution to a mag problem and/or for use instead of original mags.

This MecGar mag performance (or lack thereof) is indeed unusual. Since a nice FXO mag often approaches $200 in value, it makes me a bit leery to use mine, regardless that they are strong and durable!

They are stronger and more durable then the MecGars.

I have 6 Luger mags: A WW I era Erfurt, three Tri-Ks with FXO springs, an older MecGar, and a brand new MecGar.

The brand new MecGar is the only mag that has *never* caused me a problem, although the older MecGar has been pretty good, as have the three Tri-Ks. The old Erfurt has caused me all sorts of headaches - despite 2 trips to G.T. Sometimes it stovepipes like crazy and/or won't lock back on last round. Other times, its flawless. I just happened to use it just today at the range, and didn't have any problems. In fact, I didn't have any problems with *any* of my mags today. Musta been the cheap Tula ammo... :banghead:

I went to the shooting range yesterday and despite the 3 "new" magazines I tried out, I still had a couple of jams. I used Sig 124grain 9mm Luger rounds.

I have a question regarding stove piping & jamming. Could the main spring play a role in this?
How critical is the main spring in this?

The reason I'm asking is that I've now ordered a new set of Wolff springs for my 1916 DWM.

Thanks & best
Mike

The performance of the main spring certainly makes a difference. The mag, recoil, and firing pin springs act in concert to balance forces and affect timing to produce the "beautiful music" of a dependable gun. If one or more is off, sour notes result... A fresh set of springs seldom hurts.

Ammo is another variable, and your pistol may just "like" another brand or format. Don't use +P or NATO spec.

Thanks for the input, much appreciated.

I'll try some other ammo as well as the springs, which I've ordered from the US; a rather tedious process due to the fact that these 4 springs costing approx.US$9.00 are considered "restricted exports" by US Customs....

Thanks & best,
Mike

Mike, welcome to the forum.

Nice looking pistol Mike, always nice to have some family history to go along with the Luger.

Hi Mike,

I like this thread- thank you!
I can imagine it adds a lot to a particular gun to have a story behind it, and also to receive it from your grandfather. I myself have a 1917 DWM- very similar to yours, but with one very different stamp on the right side of the receiver. Interesting....

Here below is a link to that thread with photos....The stamp on the far left of your photo and on mine are distinctly different, while the other three stamps look identical.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=36379

Have you tried other types of ammo? Seems many Lugers are rather picky about the ammo they like... Would be interested in your experience... you mention only the Sig 124 gr.

Nice gun!!

Hi RShaw,
Thank you for your comments, much appreciated. Beautiful looking gun you have there!

I've tried Sellier & Bellot 115 & 124 gr. as well as the Sig 124 gr. and a variety of magazines. The gun still stovepipes after every 4th or 5th shot.

I've ordered a set of new springs for the gun and am waiting to receive these. The first set of springs which I ordered from the US was blocked by US customs on export and destroyed!

The reason given was that they're classified as dangerous/lethal restricted items......given the amount of deadly weaponry exported by the US and others around the world, compared to a set of $9.00 springs for a 101 year old Luger, this is totally ridiculous!

I've subsequently ordered set of springs from Germany which I hope to receive in the next few days. I'll report back once I've replaced the springs.

On the other hand my 1939 Mauser VOPO Luger which I purchased in October is behaving flawlessly at the range.
http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=37834

I've put about 500 rounds through it without a single jam or misfire. I've used Sellier & Bellot ammunition both 115gr. & 124gr. with no issues whatsoever.

Best,
Mike

Hi Mike,
Thank you! Was just looking at your thread re. your VOPO- 2 matching mags is VERY unusual- quite a find! But- may I carefully say, there are many Luger experts who would maintain that an all matching gun with 1 matching mag (let alone 2!) may be too valuable to shoot. Your gun is the first I’ve heard of with 2 matching mags. A unique piece of history! But - it’s done a flawless job at the range so far :)

Such a shame about those springs. Hope the German sourced set arrives soon. My replacement holdopen took about 2 months to get here from the US. Yes- would be very interesting to hear how it goes with new springs:)

You’re doing well!!

Guys,
many of the Vopo imports into the US came with two matching(vopo numbered matching) magazines and a holster. Not unusual at all.

In South Africa or the NL, I'm sure it is a different situation.

Stove piping is frequently caused by "weak" ammo, or an ejector with a broken or partially missing tip, or an extractor with dirt under it or weak spring, or worn/broken. Check these areas before you change springs. JMHO.

Ahhh!!
Didn’t know that :)
Always something new to learn.... still- a very nice gun!
Good deal for sure