OK, I'm in.
 

Good Morning all.

I'm new to the forum and a new Luger owner. So after a recent unexpected acquisition of a Luger I thought I should get on this forum and charge up the learning curve. I've been reading for days and have followed a lot of advise. So to start I recognize the IMMENSE amount of experience and knowledge that I have the privilege to tap into. What a great country we have that we can pursue this hobby in peace!
Thank your anticipated patience right from the start.

If I can learn to load pics. I will send them in the future but for now it will be just text.

The Luger.
DWM, 1916, S/N XX58[/B] Black plastic grips. Stock lug. Mec-Gar mag. It has been reblued. The person who did it was mindful to not buff out the numbers or stamps, not a bad job overall. I've seen lots of Cops guns over the years that look much worse and are carried daily (sad!) The only serious pitting is under the grips which can't be seen with the grips on. All the parts that I can see are matching numbers. It has been rebarreled (pristine bore, there are importer marks on the underside) no other factory stamps. I replaced the grips(bad shape) with Altamont grips( Not bad for the price). Once I saw that the condition was good I took it to the range. What an amazing experience. Mag. had issues(would have failures to feed 4-7 rounds). I knew the mag was old and wanted another so when I got the gun I chance ordered a new Mec-gar it shot/functioned great. For me, shoots 2 in. high and just a tad left at 15 yards. What a fine 101 year old machine. I'm going to buy a set of wolff springs since I've no way to tell whats it it now, couldn't hurt right?
So I'm thinking what I have is a great shooter. I'm not a collector which is the reason I never had one of these but now I really understand, "bet you can't.... just one"!

Any thoughts?
Thanks.
Dune Centurion

I think you have said it all. Sounds like a perfect shooter, just in need of the perfect magazine to feed it.
And now that they are in your blood, you can begin the hunt for the next one.
Welcome aboard.
dju

Welcome.
Changing springs won't "hurt", but is not required if it is functioning correctly now.

Welcome to the Forum and happy collecting. Bill

I too, would like to welcome you to the Forum Kevin. I see by your last comment "bet you can't....just one" that you are fully aware that Luger collecting can be rather "addictive" so no further warning from me or anyone else is necessary.

Good luck to you in the future. :cheers:

Lon

Welcome to the forum. You'll enjoy our free Luger FAQ document which has years of accumulated Luger knowledge available:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=13121

If your Luger is cycling properly, don't be too worried about older springs. If you have concerns, search on "tape test" for discussions of marks on the rear of the frame and the recoil spring. The FAQ lists the various recoil springs used over the history of Luger production.

Welcome to the forum

Welcome to the forum, and your first Luger experience.

Indeed. Welcome to the forum and the Luger fraternity !

Welcome, Kevin. Now we need to see those pics--shooter or not! You may have already found the sticky that contains the tutorial for posting them...

OK, I'm going to the range tomorrow to try the tape test, a new mag and some different ammo. I read about the tape test but I'm not sure what I am looking for. I'll search the threads tonight. The idea seems reasonable. I have to confess, I see the references to stickies but have no idea what they are. Anyone care to amplify, Be gentle, I'm a rookie.
Oh, wanted to add. I've handled lots of guns over a long career. I took this 101 yr old gun apart and there is virtually no play or rattle anywhere. Amazing engineering and workmanship.

Amazing.
Kevin

Hi Kevin and welcome to the forum!
A "sticky" is a post or thread that has been deemed to have important info and needs to be readily available to all and not be "lost in the crowd". They stay at the top of each of the forum sections.
Again, welcome!
James

Thanks, I understand now. I found a thread on the tape test. My understanding is that if the toggle leaves minor dents on the tape and the pistols functions then its ok. When I break it down again I will look at the inside rear of the receiver and see what that tells me.
Kevin

Check out the back end of the breech block and firing pin spring guide as well, for peening and spalling. Worst case, you might find a crack. Those are the parts that get smashed against the inside rear of the frame...

Dune,

If you handload, I'd be happy to help.

Sieger

Welcome

I found this when I first started the research on parts interaction. The best I have ever seen. Helped me fix a grip problem when I installed aftermarkets right off the bat.
Thought I would share. Although I'm sure ya'll have seen this before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ysSk0aDo4


Kevin
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
Rev. William John Henry Boetcker
Author of the "Cannots"

Kevin, welcome to the forum and to all the gun you will have with your Luger. By pure chance I acquired my first one almost three years ago. I have four and a half now. :D
But, I still very much consider myself a newbie especially when when in association with the folks on this forum with their vast knowledge and experience.

Show us some pics and post often.

Tape test results.
 

S&B 115 gr.. Ran my thumb nail O/S over frame, no peening. I/S of frame had some peening but it is old and still covered by rebluing job. My thought is that is was from proof loads but who knows with a 101 year old gun, right?
Attachment 72582

Attachment 72583

I am a fortune favors the prepared kinda guy.
So, more reading (as I slog up the learning curve) beg sthe asking of this question?
My shooter works fine. I was thinking it might be wise to have an replacement extractor/spring. Any other parts might have on hand while they are easy to come by and from whom would I get them from?
I've read a number of threads on this but some of them are dated.
Thoughts?

Kevin

Here's a couple representative pics of a very worn 116 year old 1900AE that has seen a lot of use...But I would consider the impact marks of the breechblock on the inside of the frame and the toggle ducktail on the rear of the frame to be 'typical' (although not desirable)... :rolleyes:

It's typical and normal on a gun that has not been a "paper weight" all it's life.:D

PS. And it also seems it has not be used for some time now.

The spare parts threads cannot get "dated", as the same parts have failed for 100 years!:evilgrin:

I would say the ejector is the "weakest" link, so having an ejector is a good idea.

Go to member "lugerdoc" for parts.

You can add the holdopen to the weakest link list. But it's an easy fix. Take it of before shooting.

Kevin,

I am glad to hear that you are enjoying the new acquisition. They can get into your blood it seems, been shooting Lugers for a few years myself now and pretty much enjoy it still.

As you pointed out, these guns have some time in grade, perhaps lots of tweaking along the way or like some claim, pristine as new. All kinds out there especially now. These were hand fitted parts throughout back in the day, twas the way it was back then.

When I buy a Luger, I am not an optimist; I try to do the best visual that I can, then throw sanity to the wind and buy it anyway. I did win once a very low number for a free trip in the 60's though; so finally seeing is sometimes believing; a good cleaning will show good and bad.

The tape test is an indicator. So is the feel in the hand, a shock to the hand says metal to metal is going on; just as simple as that. I think the Luger function is an orchestration, not an impulse; just a philosophy in a way.

Take a looksee at the spent cases, how do the cases look pressure-wise? As a shooter yourself, I know you look at cases off the line at times just out of curiosity, a lot of randomly found spent 9mm's are perfed, lots of primer flow, or just swelling of the head.

With my purchases, I replace the coil springs throughout the pistol; just my way, and not intended to be a mandate, everyone has to think for themselves. I like the 38lb recoil spring from Wolff, just convenient to buy and fair quality.

With a perforation of primer, where gases etc flow back thru the firing pin hole, the Luger firing pin and retainer will try to exit the rear of the breechblock. The two little ears are not built to hold much, tis the berries to fix, and most times requires a new breechblock part($$$). Some folks will use use a fluted firing pin, others will add venting; if so inclined to that update. I like to choose my ammo, all my ammo are my own reloads; being from the benchrest rifle community; lots of fussing/fuming over my handloading.

The extractor in the later pistols is intended to work in conjunction with a smallish coil spring to grab the case in battery. The tip of the extractor should always be able to clear the rear of the case rim. One can kinda check for such if one pushes the rear tab of the extractor with a brass punch, the spring should not reach its compression(stack up) limit before the tip of the extractor goes over the rim. Otherwise the extractor becomes a spring itself and not good for its lifespan in my opinion.

Sounds like you are enjoying the experience of the Luger design, a real classic..........

Rick W.

Hey, me too! #80 out of 365! But I decided on a similar trip organized by WesPac Ground Forces instead! :D

I might have driven right by you... :p