1914 Mainspring question
 

New to Lugers and having difficulty cocking this pistol. 1914 serial no 3175. All parts have 75 on them except magazine. Took apart and cleaned and oiled the major moving parts but still can barely stroke it. The mainspring has 16 or 17 coils and is really stout. It has not been shot in many years so I don't know if it will function but don't see any reason not to try. Should I replace the spring with one of the 22 coil versions or shoot it first and see what happens?

Welcome to the forum.

If you're not used to working a Luger action, the spring may seem stiff but actually be normal. So, shoot it first, of course. You won't know that a stiff recoil spring is a problem unless you actually try it. Winchester white box seems to work for many Luger owners. DO NOT use Winchester NATO or +p 9mm of any make.

If the magazine is original, you may want to find a new Mec-Gar mag as an original mag may have a weak spring. Most feeding problems with Lugers are caused by magazines.