Nublet with a Luger
 

Greetings, everyone! New guy here.

I just acquired a Stoeger Luger Navy in 9mm. I even had a chance to take it out to the range already.

I'm just here to learn what I can learn about this fine firearm (design).

(To be honest, I'm not impressed with the fit/finish on this Stoeger. It's like they never went through and removed the burs and machining marks from the edges of the parts before assembly... Reminds me of Texas-built High Standard pistols...)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3.../Luger%201.jpg

Howdy!
So how did it perform at the range?

I'd call it a P.08 with a 6" bbl--no Navy rear sight! How'd she do?

Continuous short stroking and failure to feed with American Eagle 115 gr FMJ. Going to try to find some 124 gr non-NATO loads to run thrrough it for next time.

If I am not mistaken, this is a post war Aimco (Houston, Texas) manufactured stainless steel Luger. They manufactured Lugers for Mitchell and Stoeger (the owner of the "Luger" brand name). Aimco was active making Lugers from 1991 to about 2003.

Unfortunately, these have a reputation for cycling problems. Parts are unavailable and not interchangeable with German made Lugers.

wow, you realize the ''average age'' is probably 60+

You want to be real sure that the Luger is clean, and WELL lubed. It looks good in the photo, but may not up close and personal. Good luck.

I suspect from your picture that you have a Stoeger Navy stainless Luger. Stoeger owns the Luger trademark here in the states, hence the Luger name on the side. Their 6" model, they dubbed Navy model. The model of this tenure also featured a 4", looks like the one pictured other than 4" barrel. All were 9mmx19's I believe.

I purchased two new Stoeger Navy's back in the 90's. They came in a blue clam shell box, one came with a stainless loading tool. My magazines in these purchases were the newer wide body type, ie no seams, and all stainless bodies(plain). The mags in the pictures are new to me, but I do not get out much.

I believe that you will find SPM on the side as the maker for Stoeger. Other outfits in Texas such as AIMCO were also noted in stainless models, no information here if the two or more outfits were the same under different ownership.........just do not know; never worried about such.

Some of the Stoeger stainless pistols were black coated over the stainless.

Stainless parts are hard to come by now it seems. Some parts from a vintage German Luger will fit, but in a limited subset. The extractor is one, and the toggle train is another; others of course. If you fool around with changing parts in the breeching on a stainless or a vintage Luger, you better know what you are doing for your own sake and those around you.

Lugers in general, new and old, are a bit intolerant of hot loads. They might run with +P or better, but will batter themselves to death. Longish headspace will perf the primer. If I had to choose a OTS type ammo, it would probably be the Winchester white box 115fmj stuff; no super 9 stuff please. I have not purchased factory 9mm ammo for decades, as I handload for each pistol that I own. In the 9mm and 30 Lugers I use a slower than recommended powder that allows the toggle to think thru its operation, seems to work more better as some say. FMJ and hollow points suffice for me.

Parts can go south on these and the vintage Lugers rather easily. The originals were hand fitted. I suspect that the stainless models of Luger were fitted to some degree, but without the heavy approach of the originals, just my guess. One has to remember that these stainless pistols came out at a time when a new Luger was unthoughtof from a $ point of view, much less in stainless. I think it is fair to remember that this was a time of stainless entry into the handgun world, other designs did not fair so well initially either, and were backed by large firms.

I still shoot a 6" stainless Luger in 9mm. It has had so many rounds thru it, I cannot really remember the count. Is it loose?.......yes, but still functions with 5 in the magazine(my local range rules). I am fussy about what it gets for a diet, only tuned reloads. I really prefer the 30 Luger, or the more better wildcat; 7.65x19 in a Luger. I am somewhat fond of custom barrels, adjustable rear sights, and optics on Lugers FWIW.

Some think that the 6" stainless Lugers are odd because they have not the 2 position rear sight of old. Some reworked vintage navies do not either, although you do see a few short barrel vintage navies with the rear 2 position sight, but probably more without. Still have the crown M stamps etc.

I purchased my two stainless Stoegers new for about 400 bucks per. So with that in mind I did not fuss a lot about tooling marks or whatever. All Lugers will be somewhat fussy at some time or another, I have learned to live with that fact and adjust to it.

I seem to remember a 4 3/4" dished toggle stainless Luger in those years or perhaps a bit later, twas a fine 30 Luger too.

I reckon I am not one to throw in the towel with any firearm if it gives problems, I do not sell much come to think of it, it becomes kinda fun to get one running rather than just passing stuff on to another without some proper background.

I have enjoyed most aspects of Lugers, old and new; some things I could do without, but life moves on.

Rick W.