Dumb Questions III & IV & V
 

Hi:

Does anyone know why AIMCO so carefully removed the lanyard loop on their stainless steel pistols, but left a funny looking hunk of metal where the stock lung is located on an original?

Also, why did Aimco first change the magazine to a 7 shooter, followed by Stoeger changing to a different magazine design altogether?

Lastly, do the AIMCO pistols shoot worth a damn and are they reliable in function?



Sieger

Hi Sieger,

I have a 1993 Aimco P.08, and it functions reasonably well. It will only function with the magazine that came with it, but it is not the newer Stoeger magazine. Original and aftermarket Luger magazines will insert into the magazine well, but they will not latch. I have no idea why the lanyard loop isn't present, or why the stock lug is done the way it is. This is my second Aimco (I sold my first after owning it for about a year back in the '90's). About all I can say for my present Aimco is that it got me to the Lugerforum and into my original Lugers. When you pull the trigger on my Aimco, the sideplate moves outward from the gun slightly. I believe this is due to the redesign of the trigger mechanism. I keep it around, but I don't often reach for it when I want to look at or show someone a Luger. If you detail strip it, and compare it to an original, you will see several ways that they cheaped out in making the gun. If you lay it along side an original, it's very disappointing. I don't think too much of it.

DougT

My Mitchell era Aimco seems to work well enough. The Mitchell era Aimcos take a standard magazine and the magazines furnished with them are quite nice, I bought a few extras for my other shooters. When Stoeger took over distribution the magazine was changed to a non-standard one. I suspect in part because Stoeger wanted a captive market. The new design might be a bit cheaper to make also. I don't like the Stogers because Stoeger predictably put a bill board on the side of them.

Some standard after market magazines also take seven rounds. Why???


.

PS. I forgot the original question. The lug at the bottom of the grip is there to follow the profile of the P08 but lakes the grooves so that it cannot be fitted with a shoulder stock which would run afoul of the BATF regulations. I suppose leaving the lanyard loop off was a simple cost cutting measure.

I really liked my Mitchel version. The sideplate did move a little, (a result of minimal or no hand fitting I suspect).

It took all std magazines and I could use and abuse it at will without worry.

Although there are some manufacturing differences Im my personal opinion I believe they are faithful to the original design, at an affordable price.

They may well be a case of some good ones and bad ones being out there, based on a fairly limited production.
There are worse ways to get a reliable shooter