1917 DWM Luger with a bent frame
 

Hi,

I have a luger with a small dent in the frame. However, this dent has virtually locked the receiver in place. The receiver will not budge a hair. Is there anything I can do to fix this problem?

Thanks,
Eddie

close up

I would start with a light brass hammer, with the side plate off, and see if I could remove the top by tapping the barrel unit forward......just soft and easy....remember the link is still joining the top to bottom halfs..

Unfortunately, that did not work. I tried using a rubber mallet to no avail also.

I would try and un-couple the toggle link as the gun is now, a bit hard but not impossible. Chuck it up in a protected jaws of a heavy duty vice, down around the top of the grip panel area, with brass hammer and heavy brass stock pins, give it more of a try.....rubber mallet may to to soft, and you need more of a push.....slow and easy.....hope this is of some help

As Howard stated, a rubber mallet is too resilient to provide the necessary impulse and momentum to move the receiver against the friction of the bent frame. You might try the following: Use a hard wood block of the correct width to fit between the frame ears. "Buckle" the toggle so that the wood block rests against the rear of the receiver rails rather than on the projection of the rear toggle link. Rest the front of the frame on a solid non-marring surface (the edge of a wooden workbench would work) and strike the wood block with a brass or steel hammer to drive forward the receiver (you might need an extra set of hands to hold the frame on the bench top while you wack away with the hammer). When you get the receiver far enough forward to clear the main toggle axle, remove it and raise the rear toggle link so that the T-hook will clear the frame as the receiver moves forward, otherwise the T-hook will jam on the frame and either shear off or prevent further movement. If you are successful in moving the receiver forward, once you get it far enough forward you can completely remove the toggle assembly and continue driving the receiver out. As Howard says, slow and easy is important. Good luck...such an effort is not for the faint of heart.

Eddie, Ron procedure is worth trying, but first I would remove the recoil spring & link from the frames, so that the top is not connected to the lower half. If all else fails and you wish to save the barrelled receiver, I would cut out the "dinged" area of the frame. If this is done carefully, the top will remove norally and you still may have a frame that will work. Lugerdoc

Did I miss something or does he not first need to move the receiver rearward out of battery in order to unlock the take-down lever?

my first post stated " with the side plate off"......its a given this must be removed first.

Notice in the first photo that the take-down lever has already been removed.

Perhaps heating up the frame in the bended area with a lighter while having a bag of ice on the receiver could help

I think I see an option that has been overlooked...

First use Ron's procedure to remove the recoil spring and take the tension off of the upper receiver and toggle...

The upper receiver has no barrel currently installed.

I would turn and thread the stub of a large cyliner of steel (say 1.5 to 2" in diameter) to properly fit the barrel threads in the reciever to a "hand tight" condition.

The diameter of the cylinder should be large enough to provide a perpendicular "pounding" surface while the gun frame is held in a vise padded with some thick leather or hardwood.

This should allow you a place to exert the impulse force necessary to overcome the pinch of the dented frame without striking any portion of the gun parts.

I would use either a block of hardwood or brass as the impulse device being driven by at least a one pound sledge hammer...

With care and repeated blows, this procedure should enable you to get the parts apart without damage.

Where are you located, perhaps a member of the forum is close to you to give you a hands-on evaluation or help?

Once the parts are separate, you can judiciously file or stone the pinched areas to permit easy movement.

Thanks for the replies. When I have enough time maybe I can fix this mess.

In response to your question, I live in Atlanta, Georgia. Any hands on help would be greatly appreciated as I am somewhat of an idiot when it comes to repairing stuff. If any of you are certain you can repair it, let me know what you would charge, and I will send it off to you.

Thanks Again,
Eddie

easy solution...
 

Hi Ed, this has a very simple solution... I've removed a ton of dents,..and here is what i would do... place either side on solid plates or blocks of aluminum.. sandwich the frame between another block or plate of aluminum, and beat the **** out of it... it will let go with no damage to anything... you just have to upset the dent to remove the receiver... a thousands or two will set you free... best to you...til...lat'r...GT

Eddie,
Try to flatten the bulge on the bottom edge of the frame rail. This should releive some of the pressure.

Hi,

I have tried several recommendations, such as hammering wood between the frame ears and using a flat punch to relieve the dent. So far everything has been to no avail. I do not believe I am strong enough to lodge the receiver from the frame.

Interestingly, a couple of centimeters of the receiver protrudes from the frame. I have contemplated placing the luger in a vise to see if I can push the receiver back into the frame. Perhaps this would fix the intrusion made by the dent. I cannot help but wonder if this was not some sort of home-made deactivation.

Thanks for all of your help,
Eddie

Not much help, but I'm curious how the frame got dinged like that.

Irish Eddie,

PM me your phone number and the best time to call you. I will try to get you through this.

This now has me a bit t'ed off, is there anything in the take down lever well, that you can see from a front on look at it, something like a broken off TD lever?, can you open the toggle and see if there is anything blocking the removel? Eddie see if John can help, if not I would be willing to take the job on gratis, just to get it done.......or yes, I am a full time gun smith.....

Howard, do you think that maybe the hold-open device could be wedged into the upward position preventing the forward movement of the slide?