Toggle Question
 

Hey Guys..happy holidays

I noticed that the Toggle on my 1916 Erfurt Luger

has a slight wobble as it sits in the frame.

How muck "play" from side to side should there

really be? I guess if it were too tight it

would not operate correctly. Do all Lugers have

some degree of play at the toggle in the closed position?

Thanks...Bob

Re: Toggle Question
 

I have a little movement back and forth side to side. However the toggle is held down tight by the spring.


Happy New Year to all!


Dan Clemons

Re: Toggle Question
 

I think you'll find that Lugers will have a bit of side-to-side "play", regardless if they are cocked or not. If it is in battery and cocked, the tension is on the mainspring within the firing pin housing (part of the toggle), rather then the recoil spring - so side movement is NOT limited by that recoil mainspring. Also, side to side of the toggle will not effect accuracy specificially ((as cannon movement in the frame would), but not as much as folks think - as the sighting plane is on the cannon, rather then the frame being responsibe for the sight plane.).


Anyway - side to side "looseness" in the toggle can be attributed to several things on a Luger including wear of the "runners", the Axel pin is worn, etc. In any event - side to side movement should be fine if nothing is mechanically broken....


HTH!

Re: Toggle Question
 

John,


I agree that the side play is normal in most Lugers and is required for proper functioning in a combat weapon. What I do when shooting is to use a light coating of a high pressure grease on the sliding surfaces. This keeps any metal to metal contact and allows good funtioning of the toggle assembly. I use Castrol wheel bearing grease for the sliding surfaces and a light coating with a Q-Tip swab on these surfaces will give you a good coating and protect the pistol from wear. A high pressure grease will not be "squeezed" out. After shooting, clean this grease off and put on a good quality, rust preventative oil or light grease coating like RIG. In addtion, RIG makes a good coating for the toggle assembly when shooting a few magazines. For extended shooting, I recommend the high pressure grease.


Marvin