Little Mystery
 

While rummaging thru some old stuff today I came across my reproduced copy of the original DWM 'The Parabellum Automatic Pistol' which was printed by Stoger in 1964. I noticed something that I had overlookled in reading it earlier. On page 2 there is the publishers note "All of the material found in the original Luger Manual is reproduced on the following pages, however we have taken some liberties with its arranegement to enhance readability.

OK, it is essentially the same as the original. Then on page 7, 'Constituent parts' it says "The parts of the pistol are grouped in two divisions: like the Maxim weapons, on which this one is based;"


This is the mystery: every thing that I can recall having read on the Luger traces it's lineage back to the Borchardt, where Gerog Luger worked immediately prior to obtaining his patent on the Luger. Never have I heard Maxim mentioned. Since this little book is a faithful reproduction of the original manual, I'm baffled, what is the Maxim/Luger connection?? Also interesting is that both Borchardt and Maxim were Americans. Maybe the Shadow knows?

The toggle action
 

I don't have any books on me, but the "leg action" of the toggle is much like the maxims (in some regards) if memory serves me correctly, although I thought I was wrong once, but it turned out to be a mistake.


Ed

Re: The toggle action
 

Ed, I guess I'll accept that, I know very little about either the Borchart or the Maxim. I just thought it strange that the original DWM manual related that information, Thanks.

''leg" action
 

the theory here is like holding your leg straight...then breaking it at the knee to release. This concept started with the Volcanic/Henry/Winchester guns...Maxim used it on his MG, Borchardt turned it over and use the sloped frame to 'break' it instead of the lever.


Proof that 'there ain't much new in the mechanical field'


Orv Reichert

Re: Little Mystery
 

In the History Channel documentary "Tales of the Gun" which deals with the Luger, the narrator comments that the Borchardt and the later-developed Luger were based on the Maxim toggle action.

Re: Little Mystery
 

While the Luger derives from the Borchardt and the Borchardt derives from the Maxim, I don't know about the Maxim Henry connection. I've heard that Maxim got his idea from the reciprocating engine and that in the original Maxim design the rear toggle link was actually a rotating crank. The complete rotation was dropped for fear of a runaway condition. They thought an incomplete roation with alternating directions would be easier to stop.


unspellable