Thumb latch question
 

Hello all, I've got a question here that might come across as dumb or overly cautious, but it comes from a place of wanting to be protective of my peice and not damaging it.(they don't really make more of them)


So I've taken it shooting at the range a few times, and I always take it home and clean it, brush it and oil it.

However on my particular peice I've noticed the "thumb latch"

The part labeled "4b" on this diagram

https://external-content.duckduckgo....497&ipo=images

Was extremely stiff. I had to use alot of force to move it back into place, so much so It popped put of the frame, and it took alot of fiddling but I managed to get it reinsert, (it appears to be friction fitted with a tiny rod inside the well to hold it firm), now with some lubricant I have the switch moving much more easily, It still securely locks and clicks in the vertical and in the horizontal positions, it stays in the frame with its friction fit. Although now I do notice it is easier to remove than before, whereas before it took alot of force to remove, I find I'm able to push it through without much effort when in the vertical position


Basically I just wanted to ask if this checks out, and make sure the peice is still in good operating shape, and that this won't lead to damage to the frame or the pin if I keep firing it at the range.

Did you push the barrel back before trying to move the take down lever?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-RL98gXKTQ

Yep I did that during disassembly

The difficulty happened upon reassembly where I really had to muscle the take down lever back into place.

I did learn a trick, if I have an empty magazine inserted it will hold the toggle back and make the whole proccess much easier

Op, is your Luger numbers matching? The reason I ask is that a non numbers matching firearm may have fitment issues that may effect normal operations. Further, varying degrees of cleanliness, dryness and variations of degree and type of lubrication can change the "feel" of part operations.

FWIW, there’s no reason to remove the locking block for normal cleaning and maintenance.

If it works don't fix it. Some take down levers work hard. It is mostly on how the spring fits. Eventually the spring will get enough wear to work easier. Best thing leave it alone. Bill

Except for the side plate everything else appears to match on it

Would you reccomend to continue to shoot it?

If the side plate is not numbers matching, it may need a bit of fitting to work a bit easier. I see no reason to stop shooting and non- numbers matching Luger.

Stiffness with the take down lever should not involve the firearms over performance and functioning assuming everything else is in proper working order. You don't speak to this, so we have to guess and assume such to answer your question. I'd shoot it and enjoy it.

Yes. If everything else is ok no reason not to shoot it. Bill

I have seen that non-matching side plates can sometimes "halfway" work.

By that I mean that the side plate will go into position on the rear, and the trigger bar will go in, but getting that last part of forward flange that the locking bolt holds in place has to be depressed with a great deal of thumb force in order for the locking bolt to rotate fully into position.

I have a spare side plate that will only work in the manner described above on my 1915 DWM, but that side plate won't install on any other P.08 in my small collection. It seems hand fitting is required on a lot of non-matching side plates.
-Bob