Connecting pin
 

Help--the connecting pin on my 1917 Erfurt P.08 seems to have "grown" a few thousands of an inch, making it a tight fit (at first) between the frame ears. Once I get it past the ears, it seems to fit OK. It does stick out just a little beyond the reciever--enough to feel it with a finger. I don't remember this condition from before, and the gun hasen't had any unusual handling or treatment--just a short shooting session a few weeks ago. Ideas anybody?
DougT

Is it a tight fit if you just try to put the pin between the ears all by itself without the toggle or upper receiver? Is the pin original to the gun, or could it be a replacement?

Doug,

I don't think the slightly protruding connecting pin is unusual, I just checked and a few of my guns have pins that protrude just a hair from the receiver. Are there any telltale marks on the frame ears or the pin? My only thought is that a bit of dirt got in there and kicked up a burr. When the gun is assembled without engaging the main spring link there should be enough clearance to slide a sheet of paper between the receiver and frame ears. KFS

Problem solved--easy fix! The right ear on the frame had peened out enough to catch the protruding connecting pin on disassembly and reassembly. Both ears show slight, "honest wear" peening, and there are no clearance problems between the receiver and the frame. I took a small piece of 80 grit aluminum oxide sandpaper and carefully worked down the right side of the pin until it was almost flush with the receiver--problem solved! The way I did this was to remove the pin from the receiver, hold the sandpaper flat on a desktop and (as evenly as I could) work the right end of the connecting pin across and back on the sandpaper. After repeated fitting and sanding, the pin was just right. Now the gun disassembles and reassembles without binding--like it should. I hope there will be an easy fix like this for me when I'm 87 years old and starting to bind.
DougT

Doug, if the frame ear is peening out, your main spring might need to be replaced, as the toggle knob might be striking the frame ear a little too hard, just a thought! Especially if this changed over a short period of time.

Thor, thank you for pointing this out. I will replace the mainspring--Wolff is the only name I've heard of for new gun springs. Would you recommend them?
DougT

Yes, they are the ones I buy to put in Lugers. I DONT recommend the 40# spring, the 36# for normal loads and the 38# for a little more powerful ammo.
See my tutorial on spring replacements if you need help with it.
Thor's Main spring method

Got it--thanks for the information Thor.
DougT