Luger Safety
 

Hey Guys I've got a very dumb question.Is what is referred to as the sear safety on a Luger the same thing as the safety on the upper left hand side of the frame that is activated by the lever?If memory serves it is down for safe and a little piece comes up to stop the (trigger bar?)from moving in such a way that the trigger cannot be pulled.I also remember reading that it is opposite in some models.Thanks in advance Jim.

Jim, please check your private messages under the "my profile" section

rk

[quote]Originally posted by jimturner:
<strong>Hey Guys I've got a very dumb question.Is what is referred to as the sear safety on a Luger the same thing as the safety on the upper left hand side of the frame that is activated by the lever? Jim.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Jim, that's far from being a "dumb" question and without knowing what RoadKill may have explained I'll try to tell you about the sear safety.

If the top part (the "cannon") of a Luger is removed from the frame and the firing pin is cocked, it's possible to trip the firing pin by pressing in on the sear bar; especially the plunger at the front that can be pushed into the bar. Imagine what would happen if the chamber held a live round and that were done!

Apparently, it did happen often enough to become an issue so the Police pistols were equiped with the "sear safety". It consisted of a flat spring shaped like a long "z" and riveted to the back of the small hood that shields the sear bar. The front of the spring has a small pin that drops into a hole in the sear bar when the sideplate is removed and prevents the bar from being depressed and releasing the firing pin. The top of the sideplate is open so the pin in the front of the spring can move with the receiver under recoil. The back upper part of the sideplate keeps the spring raised enough to prevent the pin from locking the sear bar. It's really a very simple setup. If I have a chance in the next day or two, I'll try to take a picture of my 1916 Erfurt Police pistol and show you what I've described above.

Jim, compare these two side plates. The upper one is a 1929 u-block police, the sear safety is the little bent "tang" of metal visible above the side plate.
http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/SearSafe.jpg
The lower side plate is a 1936 S/42, no sear safety, for comparison.

--Dwight

Thanks a lot Doubs an RK that answers the question in total especially with the pics.