A couple of newbie questions
 

1. How can I tell if my 1916 Erfurt has a hold-open? Where is this located and what does it look like?

2. Is there a way to tell if my Luger is Navy issue?

Thanks in advance.

Hatch

Hatch, Welcome to the Luger Forum.

Your 1916 Erfurt is unlikely to be a Navy. Crown M is a typical Navy mark. Does it have a 4'' barrel? What makes you think it might be a Navy?

The holdopen is in front of the magazine well. Insert a magazine, without cartridges of course, and pull back the toggle sharply. It should remain locked open but can be closed by removing the magazine and pulling back and letting go of the toggle.

Take off the cannon(top) and you can observe this spring in front of the magazine well. Once the top cannon is off you can insert a magazine to see it push up the spring mechanism that holds back the toggle. If you are at all mechanically inclined this will be quite evident. Good Luck Jerry Burney

The holdopen is the piece of steel inletted in the steel which spans the sides of the frame, it is pointed out in the photo below. In a Luger which has no holdopen the crosspiece is one solid piece with no machining.


http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/holdopen2.jpg

The most obvious characteristics of a Navy Luger ae a 6" barrel and a special, two-position rear sight. It will also have Crown/M proof marks on the left side of the receiver, as shown below.


http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/NavyProofs.jpg


--Dwight

Gentlemen,

My questions are answered. I've purchased and read the book 'The Luger Story'. I didn't see an illustration of the hold-over.

If the book mentioned a 6" barrel and Crown-M for Navy lugers then I missed that.

Thanks again.

Hatch