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Originally Posted by singleshotman
I've shot rifles and handguns dating to 1870's and never broke a part yet Oh, well i suppose there is always a first time.Are you saying that the steel used by american makers of firearms was better than German steel, i mean everyone with a brain has heard of Krupp steel, its world famous? Althrough Krupp made there money on railway supplies, not cannon or armor plate.
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Not so much, I think, a matter of German steel v. American steel as it is a passage of time and the improvements in alloy design and technology. Some aficionados here prefer 40's vintage Mauser P08s for shooting, the theory being that the steel they're made from is a little tougher and resilient than earlier alloy formulae. If I'm not mistaken, the earliest Lugers were constructed using Sheffield steel imported from Britain. I've been informed that steel changes properties over time and use; an engine block is supposed to harden somewhat after years of use. If this is true, it is probable that the alloys used in Lugers would behave the same after repeated heating and cooling--and physical shock--and harden up by some increment. This would result in parts that are more brittle than when they left the factory. If they become brittle enough, there could be one round that is the "straw on the camel's back" that results in a broken extractor, breech block, or other component, under the stress of that shot.
It's similar to a collectible auto--if used as a "driver" there is a risk, every time, of accident or breakdown. But the temptation to put one into service is ever-present. And the advice is the same: It's yours to do with what you wish. For your own future sanity's sake, understand the risks involved before you make that decision!