Quote:
Originally Posted by Psychotic Bovine
I also heard that the early Mitchell marked p08's had soft metal and would destroy themselves while firing.
Should I be concerned about my new acquisition? And what magazine will fit it, since I can't find any specific Stoeger lugers. Thanks in advance!
|
Welcome, Chris.
I have two stainless Lugers. One is a straight Aimco commemorative 1900/2000 which is Cerocoated black and not shot in regular rotation with the others. The second is a CFM branded stainless P.08.
When the P.08 arrived, it showed signs of peening on the frame ramps and the top of the chamber, so the reputation for soft metal is confirmed at least in this example. I filed off the displaced material and it looks better.
This pistol may have been shot quite a bit...since there was no immediate reappearance of the problem, it would seem that it developed over time and that whatever limited use I will put it won't to be enough to reestablish the damage for the foreseeable future.
These guns take the special mags that were made for them. The usual configuration is a smooth stainless body and a brown plastic bottom with a rudimentary eagle molded into the concave knobs. The Aimco guns have a mag well that is, at least, bigger than an original Parabellum, and their mags definitely will not fit into an original. As you've discovered, an original mag will fit into an Aimco, but not necessarily work.
Watch eBay and Gunbroker like a hawk, and you may well succeed in finding an Aimco style mag...I'm pretty sure I saw one recently--if you're patient, diligent, and don't mind the likely high price.
My P.08 came with four mags. I think a previous owner may have done some competition shooting of some sort because they were numbered. So, technically, I have a spare I might part with if you don't have any luck otherwise.