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Doubs · 10-28-2002, 12:50 AM

[quote]Originally posted by merc:
<strong>My Erfurt has a hole in the frame just above and rearward of the trigger. The DWM does not have a hole in this spot.
Also the DWM has a longer bar on the top slide where the safety bar comes up than the Erfurt.
Is this normal?</strong><hr></blockquote>

The hole in the frame indicates that the pistol was at one time modified for a magazine safety. That was standard for pistols used by the police. When the magazine was withdrawn from the gun, a piece of metal moved into position behind the trigger and prevented the gun from firing because the trigger couldn't be depressed far enough to release the firing pin.

The sear bar on early (pre-1916 and some 1916 pistols) Lugers had a long raised part on the side that would not allow the action to be opened if the safety was in position. A modification for new pistols that began in 1916 and was also done on some older guns reduced the length of the raised portion and the action could be worked with the safety applied. It allowed removing a cartridge from the chamber in a safer manner than doing so with the safety disengaged.

10-28-2002, 12:50 AM	#2
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,736 Thanks: 819 Thanked 1,769 Times in 586 Posts	[quote]Originally posted by merc: <strong>My Erfurt has a hole in the frame just above and rearward of the trigger. The DWM does not have a hole in this spot. Also the DWM has a longer bar on the top slide where the safety bar comes up than the Erfurt. Is this normal?</strong><hr></blockquote> The hole in the frame indicates that the pistol was at one time modified for a magazine safety. That was standard for pistols used by the police. When the magazine was withdrawn from the gun, a piece of metal moved into position behind the trigger and prevented the gun from firing because the trigger couldn't be depressed far enough to release the firing pin. The sear bar on early (pre-1916 and some 1916 pistols) Lugers had a long raised part on the side that would not allow the action to be opened if the safety was in position. A modification for new pistols that began in 1916 and was also done on some older guns reduced the length of the raised portion and the action could be worked with the safety applied. It allowed removing a cartridge from the chamber in a safer manner than doing so with the safety disengaged.