Dwight:
You have presented quite a detailed analysis here. Now let me challenge it while defending my position.
Given that a magazine is not bent, the spring in it is not too weak, the follower is not catching on the interior of the magazine and the magazine is in otherwise perfect condition, try the following simple test:
1)Load 8 rounds of round nose ball to 1.10 OAL.
2)Load 8 rounds of round nose ball to 1.175 OAL
3)Fill the magazine.
4)Work the action by hand until the magazine is empty, noting how smoothly or roughly the action works with each test length. Take careful note of how the first three rounds "feel" when feeding.
Try your visual check of the first three rounds, noting how they sit just a split mm or so before they engage the lips of the magazine. Are they parallel to the lips or are they canted downwardly?
The short loaded cartridges will cant slightly downwardly. This is the essence of the AOL problem, as the cartridges ride up the inside of the magazine by touching it with their bullet tips and cartridge rims. Please note that a Luger's magazine is shorter inside than the average cartridge, thus causing them to step-feed up the magazine.
I wish curing the jamming problem were as easy as relacing a worn magazine. If this were the case, there should be no jamming Lugers out there today, as a new excellent quality magazine costs less than $20.00.
Sieger
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