[Johnny Peppers]

The extractor should hold the cartridge firmly against the breech face with the toggle locked in battery. This was the way General Hatcher explained firing .380ACP in a Luger in his book "Hatcher's Notebook". Even though there is more than .07 inch excessive headspace using the .380 cartridge, it still fires normally due to the extractor holding the cartridge in place against the breech face. The firing pin may have been fluted to allow excess gas to escape due to a blown or pierced primer, but where was the gas to escape to? The firing pin is fluted on only three sides and the only place for the gas to escape is out the slot in the left side of the breechblock, but the left side of the firing pin is the only side without a flute. The Luger was never designed to fire a cartridge by dropping it in the chamber, but rather by the cartridge being fed out of a magazine.

I don't think much information will be gained from dropping a cartridge in the chamber and then letting the breechblock down on it. Remove the firing pin and the extractor, put a cartridge in the chamber, bring the breechblock into locked position, and see if there is then any sign of excessive headspace. Just my guess, but I tend to believe that the firing pin spring retainer just broke as parts are prone to do after much use rather than an excessive headspace condition. Even breechblocks have been known to crack even though everything appeared normal. Fatigue happens.