shooting the imperial lugers

thorston · 11-21-2003, 02:17 PM

Hi all,

I'm new to this.

I was told that shooting modern rounds in lugers will deteriorate them as the springs are too week.

What's all that about

Thanks

Thorston

John Sabato · 11-21-2003, 02:40 PM

Thorston,

Just from an age perspective, I would put all new springs in any Pre-WW2 Luger that I wanted to shoot. Restoring the springs to original specs will just insure that any punishement dealt out to the gun by shooting is minimized... and as far as wear and tear goes... shooting deteriorates all guns even those made today.

After all everything wears out.

Remember that the Imperial Lugers are nearing a century in age... the metallurgy of that period while the best of the time, can't compare to the alloys and methods used today for manufacture and heat treating... Simple advice...If it is a shooter? Then shoot it...and enjoy it... If it is a serious collectable, then don't shoot it except on occasion because each shot diminishes it's life...

I don't own anything that I can't shoot... simply because I don't have the financial resources to buy stuff to put on the shelf and admire... if I did, I am sure I would.

Thor · 11-21-2003, 02:42 PM

A WWII vented firing pin is a good idea too to help prevent breechblock destruction if a primer should be pierced with an over pressure round.

Navy · 11-21-2003, 03:51 PM

If you are shooting a *nice* Imperial era gun and wish to minimize downside risk of damage, replace the following original parts with modern replacements:

1. Springs as noted
2. Fluted firing pin as noted
3. Extractor
4. Ejector
5. Grips

Be certain to use correct ammo; you start shooting that hot Czech subgun ammo and you will beat your pistol to death quickly. I would use off the shelf commercial loads, mid range, avoiding the sooper dooper loads as well as the under powered factory Winchester/Remington/Federal stuff; it just doesn't have enough oomph to make the toggle cycle crisply.

Tom A.

Pete Ebbink · 11-21-2003, 03:55 PM

If it is an early Imperial luger with the flat riband main spring, are modern-day replacements for those available...?

If not, maybe hold off on shooting any of the earlier Imperials...?

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Lonnie Zimmerman · 11-22-2003, 02:15 PM

I watched Dwight Gruber shoot about 200 rounds thru three different Lugers with "underpowered" Winchester white box and he never had one problem, and I believe his springs were original. 1100 fps isn"t underpowered.
Lonnie

AGE · 11-22-2003, 11:03 PM

I shoot a Thor restored 1915 DWM (with fluted firing pin) and a 1936 shooter Mauser using only Wally-Mart (white box) bulk 9 mm ammo. They work perfectly with Mec-Gar magazines. Springs may or may not be original but I never changed them.

Vlim · 11-24-2003, 08:36 AM

Hi,

My 1906-pattern Dutch luger very much likes 115gr S&B off-the-shelf ammo.

I did replace the firing pin with a fluted one, springs are unchanged, but note that this particular gun was arsenal-reworked somewhere in the 1945-1950 period.

lugerholsterrepair · 11-29-2003, 10:16 PM

All, I just got back from the range with my parts Artillery and Tom is right. My extractor broke and fell out. All of the parts in the top cannon were matching and I hated to lose the extractor but it is a shooter. Now I have to acquire a new one. Replace those parts you do not want to lose! Jerry Burney

Navy · 11-29-2003, 10:30 PM

Jerry My 173D Bud,

My deepest sympathies on your loss.
Tom A.

luger11 · 11-30-2003, 06:09 PM

To all concerned, last weekend fellow collector Derek Seltzer and myself went to an indoor shooting range with two 06 navys one equiped with a shoulder stock and a early issue 4 inch barrel. All functioned perfectly with "store bought ammo"
In my oppinion the early 4 inch out shot the navies hands down, the stocked gun was very difficult to shoot, with the stock lug and grip safty in each others way. The unstocked navy was easier to shoot but I found the 4 inch far more accurate at 25 yds. The three of these weapons were "off the shelf" of Dereks extensive collection.
To sum it all up We had a ball. Leo

11-21-2003, 02:17 PM	#1
thorston User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: old Europe Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	shooting the imperial lugers Hi all, I'm new to this. I was told that shooting modern rounds in lugers will deteriorate them as the springs are too week. What's all that about Thanks Thorston

11-21-2003, 02:40 PM	#2
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,153 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Thorston, Just from an age perspective, I would put all new springs in any Pre-WW2 Luger that I wanted to shoot. Restoring the springs to original specs will just insure that any punishement dealt out to the gun by shooting is minimized... and as far as wear and tear goes... shooting deteriorates all guns even those made today. After all everything wears out. Remember that the Imperial Lugers are nearing a century in age... the metallurgy of that period while the best of the time, can't compare to the alloys and methods used today for manufacture and heat treating... Simple advice...If it is a shooter? Then shoot it...and enjoy it... If it is a serious collectable, then don't shoot it except on occasion because each shot diminishes it's life... I don't own anything that I can't shoot... simply because I don't have the financial resources to buy stuff to put on the shelf and admire... if I did, I am sure I would. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

11-21-2003, 02:42 PM	#3
Thor User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico Posts: 4,583 Thanks: 958 Thanked 970 Times in 276 Posts	A WWII vented firing pin is a good idea too to help prevent breechblock destruction if a primer should be pierced with an over pressure round. __________________ Thor's Luger Clinic http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/ Ted Green (Thor Yaller Boots) 725 Western Hills Dr SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 915-526-8925 Email thor340@aol.com ----------------------------------- John3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

11-22-2003, 02:15 PM	#6
Lonnie Zimmerman User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 523 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I watched Dwight Gruber shoot about 200 rounds thru three different Lugers with "underpowered" Winchester white box and he never had one problem, and I believe his springs were original. 1100 fps isn"t underpowered. Lonnie __________________ Lonnie Zimmerman

11-22-2003, 11:03 PM	#7
AGE User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 597 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I shoot a Thor restored 1915 DWM (with fluted firing pin) and a 1936 shooter Mauser using only Wally-Mart (white box) bulk 9 mm ammo. They work perfectly with Mec-Gar magazines. Springs may or may not be original but I never changed them. __________________ Al Eggers (AGE) NRA Life Member

11-21-2003, 03:51 PM	#4
Navy RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dc 'burbs in Virginia Posts: 2,482 Thanks: 0 Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts	If you are shooting a nice Imperial era gun and wish to minimize downside risk of damage, replace the following original parts with modern replacements: 1. Springs as noted 2. Fluted firing pin as noted 3. Extractor 4. Ejector 5. Grips Be certain to use correct ammo; you start shooting that hot Czech subgun ammo and you will beat your pistol to death quickly. I would use off the shelf commercial loads, mid range, avoiding the sooper dooper loads as well as the under powered factory Winchester/Remington/Federal stuff; it just doesn't have enough oomph to make the toggle cycle crisply. Tom A.

11-21-2003, 03:55 PM	#5
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	If it is an early Imperial luger with the flat riband main spring, are modern-day replacements for those available...? If not, maybe hold off on shooting any of the earlier Imperials...? Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

11-24-2003, 08:36 AM	#8
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,988 Times in 1,205 Posts	Hi, My 1906-pattern Dutch luger very much likes 115gr S&B off-the-shelf ammo. I did replace the firing pin with a fluted one, springs are unchanged, but note that this particular gun was arsenal-reworked somewhere in the 1945-1950 period.

11-29-2003, 10:16 PM	#9
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,770 Thanks: 4,907 Thanked 3,122 Times in 1,433 Posts	All, I just got back from the range with my parts Artillery and Tom is right. My extractor broke and fell out. All of the parts in the top cannon were matching and I hated to lose the extractor but it is a shooter. Now I have to acquire a new one. Replace those parts you do not want to lose! Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

11-29-2003, 10:30 PM	#10
Navy RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dc 'burbs in Virginia Posts: 2,482 Thanks: 0 Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts	Jerry My 173D Bud, My deepest sympathies on your loss. Tom A.

11-30-2003, 06:09 PM	#11
luger11 User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 149 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	To all concerned, last weekend fellow collector Derek Seltzer and myself went to an indoor shooting range with two 06 navys one equiped with a shoulder stock and a early issue 4 inch barrel. All functioned perfectly with "store bought ammo" In my oppinion the early 4 inch out shot the navies hands down, the stocked gun was very difficult to shoot, with the stock lug and grip safty in each others way. The unstocked navy was easier to shoot but I found the 4 inch far more accurate at 25 yds. The three of these weapons were "off the shelf" of Dereks extensive collection. To sum it all up We had a ball. Leo