New to Lugers, here's mine. goal - decent shooter

[beaniam]

I picked this up yesterday at a local shop. Paid $475. Info I was given is that it is a parts mix Mauser. I'd love some more info though. I'm new to lugers so sorry if I get some of the terminology/part names wrong.


I really no nothing more about it other than that...
Here's the info I can provide... Top of chamber is marked 1940 over what looks to be an area ground off at some point. Left side of chamber 1656, front of frame above trigger guard 5195, trigger plate 01, toggle group 42, 36, right side of chamber 655 eagle markings, magazine FXO 37, bottom of barrel "made in germany".

I purchased this as I wanted an occasional shooter however the first time out today shooting american eagle 115gr fmj I got mostly failure to feeds and a few failure to extracts. Most often the toggle link would stay back like it was a last round hold open, sometimes it would stay halfway up until I tapped it forward to strip another round. The gun was thoroughly cleaned and lightly greased before the range trip.

I ordered the mixture of different weight wolff recoil springs as well as a new mecgar magazine as I didn't really want to start tearing the original magazine apart to replace the spring. I believe it also comes with striker springs however I didn't have any missfires. Just a lot of failure to strip a round and a few fails to eject. Are these good things to try changing out first? Any other suggestions? I've read some people have no problems shooting normal modern 115gr and others have to go with a 125gr ball ammo.

[Ron Wood]

You are on the right track for correcting firing problems. And wow, you hit a home run with a $475 purchase of a "shooter". That is a great price and leaves you a lot of room to make it fully functional. Go for it, you done good!

[cdmech]

Welcome!
I think you have a great looking Luger! Most folks here recomend Winchester "white box" ammo. My shooter hates it though. I get 100% reliability with PMC and Remington ammo. What I mean to say is try several different brands. No reason at all why you shouldn't be able to get it functioning with 115gr ammo. Congratulations,
Marc

[rhuff]

Did you remove the extractor and examine the tip of the extractor and the extractor spring? The extractor groove can really fill with "grunge" and need a through cleaning to aid the extractor function. The spring should be quite stout in it's function.

I think that you did excellent on your purchase, and I would have done the same in a heartbeat. They can be very ammo sensitive, like a .22 cal gun, so try different brands after your new springs and mag. I have had very good luck with PMC 115gr FMJ.

[beaniam]

Ok thanks for the pointers. As I expected the place I ordered the mecgar mag from emailed me to say it's out of stock. Backordered until oct 12. I was under the impression mecgar no longer made these though...

[beaniam]

Thanks now I do too.

[beaniam]

just swapped out the recoil, striker, extractor and trigger springs out for new ones. Put in a standard wolff recoil spring. The extractor looks to be in good shape and clean. Got the new mecgar mag. I'll take the 36 and 40lb springs with me to the range and see what happens. Hopefully make it there Sunday.

[Curly1]

Nice shooter priced right.

+1 on a vid changing springs at the range.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by postino

You're prepared to swap out mainsprings at the range???

Have a friend take pictures and time you...And post the results (of the mainspring swap) here...

It should make a good YouTube Tutorial video...

Postie,

I've found spring replacement not that difficult if you have the tool I made. It's an old screwdriver with a shank that's a close fit to the hole in the end of the guide rod. I heated and bent the shank so that the last 1/4" is perpendicular to the handle, and offset so that the push-pull lines up the axis of the guide rod with the axis of the tool's handle. This controls the whole setup pretty well because you're not dealing with extra torques presented by an offset, prependicularly applied force, just hooking it up and pushing it in. The little trick of pre-compressing the spring by winding it onto the guide rod helps, since this puts the rod's hooked end within a fraction of an inch of where it is to be located, before any force is applied at all. Then, line 'er up, give a little push, and hook the hook. A range pal can be the vise, stabilizing the gun on a sturdy, safe (non-marring) surface. Oh, and the takedown tool to remove the grips.

[beaniam]

Well I'm at the range now. I have swapped the recoil spring 2 times. I started with the stock weight new replacement. Then went to the 36lb, then went to the 40lb. I am still having the same issues with all of them. Fail to feeds and fail to ejects. Evenly mixed amounts. Changing the spring I use a straight pick, pliers, and a spent 22 casing to stuff in the spring while I spin the hook up the spring. Sorry no videos as I'm trying to do it quick to get a lot of shooting in. Not sure what to try next... I have the option of taking it back to the shop I got it from to have their smiths go over it but id much rather learn myself.

Forgot to mention I'm also using a brand new mecgar mag and I replaced the striker spring

[mrerick]

Have you paid attention to the firmness of your grip and support of the Luger when shooting it. They are quite sensitive to this.

Is there dirt and debris in the extractor well? Please post pictures of the breech block; it's face and the barrel's chamber entrance area...

Marc

[beaniam]

I've tried different grips, nothing seems to matter. Tried pushing the mag up while shooting, no change. Even tried limp wristing.
There's a little grime in the extractor well in these pictures but I haven't cleaned it since shooting. I started the day off with it spotless.

[DavidJayUden]

What ammo are you using, and again, what magazine?
dju

[beaniam]

Brand new Mecgar magazine. CCI brass blazer, remington umc, american eagle, and I had a handful of 120gr unknown make which also had issues.

[mrerick]

Hi Justin,

I was referring to the area under the extractor on top of the breech block. You'd have to remove the extractor, spring and pin to observe this area.

Does the pistol headspace properly? What does it look like with a cartridge case in battery?

How does the chamber look inside, particularly around the ridge that the cartridge front lip rests on?

There appears to be some blowback residue on the breech face top and along the base of the rear of the chamber. How tight or loose does an unfired cartridge case fit?

Marc

[beaniam]

I'll try to get some more pics tomorrow. An unfired round has a little slop in the chamber. Enough that you can just feel it knock back and forth slightly. I'm wondering if it is a barrel/chamber issue. The barrel looks to be a newer after market with a neatly stamped "made in germany" on the underside and no other markings.

[mrerick]

Take a look at this current posting:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=29066

His problem is related to having a Numrich Arms replacement breech block with a chamfer in the breech face. Could be that's what is happening with your pistol as well.

Marc

[beaniam]

It looks a little worn but it doesn't appear to have a chamfer. All of my fail to ejects end up being stovepipes. With just as many fail to feeds as ejects.

[DavidJayUden]

If all else fails box it up and send it to our Lugerdoc. He'll diagnose and fix it. Sometimes that is just the easiest way.
dju

[beaniam]

I decided to take it back to the shop I got it from to let their smith check it out. No cost to me so I guess I don't really have anything to lose.