Opening the action with the safety on??

G.T. · 05-27-2006, 10:27 PM

Hello to all, If you've handled enough P.08's you do some strange, and sometimes unfortunate, things, when disassembling and reassembling your Luger... Ones that readily come to mind, is/are trying to rotate the takedown lever with out pushing back on the receiver, or, trying to pull the top half off without removing the clip, or right after that, watching the clip go screaming out of the gun to land on either the bottom, (if bakelite) or the feedlips if any other type of clip... you get the idea.. Well this afternoon, I reassembled a regular matching Mauser P.08, and after it was together, I applied the safety, and without thinking pulled the toggle back.. I heard an audible click and thought it was unusual?? Realizing I had the safety applied I thought I had harmed the pistol, although I seem to remember early Lugers where you couldn't pull the toggle back with even Gods help when the safety was on!!! I disassembled the unit again and saw nothing unusual, so I repeated the exercise... this time I saw the whole sear bar move out parallel with the receiver... Are P.08's with relieved searbars designed this way?? I know they were relieved to unload a cocked gun with the safety engaged.. but what about one where the striker is forward?? Are the grip safety guns this way also?? Let me know if any others have messed with this when fitting parts and such... Best to all, til....lat'r....GT

G.T. · 05-27-2006, 11:48 PM

Hi Tac, Nope... I clear every firearm I ever have in my hands, every time...whether you hand it to me..or I hand it to myself... or even when someone else just cleared it... It still gets checked!!! As far as dropping the clip... usually not on collector guns that come out of my safe, everything else YES!! ... BUT, I do look in, not just rack the action... We're taught pretty well in the Dakotas... I grew up in a gun shop... and hunting was almost an everyday occurance in season.. plinking everyday outside the seasons... The issues I'm posting are about after you've tinkered and messed with the gun, probably for quite some time... as sometimes is the case with P.08's....for unsafe gun handling, you'll have to look elsewhere!!...

Best to you Tac...til...lat'r.....GT

Ron Wood · 05-28-2006, 01:39 AM

Even with a relieved sear bar, if the gun is uncocked (the striker is forward) and the safety is on, it should be impossible to **** the gun. As you stated, the relieved sear bar is designed to be able to clear a loaded, cocked gun with the safety on. It would seem that you have a worn sear bar with considerable play in the pivot notch.

G.T. · 05-28-2006, 12:26 PM

Hi Tac! Absolutely none taken, it's a constant vigil... You are most correct in area of safe gun handling, there is no substitute for "The right way" .... many surprised, injured, and dead people have learned the hard way... Actually, I read your posts quite actively, never a dull moment when you have a point to make!

BTW, If you are ever in the SW US Phoenix desert area.. give me a heads up and spend a day!!.. I have a good selection of nice weapons to shoot... and always plenty of ammo, and targets.. and, plenty of steaks in fridge to substitute for the hunted paper game... If we look deep enough, I'm sure we could find your favorite beverage also... as we look over collectibles!
Ron, you know you're always invited!! And, it would seem that your assessment is correct, I tried it with several more guns and couldn't even get close... I disassembled the gun, and there is evidence of the firing pin edge and the sear edge going over one another, but the profiles are still pretty sharp, the take up seems normal, and the trigger breaks clean... The safety works fine, and the gun cannot be fired with the safety bar up across the sear bar... I'm going to mess with it some more this afternoon, replace the firing pin first (shows the most wear), sear second... I do not suspect an unsafe condition? But need to know more first...I'll post what I find.. Anyone else ever encounter this?? Best to all, til....lat'r......GT

G.T. · 05-28-2006, 02:51 PM

After another disassembly.. looks like just a bit off of both the sear and firing pin.. could be wear, more likely someone tuned the trigger.. good way to check for this at a show.. I think there is only about .010" that keeps all of them from cocking with the firing pin ahead, and the safety on... A different firing pin (worked on this one), or sear will clean it up... Best to all, til.... lat'r....GT Thanks Ron, you were right on, as always!!!

05-27-2006, 10:27 PM	#1
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,502 Thanks: 1,318 Thanked 3,639 Times in 1,001 Posts	Opening the action with the safety on?? Hello to all, If you've handled enough P.08's you do some strange, and sometimes unfortunate, things, when disassembling and reassembling your Luger... Ones that readily come to mind, is/are trying to rotate the takedown lever with out pushing back on the receiver, or, trying to pull the top half off without removing the clip, or right after that, watching the clip go screaming out of the gun to land on either the bottom, (if bakelite) or the feedlips if any other type of clip... you get the idea.. Well this afternoon, I reassembled a regular matching Mauser P.08, and after it was together, I applied the safety, and without thinking pulled the toggle back.. I heard an audible click and thought it was unusual?? Realizing I had the safety applied I thought I had harmed the pistol, although I seem to remember early Lugers where you couldn't pull the toggle back with even Gods help when the safety was on!!! I disassembled the unit again and saw nothing unusual, so I repeated the exercise... this time I saw the whole sear bar move out parallel with the receiver... Are P.08's with relieved searbars designed this way?? I know they were relieved to unload a cocked gun with the safety engaged.. but what about one where the striker is forward?? Are the grip safety guns this way also?? Let me know if any others have messed with this when fitting parts and such... Best to all, til....lat'r....GT

05-27-2006, 11:48 PM	#2
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,502 Thanks: 1,318 Thanked 3,639 Times in 1,001 Posts	Clearing weapons!! Hi Tac, Nope... I clear every firearm I ever have in my hands, every time...whether you hand it to me..or I hand it to myself... or even when someone else just cleared it... It still gets checked!!! As far as dropping the clip... usually not on collector guns that come out of my safe, everything else YES!! ... BUT, I do look in, not just rack the action... We're taught pretty well in the Dakotas... I grew up in a gun shop... and hunting was almost an everyday occurance in season.. plinking everyday outside the seasons... The issues I'm posting are about after you've tinkered and messed with the gun, probably for quite some time... as sometimes is the case with P.08's....for unsafe gun handling, you'll have to look elsewhere!!... Best to you Tac...til...lat'r.....GT

05-28-2006, 01:39 AM	#3
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,010 Thanks: 1,088 Thanked 5,149 Times in 1,694 Posts	Even with a relieved sear bar, if the gun is uncocked (the striker is forward) and the safety is on, it should be impossible to **** the gun. As you stated, the relieved sear bar is designed to be able to clear a loaded, cocked gun with the safety on. It would seem that you have a worn sear bar with considerable play in the pivot notch. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

05-28-2006, 12:26 PM	#4
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,502 Thanks: 1,318 Thanked 3,639 Times in 1,001 Posts	Clearing weapons! Hi Tac! Absolutely none taken, it's a constant vigil... You are most correct in area of safe gun handling, there is no substitute for "The right way" .... many surprised, injured, and dead people have learned the hard way... Actually, I read your posts quite actively, never a dull moment when you have a point to make! BTW, If you are ever in the SW US Phoenix desert area.. give me a heads up and spend a day!!.. I have a good selection of nice weapons to shoot... and always plenty of ammo, and targets.. and, plenty of steaks in fridge to substitute for the hunted paper game... If we look deep enough, I'm sure we could find your favorite beverage also... as we look over collectibles! Ron, you know you're always invited!! And, it would seem that your assessment is correct, I tried it with several more guns and couldn't even get close... I disassembled the gun, and there is evidence of the firing pin edge and the sear edge going over one another, but the profiles are still pretty sharp, the take up seems normal, and the trigger breaks clean... The safety works fine, and the gun cannot be fired with the safety bar up across the sear bar... I'm going to mess with it some more this afternoon, replace the firing pin first (shows the most wear), sear second... I do not suspect an unsafe condition? But need to know more first...I'll post what I find.. Anyone else ever encounter this?? Best to all, til....lat'r......GT

05-28-2006, 02:51 PM	#5
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,502 Thanks: 1,318 Thanked 3,639 Times in 1,001 Posts	After another disassembly.. looks like just a bit off of both the sear and firing pin.. could be wear, more likely someone tuned the trigger.. good way to check for this at a show.. I think there is only about .010" that keeps all of them from cocking with the firing pin ahead, and the safety on... A different firing pin (worked on this one), or sear will clean it up... Best to all, til.... lat'r....GT Thanks Ron, you were right on, as always!!!