First luger, first time shooting luger,trigger issue.

Leif Thoreson · 09-28-2013, 04:28 PM

Greetings one and all. I'm new here and new to owning a Luger. Last weekend I bought a 1937 Luger at a gun show. I've been looking for one for years but never had the money to buy. At the gun show there was one dealer who had a luger. I asked what he wanted for it. When the dealer told me what he wanted,which was half as much as any I've looked at I jumped on it. It has surface pitting and I'm guessing has been re blued since the pitting appear blue. Looks like it has all matching numbers , but the pitting has made the proofing marks unreadable.
Anyway I bought it as a shooter. Gave it a fair cleaning and took it to the range today. It had 2 issues. First the magazine appears to have some play. It can push up too far and hold the slide lock open. Once I figured that out I just pulled the mag down a centimeter or so.
The second issue was that the trigger wouldn't reset all the time. I was wondering if this might be a worn spring?

Edward Tinker · 09-28-2013, 04:35 PM

Many issues with shooting lugers is the magazine, so a good mag would see where the issue was.

For the trigger, well, it pushes against the sear and I have a heck of a time with this issue.

I would first check that the firing pin and breachblock is cleaned well (on the inside) and that it is decently oiled.

Welcome to the forum!!

Ed

Leif Thoreson · 09-28-2013, 05:02 PM

Ed.
Thanks. I also suspect the trigger issue may be resolved with a full tear down and cleaning. And I'm looking for another mag, as well as a firing pin. I want to put the matching numbered parts aside and save them.

Tony Min · 09-29-2013, 04:08 PM

I have been going through mine replacing springs as needed. There are some great Youtube videos on field stripping. Make sure you take the firing pin out and clean the heck out of it. I actually take the wooden grips off and spray the heck out of everything with brake cleaner. Then relube and reassemble. It doesn't hurt anything. Just don't get it on the wood.

Leif Thoreson · 09-29-2013, 11:54 PM

Tony, thanks. I've watched several videos so far. Luckily the mag I have has the original matching aluminum base. I've ordered a replacement mag and replacement firing pin(repro) .I want to set aside the matching serial parts.

Tony Min · 09-30-2013, 12:24 AM

G.T. is our magazine guru. I got his second to last Mec Gar mag and he has great replacement springs for mags.
Lugerdoc will have good firing pins and other parts you might need.
I replaced my springs with a spring kit from Wolff. But Lugerdoc has those as well. Replacing the recoil spring is a good idea. A soft spring will allow the toggle to hit the frame.
After these changes I haven't had one failure to feed or fire. These guns are great fun to shoot. Mine is super accurate at 25 yards. Shoot Winchester white box 115gr FMJ. I found a decent deal for 500 rounds on Gunbot.

Leif Thoreson · 09-30-2013, 07:51 AM

so do G.T. And Luger Doc have websites or do I just private message them and ask about parts?

alanint · 09-30-2013, 08:04 AM

Private message them. I would also agree that the trigger issue may be cleared up by completely cleaning the sear area and making sure that the little plunger on the sear bar moves freely.

mrerick · 09-30-2013, 10:08 AM

Hi Don, and welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your Luger .

As Doug mentioned, the disconnector is the small plunger at the front of the sear bar. If this sticks and doesn't push back out at the end of the firing cycle, the trigger will not appear to reset. The sear bar may require a soak in a good solvent, or there may be a problem with the plunger or it's return spring.

The correct operation of the receiver includes the magazine follower pushing up on a small hold open lever that is on the top of the frame. This is reset by a very small leaf spring that might be missing, mis-adjusted or broken. Take a good look at that part.

You should not have to drop a magazine a full centimeter to ensure proper cycling.

Marc

Leif Thoreson · 09-30-2013, 07:27 PM

Marc, A centimeter might be an over estimation. The issue us with the magazine follower. Looks like its worn into the top of the slit it rides in.

09-28-2013, 04:28 PM	#1
Leif Thoreson User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 24 Thanks: 3 Thanked 10 Times in 1 Post	First luger, first time shooting luger,trigger issue. Greetings one and all. I'm new here and new to owning a Luger. Last weekend I bought a 1937 Luger at a gun show. I've been looking for one for years but never had the money to buy. At the gun show there was one dealer who had a luger. I asked what he wanted for it. When the dealer told me what he wanted,which was half as much as any I've looked at I jumped on it. It has surface pitting and I'm guessing has been re blued since the pitting appear blue. Looks like it has all matching numbers , but the pitting has made the proofing marks unreadable. Anyway I bought it as a shooter. Gave it a fair cleaning and took it to the range today. It had 2 issues. First the magazine appears to have some play. It can push up too far and hold the slide lock open. Once I figured that out I just pulled the mag down a centimeter or so. The second issue was that the trigger wouldn't reset all the time. I was wondering if this might be a worn spring? Attached Thumbnails Attached Images

09-28-2013, 04:35 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,929 Thanks: 2,029 Thanked 4,527 Times in 2,090 Posts	Many issues with shooting lugers is the magazine, so a good mag would see where the issue was. For the trigger, well, it pushes against the sear and I have a heck of a time with this issue. I would first check that the firing pin and breachblock is cleaned well (on the inside) and that it is decently oiled. Welcome to the forum!! Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

09-30-2013, 10:08 AM	#9
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,909 Thanks: 1,374 Thanked 3,110 Times in 1,510 Posts	Hi Don, and welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your Luger . As Doug mentioned, the disconnector is the small plunger at the front of the sear bar. If this sticks and doesn't push back out at the end of the firing cycle, the trigger will not appear to reset. The sear bar may require a soak in a good solvent, or there may be a problem with the plunger or it's return spring. The correct operation of the receiver includes the magazine follower pushing up on a small hold open lever that is on the top of the frame. This is reset by a very small leaf spring that might be missing, mis-adjusted or broken. Take a good look at that part. You should not have to drop a magazine a full centimeter to ensure proper cycling. Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

09-28-2013, 05:02 PM	#3
Leif Thoreson User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 24 Thanks: 3 Thanked 10 Times in 1 Post	Ed. Thanks. I also suspect the trigger issue may be resolved with a full tear down and cleaning. And I'm looking for another mag, as well as a firing pin. I want to put the matching numbered parts aside and save them.

09-29-2013, 04:08 PM	#4
Tony Min User Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 169 Thanks: 0 Thanked 21 Times in 14 Posts	I have been going through mine replacing springs as needed. There are some great Youtube videos on field stripping. Make sure you take the firing pin out and clean the heck out of it. I actually take the wooden grips off and spray the heck out of everything with brake cleaner. Then relube and reassemble. It doesn't hurt anything. Just don't get it on the wood.

09-29-2013, 11:54 PM	#5
Leif Thoreson User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 24 Thanks: 3 Thanked 10 Times in 1 Post	Tony, thanks. I've watched several videos so far. Luckily the mag I have has the original matching aluminum base. I've ordered a replacement mag and replacement firing pin(repro) .I want to set aside the matching serial parts.

09-30-2013, 12:24 AM	#6
Tony Min User Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 169 Thanks: 0 Thanked 21 Times in 14 Posts	G.T. is our magazine guru. I got his second to last Mec Gar mag and he has great replacement springs for mags. Lugerdoc will have good firing pins and other parts you might need. I replaced my springs with a spring kit from Wolff. But Lugerdoc has those as well. Replacing the recoil spring is a good idea. A soft spring will allow the toggle to hit the frame. After these changes I haven't had one failure to feed or fire. These guns are great fun to shoot. Mine is super accurate at 25 yards. Shoot Winchester white box 115gr FMJ. I found a decent deal for 500 rounds on Gunbot.

09-30-2013, 07:51 AM	#7
Leif Thoreson User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 24 Thanks: 3 Thanked 10 Times in 1 Post	so do G.T. And Luger Doc have websites or do I just private message them and ask about parts?

09-30-2013, 08:04 AM	#8
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	Private message them. I would also agree that the trigger issue may be cleared up by completely cleaning the sear area and making sure that the little plunger on the sear bar moves freely.

09-30-2013, 07:27 PM	#10
Leif Thoreson User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 24 Thanks: 3 Thanked 10 Times in 1 Post	Marc, A centimeter might be an over estimation. The issue us with the magazine follower. Looks like its worn into the top of the slit it rides in.