Dismantling or not Luger magazine?

SIGP2101 · 10-26-2007, 03:55 PM

Dismantling old original Luger magazine for the purpose of cleaning and greasing it, will it destroy its collectible value?

policeluger · 10-26-2007, 04:05 PM

I would not tamper with them, can be cleaned and air dried with compressed air just fine....

SIGP2101 · 10-26-2007, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by policeluger
I would not tamper with them, can be cleaned and air dried with compressed air just fine....

But I have urge to remove internal rust. It bugs me soooo much.

Edward Tinker · 10-26-2007, 04:23 PM

I know lots of collectors that take things alllll the way apart because of these urges. Afraid I don't have those urges as much anymore, I have screwed things up by messing with them, taking them apart etc.

Unless you really know what you are doing, a person can always tell you took the bottom off, and although it doesn't hurt the collector value that much, it makes me leery as a collector in buying it (as I wonder if the bottom has thus been replaced).

Ed

policeluger · 10-26-2007, 05:40 PM

If you must take it apart, contact GT here on the forum, see links and resources to the left side of screen.....having been in gun smith business for 34 years, and Luger collector, he is the only one I would trust to take it apart and put together, and a very good guy to boot....best of luck

StarOfTheWest · 12-02-2007, 02:34 PM

I have taken down old Luger mags for cleaning, and nothing bad has happened.
Just be sure to remember, "Never force anything, handle with care".

Amazing how filthy some mags were.

Alx · 12-13-2007, 09:16 PM

by just using the luger tool to compress the spring, and hold it there by hand, you can use a bore brush to clean most of the inside of the mag tube from the top.

Heinz · 12-14-2007, 09:53 AM

At one time member GT made an excellent set of tools for reworking magazines. I think he was a bit disappointed that folks did not realize how good and how needed they were. The following photos will show a GT swage and block tool at work for disassembling a magazine and remocing dents. I
f you contact GT he may still have one of these or he will be happy to use his on your magazine for a reasonable charge. What is involved in doing this task right requires the ricgt tools and techniques

first the before mag

the lower half

and the tools

Heinz · 12-14-2007, 10:16 AM

The first task is to disassemble the mag. I use a drill press to hold the pin and the GT block to hold the mag. The bottom pin is carefully puahed out.

the set up

from the side

The pin being pushed using the drill press as an arbor press

The pin removed

Heinz · 12-14-2007, 10:29 AM

At this point the bottom and spring can be removed

Next we slide the mag follower down and reset the mag on the block and align the follower button with the removal hole

The button is pushed out just like the follower pin was using the larger diameter pin punch mounted in the drill press

and the mag is gutted.

Heinz · 12-14-2007, 10:44 AM

If the mag tube is beat up, as this one was, you can use the swage to push through the tube and work the dents out as you go. This photo shows how beat up the bottom of the mag tube was.

Swage up on the vise for some serious nudging. It helps if you have hammer experince tapping out dents

reassembly starts wit presing the mag button back into the mag follower.
I now do this with a dowel rod chucked up in the drill press and the mag in the block. Be very careful if you use a vise as shown and note that I have the swage supporting the mag tube during the push

Heinz · 12-14-2007, 10:58 AM

This is the mag after. SOme damage from earlier clumsy pin removal remains but the mag has 95% of the damage removed and functions perfectly. I could have gone to a larger pin on the bottom and removed the hole distortion, but I prefer the history too show a bit. Also note the hole that shows in this photo is the one used to remove the button on the mag follower from the tube.

Dwight Gruber · 12-14-2007, 01:16 PM

Heinz,

An excelent photo tutorial, and also a terrific presentation of Gerry Tomek's fine tools. Thanks very much for taking the time and effort to show us all this.

--Dwight

Edward Tinker · 12-14-2007, 02:13 PM

I am going to copy this, then take it down to heinz's tutorial and sticky it (no offense to anyone else who posted).

Ed

10-26-2007, 03:55 PM	#1
SIGP2101 User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 256 Thanks: 74 Thanked 67 Times in 32 Posts	Dismantling or not Luger magazine? Dismantling old original Luger magazine for the purpose of cleaning and greasing it, will it destroy its collectible value?

10-26-2007, 04:23 PM	#4
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	I know lots of collectors that take things alllll the way apart because of these urges. Afraid I don't have those urges as much anymore, I have screwed things up by messing with them, taking them apart etc. Unless you really know what you are doing, a person can always tell you took the bottom off, and although it doesn't hurt the collector value that much, it makes me leery as a collector in buying it (as I wonder if the bottom has thus been replaced). 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

12-14-2007, 02:13 PM	#14
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	I am going to copy this, then take it down to heinz's tutorial and sticky it (no offense to anyone else who posted). 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

10-26-2007, 04:05 PM	#2
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	I would not tamper with them, can be cleaned and air dried with compressed air just fine....

10-26-2007, 05:40 PM	#5
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	If you must take it apart, contact GT here on the forum, see links and resources to the left side of screen.....having been in gun smith business for 34 years, and Luger collector, he is the only one I would trust to take it apart and put together, and a very good guy to boot....best of luck

12-02-2007, 02:34 PM	#6
StarOfTheWest User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: East Texas, CSA Posts: 208 Thanks: 81 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	I have taken down old Luger mags for cleaning, and nothing bad has happened. Just be sure to remember, "Never force anything, handle with care". Amazing how filthy some mags were.

12-13-2007, 09:16 PM	#7
Alx User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Nashville, Tennessee area Posts: 263 Thanks: 5 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	by just using the luger tool to compress the spring, and hold it there by hand, you can use a bore brush to clean most of the inside of the mag tube from the top.

12-14-2007, 09:53 AM	#8
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 411 Times in 180 Posts	At one time member GT made an excellent set of tools for reworking magazines. I think he was a bit disappointed that folks did not realize how good and how needed they were. The following photos will show a GT swage and block tool at work for disassembling a magazine and remocing dents. I f you contact GT he may still have one of these or he will be happy to use his on your magazine for a reasonable charge. What is involved in doing this task right requires the ricgt tools and techniques first the before mag the lower half and the tools

12-14-2007, 10:16 AM	#9
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 411 Times in 180 Posts	The first task is to disassemble the mag. I use a drill press to hold the pin and the GT block to hold the mag. The bottom pin is carefully puahed out. the set up from the side The pin being pushed using the drill press as an arbor press The pin removed

12-14-2007, 10:29 AM	#10
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 411 Times in 180 Posts	At this point the bottom and spring can be removed Next we slide the mag follower down and reset the mag on the block and align the follower button with the removal hole The button is pushed out just like the follower pin was using the larger diameter pin punch mounted in the drill press and the mag is gutted.

12-14-2007, 10:44 AM	#11
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 411 Times in 180 Posts	If the mag tube is beat up, as this one was, you can use the swage to push through the tube and work the dents out as you go. This photo shows how beat up the bottom of the mag tube was. Swage up on the vise for some serious nudging. It helps if you have hammer experince tapping out dents reassembly starts wit presing the mag button back into the mag follower. I now do this with a dowel rod chucked up in the drill press and the mag in the block. Be very careful if you use a vise as shown and note that I have the swage supporting the mag tube during the push

12-14-2007, 10:58 AM	#12
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 411 Times in 180 Posts	This is the mag after. SOme damage from earlier clumsy pin removal remains but the mag has 95% of the damage removed and functions perfectly. I could have gone to a larger pin on the bottom and removed the hole distortion, but I prefer the history too show a bit. Also note the hole that shows in this photo is the one used to remove the button on the mag follower from the tube.

12-14-2007, 01:16 PM	#13
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Heinz, An excelent photo tutorial, and also a terrific presentation of Gerry Tomek's fine tools. Thanks very much for taking the time and effort to show us all this. --Dwight