P08 Cutaway View

[sheepherder]

Hmmm, found this in my NRA Book Of Small Arms, Vol 1, Pistols and Revolvers,copyright 1946 4th printing 1953...

Interesting, some things I had more or less unconsciously assumed but interesting to see illustrated...

- Magazine at full coilbind with 7 rounds
- Firing pin spring guide & firing pin relation at full c0ck
- Interior of breechblock showing firing pin recess
- Extractor pivot

638 page book, hard cover, chock full of pictures & illustrations...

[DonVoigt]

Must be someone's imagination of how the magazine would look, it is pretty obvious that the mag spring must have some compression left at 7 rounds, if the mag is to hold 8.

One would call it "poetic" license if it were a poem; but I think it is a reverse engineered drawing and not quite correct. JMHO.

But then it could be a 7 round magazine, and the round in the chamber got there some other way than from the magazine as drawn.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

it is pretty obvious that the mag spring must have some compression left at 7 rounds, if the mag is to hold 8.

Do original Luger magazines really hold 8 rounds???

My 1900AE will only hold 7 rounds. It will depress maybe another 1/8" before coilbind, but not enough for an 8th round...

My Mec-Gar mags will hold 8 rds...That 1900AE mag is the only original Luger mag I have...

If you experts agree that original Luger magazines hold 8 rounds, I will happily pull this thread...

Can't have erroneous data on the forum...

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Do original Luger magazines really hold 8 rounds???

My 1900AE will only hold 7 rounds. It will depress maybe another 1/8" before coilbind, but not enough for an 8th round...

My Mec-Gar mags will hold 8 rds...That 1900AE mag is the only original Luger mag I have...

If you experts agree that original Luger magazines hold 8 rounds, I will happily pull this thread...

Can't have erroneous data on the forum...

Hi,

Per the original German operating manuals and sales ads, all factory original German manufacture magazines hold 8 rounds, either 7.65 or 9mm. The hogwash that original magazines only held 7 rounds goes around now and then, though.

If we stay with the original German documents, we will get the truth.

Sieger

[sheepherder]

This is not a problem, comrades...We will just increase the magazine capacity...

Never let it be said that we in the People's Republic are less than obliging...

[sheepherder]

...Cutaway 'Pocket' P08...

(Hmmmm...I'm almost tempted to make one of these...)

[DonVoigt]

Cool for sure.

I'll be posting my "shorty" when I get all the pieces back!
It is going to have a really neat scalloped toggle piece.

I am only just a little worried about getting the mainspring correct in length and "power", as it is also shortened to fit the short grip frame.

Since it has been done by others, I'm sure it can be accomplished.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

I am only just a little worried about getting the mainspring correct in length and "power", as it is also shortened to fit the short grip frame.

Since it has been done by others, I'm sure it can be accomplished.

Count the coils on the 'pocket' Luger that Thor did...I count 12 and maybe a half or a quarter...But the length would depend on how long the mainspring guide was...

Ron Wood has one as well...I saw it here some time back but it had grips on it already...

[Edward Tinker]

Originally Posted by Sieger

Hi,

Per the original German operating manuals and sales ads, all factory original German manufacture magazines hold 8 rounds, either 7.65 or 9mm. The hogwash that original magazines only held 7 rounds goes around now and then, though.

If we stay with the original German documents, we will get the truth.

Sieger

you guys must be better at forcing than me

at a show, if someone asks, I tell them, it is supposed to be 8 rounds, but I can only get 7 in - guess that hogwash comes from me...

[sheepherder]

It's a long book, but strangely organized...Instead of alphabetical, it's in caliber order...

here's a couple more...I suppose these magazines are pessimistic too...

[sheepherder]

A couple more...

Even though I own a Tokarev clone, I was not aware that there was a spring inside the hammer...

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

you guys must be better at forcing than me

at a show, if someone asks, I tell them, it is supposed to be 8 rounds, but I can only get 7 in - guess that hogwash comes from me...

Some hold 8 easily, some don't.
I suspect the springs may have been changed in the ones that do not have room for 8 rounds.

For me it is usually impossible to insert a mag with 8 rounds in a luger with the bolt closed. No room for the cartridge column to compress that extra "little bit" that is needed to latch in.

Aftermarket mags - some 7 some 8.

[ithacaartist]

We might call the 7-rounders "New York Style" mags! Post the flippin' S.A.F.E. Act, unless one is at a sponsored event at the range, seven rounds is the max for loading any magazine. I don't know what the double-stack guys do--ten rounds is the legal capacity for any mag since this executive action went into effect. All mags of greater capacity are by now supposed to have been destroyed, permanently modified to hold the legal limit or fewer, or turned in to a dealer for sale/shipping out-of-state.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

I suspect the springs may have been changed in the ones that do not have room for 8 rounds.

My 1900AE came with an original wooden bottom, but it was quite damaged and had chunks missing. I asked a member of the forum to upgrade it for me with a new bottom. A new spring may have been added; I don't recall.

I have a couple replacement wood bottoms from various sources; they may or may not be to "Luger specs". The one in my AE mag may be thicker in the spring pocket than an original; the spring may have more coils, whatever. Eight won't go in.

I have several sets of Wolff springs, but I don't have an original to compare them to, as to wire diameter, number of coils, etc. But I have noticed that Wolff spring wire diameter is not the same as German (or Japanese) wire diameter [Metric?].

There also seems to be no standard for measuring spring weight. Some mfgs express it as the weight required to compress the spring one inch; other mfgs show it as weight required to compress to coilbind. I don't trust any of Wolff's measurements. But they're new wire which is a big improvement over 70+ year old wire (or 110+ year old wire).

[Zorba]

FWIW, I have several mags from various sources - over half of them hold only 7 rds - I know all my Tri-Kays are 7 rounders, a couple of others may be also.

OTOH, a brand new Mec-Gar and a 19-teens Erfurt mag both hold 8.

Thanx for posting the cutaways - esp. the one showing the KING of ALL handguns, the Nambu!

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by zormpas

Thanx for posting the cutaways - esp. the one showing the KING of ALL handguns, the Nambu!

WHAT!!!!????

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

Thanx for posting the cutaways - esp. the one showing the KING of ALL handguns, the Nambu!

Originally Posted by kurusu

WHAT!!!!????

Perhaps "Prince of Handguns", with the Luger being the "Princess"...

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Perhaps "Prince of Handguns", with the Luger being the "Princess"...

Baronet at the most.

And wait till John Sabato finds this out.

edit: Apparently he already did but decided to be most gracious about it.

[John Sabato]

...Maybe the "Don King" of all handguns... (i.e., self-promoter)

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by kurusu

Baronet at the most.

Isn't that something you stick on the end of a Japanese rifle???