Toggle. Hold open question.

Jim Mac · 09-05-2014, 01:33 AM

I finally called took a my 1918 dwm luger put today. I bought a new mec gar mag and brought along a older mecgar mag. Qell the new mag worked great. No ftf. Fteject, stovepipes etc. The older mag however would not hold the toggle open after the last round. Is there anything I can look for in the magazine to see what activates the hold open? I did the have two failure to feed with the old mag. The bullet stovepiped and when I pulled the toggle back it just ejected the unfired round. Otherwise Im very happy with my shooter luger. Jim

John Sabato · 09-05-2014, 08:15 AM

The hold open is activated by the loading button on the magazine follower when it rises to the highest position when the last round is chambered and fired. Compare the buttons on the two magazines that you have to find out why one isn't working properly. If you remove the right grip you can watch the function operate.

It is possible that the older magazine has an oversize button that rubs the inside of the grip and prevents the button from rising high enough to move the hold open. You can test this by test firing the gun without the right grip installed.

If your magazine requires repairs, I recommend you send it to "GT" who will rebuild it to specs with new springs.

Jim Mac · 09-05-2014, 10:04 AM

Thank you for the information. I did replace the grips with a set of reprodution wooden grips that needed some fitting. I could feel the grip wanting to lift away from the frame as the magazine was inserted. I may have to do a little more sanding on it. That may explain the failure to feed also. Since I planned on shooting it, i didnt want to beat up the factory grips being that they are almost 100 years old. The factory magazine holds it open too so mayne the button on this one magazine is a little taller. Jim

Jim Mac · 09-07-2014, 06:21 PM

I pulled the grip off and watched it work. It looks like the older mecgar mag just barely catches the lever to activate the hold open. Not sure how to fix it but I may put a dab of jbweld on the button to see is it works. If it does maybe put a bit of solder on it to help it engage it more positively. Jim

Norme · 09-07-2014, 06:27 PM

Hi Jim, You could lengthen the slot that the follower rides in with a rat tail file (round). This should allow the follower to rise up high enough to activate the hold-open.
Regards, Norm

Jim Mac · 09-07-2014, 11:24 PM

Thanks good idea. When I get a chance Ill do that. Jim

John Sabato · 09-08-2014, 10:39 AM

I would only do that if the button shaft now touches the top of the slot. You have to be careful in how much you remove, because the length of that slot is what protects the feed lips from the follower when the magazine is empty... Go slow, and don't remove more than is necessary to accomplish the hold open functionality.

Norme · 09-08-2014, 12:31 PM

Hi John, If the follower button shaft on Jim's magazine does not touch the top of the slot, there's no point lengthening it but there's no harm either. It's not the button shaft that limits the follower's upward movement, it's the two indents on each side of the magazine tube.
Best regards, Norm

09-05-2014, 01:33 AM	#1
Jim Mac User Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 264 Thanks: 2 Thanked 70 Times in 37 Posts	Toggle. Hold open question. I finally called took a my 1918 dwm luger put today. I bought a new mec gar mag and brought along a older mecgar mag. Qell the new mag worked great. No ftf. Fteject, stovepipes etc. The older mag however would not hold the toggle open after the last round. Is there anything I can look for in the magazine to see what activates the hold open? I did the have two failure to feed with the old mag. The bullet stovepiped and when I pulled the toggle back it just ejected the unfired round. Otherwise Im very happy with my shooter luger. Jim

09-05-2014, 08:15 AM	#2
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,309 Times in 1,098 Posts	The hold open is activated by the loading button on the magazine follower when it rises to the highest position when the last round is chambered and fired. Compare the buttons on the two magazines that you have to find out why one isn't working properly. If you remove the right grip you can watch the function operate. It is possible that the older magazine has an oversize button that rubs the inside of the grip and prevents the button from rising high enough to move the hold open. You can test this by test firing the gun without the right grip installed. If your magazine requires repairs, I recommend you send it to "GT" who will rebuild it to specs with new springs. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

09-08-2014, 10:39 AM	#7
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,309 Times in 1,098 Posts	I would only do that if the button shaft now touches the top of the slot. You have to be careful in how much you remove, because the length of that slot is what protects the feed lips from the follower when the magazine is empty... Go slow, and don't remove more than is necessary to accomplish the hold open functionality. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

09-05-2014, 10:04 AM	#3
Jim Mac User Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 264 Thanks: 2 Thanked 70 Times in 37 Posts	Thank you for the information. I did replace the grips with a set of reprodution wooden grips that needed some fitting. I could feel the grip wanting to lift away from the frame as the magazine was inserted. I may have to do a little more sanding on it. That may explain the failure to feed also. Since I planned on shooting it, i didnt want to beat up the factory grips being that they are almost 100 years old. The factory magazine holds it open too so mayne the button on this one magazine is a little taller. Jim

09-07-2014, 06:21 PM	#4
Jim Mac User Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 264 Thanks: 2 Thanked 70 Times in 37 Posts	I pulled the grip off and watched it work. It looks like the older mecgar mag just barely catches the lever to activate the hold open. Not sure how to fix it but I may put a dab of jbweld on the button to see is it works. If it does maybe put a bit of solder on it to help it engage it more positively. Jim

09-07-2014, 06:27 PM	#5
Norme Always A Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,417 Thanks: 226 Thanked 2,607 Times in 933 Posts	Hi Jim, You could lengthen the slot that the follower rides in with a rat tail file (round). This should allow the follower to rise up high enough to activate the hold-open. Regards, Norm

09-07-2014, 11:24 PM	#6
Jim Mac User Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 264 Thanks: 2 Thanked 70 Times in 37 Posts	Thanks good idea. When I get a chance Ill do that. Jim

09-08-2014, 12:31 PM	#8
Norme Always A Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,417 Thanks: 226 Thanked 2,607 Times in 933 Posts	Hi John, If the follower button shaft on Jim's magazine does not touch the top of the slot, there's no point lengthening it but there's no harm either. It's not the button shaft that limits the follower's upward movement, it's the two indents on each side of the magazine tube. Best regards, Norm