Side plate retaining spring

jovis · 02-19-2007, 10:23 AM

Greetings members;
I have a question about my Luger, and I want to know if any out there ever saw what I am about to try to describe to you, ready ? Here goes.
I wanted to send a picture of this but my digital camera is,naturally, broken down at the moment, so whenever I get it either replaced or fixed, I will upload a picture here.
I have a 1917 DWM Luger. Serial # 4711. All #'s seem to match except one being on the safety block that pops up when you push down on the safety lever. The number on that is 82, when it should be, I guess ,11 , like every other part is numbered. (maybe the result of an old field repair somewhere)
Anyway the important question is: what is that part that resembles a type of retaining spring, that is situated on top of the trigger side plate? It is pinned on one end to the top rear of the barrel/reciever assembly and rests on the top of the side plate at the other. This looks like a leaf spring, pinned to the rear making a tight press fit on top of the side plate. It is 3/4 the width of the top of the side plate and extends almost (but not quite) all the way to the end/top of the plate. You have to lift the thing up slightly to be able to take the side plate off the pistol after pushing down on the side plate lever at the front. Very strange. Could you all think this could be a type of variation ?? Please reply, I'll be waiting.

Edward Tinker · 02-19-2007, 10:27 AM

welcome to the forum.

does the pin / spring look like this one (the yellow arrow);

drbuster · 02-19-2007, 10:29 AM

Jovis, this sounds like a sear safety that was applied to police lugers for added safety when taking the pistol down for cleaning. I'm sure another member will post photos.

Vlim · 02-19-2007, 11:10 AM

Hi,

The apparatus you describe indeed is a takedown protection or 'sear safety' spring. With the sideplate removed, the spring will push down on the sear bar, preventing it from moving inwards.

The luger has a serious design flaw: A round can be fired only using the barrel/receiver/toggle combination, without the frame, trigger or sideplate in place.

This led to accidents when unexperienced (police)men dismantled guns for cleaning. The sear safety was added as an extra safety measure by the German police in the early 1930s.

jovis · 02-19-2007, 11:39 AM

Greetings everybody;
I wish to thank all for the fast reply. This little piece of steel perplexed me for years, now I know what it is. The thing looks exactly like the picture supplied by Mr. Tinker. (thanks) I never took off the grips before but I would have to say that it should look like the bottom photo that Mr. Tinker gave around the magazine release button as well. Also, according to Mr. van Vlimmeren, it seems that there was a possibility that this pistol was at some time issued by the german police somewhere in the 30's. (interesting). There are no unit markings that I can see on the pistol. I would have to believe that this pistol saw service in the Imperial German Army in the First World War however. There are no NAZI markings whatever on the pistol. There are only Imperial proof marks on the barrel, as described by this site and a marking on the front left side of the toggle. There is what I can only describe as light holster wear as well with an overall good showing of original blueing, with only minimal loss, as can be expected. Bore condition is excellent for its age. I only put one box of rounds thru it and experienced a lockup only once. A shell was stuck upon ejection and could not be taken out. A gunsmith extracted it and polished the chamber ,he tested it and told me it worked without flaw. I have never shot this pistol afterwards however, not wanting anything else to go wrong and it is now in honorable retirement.

02-19-2007, 10:23 AM	#1
jovis User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Side plate retaining spring Greetings members; I have a question about my Luger, and I want to know if any out there ever saw what I am about to try to describe to you, ready ? Here goes. I wanted to send a picture of this but my digital camera is,naturally, broken down at the moment, so whenever I get it either replaced or fixed, I will upload a picture here. I have a 1917 DWM Luger. Serial # 4711. All #'s seem to match except one being on the safety block that pops up when you push down on the safety lever. The number on that is 82, when it should be, I guess ,11 , like every other part is numbered. (maybe the result of an old field repair somewhere) Anyway the important question is: what is that part that resembles a type of retaining spring, that is situated on top of the trigger side plate? It is pinned on one end to the top rear of the barrel/reciever assembly and rests on the top of the side plate at the other. This looks like a leaf spring, pinned to the rear making a tight press fit on top of the side plate. It is 3/4 the width of the top of the side plate and extends almost (but not quite) all the way to the end/top of the plate. You have to lift the thing up slightly to be able to take the side plate off the pistol after pushing down on the side plate lever at the front. Very strange. Could you all think this could be a type of variation ?? Please reply, I'll be waiting.

02-19-2007, 10:29 AM	#3
drbuster User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Mateo, California Posts: 1,432 Thanks: 2 Thanked 71 Times in 56 Posts	Jovis, this sounds like a sear safety that was applied to police lugers for added safety when taking the pistol down for cleaning. I'm sure another member will post photos.

02-19-2007, 11:10 AM	#4
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,991 Times in 1,205 Posts	Hi, The apparatus you describe indeed is a takedown protection or 'sear safety' spring. With the sideplate removed, the spring will push down on the sear bar, preventing it from moving inwards. The luger has a serious design flaw: A round can be fired only using the barrel/receiver/toggle combination, without the frame, trigger or sideplate in place. This led to accidents when unexperienced (police)men dismantled guns for cleaning. The sear safety was added as an extra safety measure by the German police in the early 1930s.

02-19-2007, 11:39 AM	#5
jovis User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Greetings everybody; I wish to thank all for the fast reply. This little piece of steel perplexed me for years, now I know what it is. The thing looks exactly like the picture supplied by Mr. Tinker. (thanks) I never took off the grips before but I would have to say that it should look like the bottom photo that Mr. Tinker gave around the magazine release button as well. Also, according to Mr. van Vlimmeren, it seems that there was a possibility that this pistol was at some time issued by the german police somewhere in the 30's. (interesting). There are no unit markings that I can see on the pistol. I would have to believe that this pistol saw service in the Imperial German Army in the First World War however. There are no NAZI markings whatever on the pistol. There are only Imperial proof marks on the barrel, as described by this site and a marking on the front left side of the toggle. There is what I can only describe as light holster wear as well with an overall good showing of original blueing, with only minimal loss, as can be expected. Bore condition is excellent for its age. I only put one box of rounds thru it and experienced a lockup only once. A shell was stuck upon ejection and could not be taken out. A gunsmith extracted it and polished the chamber ,he tested it and told me it worked without flaw. I have never shot this pistol afterwards however, not wanting anything else to go wrong and it is now in honorable retirement.