Takedown lever will not budge

schneider244 · 03-29-2009, 08:23 AM

Hello everyone, I just bought my first luger a 1916 DWM and wanted to clean it up in order to get it ready for shooting. I have followed the directions for take down but I cannot get the takedown lever (locking bolt) to turn at all, it will not budge. I have the toggle back, safety off mag out yet still I cant get the darn thing to turn. I have a sneaking suspision something might be damaged as the actual checkered button on the takedown lever was broken off long ago most likely by someont trying to pry it town with a screw driver or something.

jonnyc · 03-29-2009, 08:33 AM

Well, at least you can't do any worse damage to it. I hope it wasn't a matching numbered part. Have you tried soaking it with penetrating oil and then clamping on a large vise-grip?

wdavid431 · 03-29-2009, 08:38 AM

I put the pistol's barrel down on my table. Then press down, as far as it will go pulling the pistol away from the springs, then rotate the take down lever. Without pressing the pistol down on the barrel the take down lever is almost impossible to open. I hope you have tried this first.
Let us know how it goes. Hope there is no damage to your weapon.

Steinar · 03-29-2009, 08:47 AM

It could be the spring beneath the lever that is broken also. Most of the broken TD lever I have seen, has come apart at the round checkered piece. So I would try to tap it out with a drifting pin or something in the flat area of the TD lever, not the round part. Good luck!

policeluger · 03-29-2009, 08:47 AM

Before there is any more damage, made sure the TDL is fully set in place, if it is trying to come out of frame, it will not turn/rotate......call me later today if you are still having trouble....760-375-5703, Howard.

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 08:48 AM

I've never had this problem, but I have had (and may have now) the "L" shaped spring for the takedown lever break...Can you see if both ends are still in the frame??? If not, part of it may be jammed...

I'd say that drilling the damaged lever out may be your best bet...If the checkered part is broken off, and the sideplate is removed, then you should be able to drift the rectangular tang of the takedown lever forward into the hole you've drilled and get the pieces out that way...

I'd recommend a machinist with access to a milling machine...This is not something I'd do on a drill press...and definitely not with hand tools...

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by policeluger

Before there is any more damage, made sure the TDL is fully set in place, if it is trying to come out of frame, it will not turn/rotate...

Looking at my Luger, that seems the most likely scenario...Broken spring let lever poke out just a little...

here's two pics of what the round end will look like if that is what is happening...First pic, fully seated; second pic, just slightly poked out...

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 09:07 AM

If you can lock the toggle back all the way up, and look at the front of the frame (under the barrel), you should be able to see if the locking block of the takedown lever is up all the way...If it is, and you have a long thin punch, and the lever is fully seated (all the way in), you could punch the takedown lever block down to the disengaged position, then drift it out of the frame like it should come out...

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 09:18 AM

Here's two more pics showing the takedown lever locking block from the front...first pic is engaged (red line)...second pic is rotated back 90Ã?Âº to takedown position...

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 09:22 AM

...It's situations like this that make me want to grab the object and analyze the problem and start working on it...

schneider244 · 03-29-2009, 09:51 AM

Thank you very much for all the help, the TD lever is fully seated, and I have tried all methods of takedown. unfourtunatly the gun is all matching except for the mag I guess that means nothing though since the lever is pretty much destroyed. I am going to attempt postino's method, hopefully that will allow me to unlock the lever, then drift it out.

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 10:18 AM

If the takedown lever locking block is all the way up (engaged), scratch a vertical line on the round (unbroken) end before trying to move it...You want to make sure it rotates a full 90Ã?Âº before trying to drift it out...but you should be able to see it come down into the notch...another pic attached...

Another idea - If the broken end of the takedown lever is covering this notch, and you have a Dremel, carefully cut it off so you can see where/when it is positioned correctly...(cut about 95% through and then snap it off so you don't go through and hit the frame)...

If all else fails, I'd drill it almost all the way out and take it out in pieces...

schneider244 · 03-29-2009, 10:18 AM

well I finally got the TD lever out, and what a PITA it was. I used Postino's method of locking back the toggle and using a punch to knock down the barrel stop on the td lever. ONce I had it down i was able to remove the side plate (with some coaxing). There seems to me a substancial ammount of rust underneath all these parts, im assuming rusting was the cause of the lever malfunction.

If anyone happens to have a spare TD lever laying around let me know (of course willing to reimburse for fair market value)

Again thanks for all the help!
Christian

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schneider244

well I finally got the TD lever out...

Yay!!!

I dance the dance of Mission Accomplished!

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schneider244

If anyone happens to have a spare TD lever laying around let me know (of course willing to reimburse for fair market value)...

Wow...Guy on GB wants $40 to start the auction for one...

Luger Parts, Locking Bolt #54

policeluger · 03-29-2009, 11:57 AM

A button broken off a matching TDL can be replaced/repaired to keep matching SN#.....

sheepherder · 03-29-2009, 01:09 PM

schneider244 -

Can you post some pics of the broken lever and the frame cavity??? (Hopefully, you took some..."before and after")...

schneider244 · 03-29-2009, 02:11 PM

I have a photo before I touched the TD lever. however my wife has been out all day with the baby and they took the camera so I have no photos during the ordeal. I would be glad to take photos of the remains and the frame cavity as soon they come back though.

03-29-2009, 08:23 AM	#1
schneider244 User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Jersey Shore USA Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Takedown lever will not budge Hello everyone, I just bought my first luger a 1916 DWM and wanted to clean it up in order to get it ready for shooting. I have followed the directions for take down but I cannot get the takedown lever (locking bolt) to turn at all, it will not budge. I have the toggle back, safety off mag out yet still I cant get the darn thing to turn. I have a sneaking suspision something might be damaged as the actual checkered button on the takedown lever was broken off long ago most likely by someont trying to pry it town with a screw driver or something.

03-29-2009, 08:38 AM	#3
wdavid431 User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 135 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	I put the pistol's barrel down on my table. Then press down, as far as it will go pulling the pistol away from the springs, then rotate the take down lever. Without pressing the pistol down on the barrel the take down lever is almost impossible to open. I hope you have tried this first. Let us know how it goes. Hope there is no damage to your weapon. __________________ W David

03-29-2009, 08:47 AM	#4
Steinar User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1,538 Thanks: 18 Thanked 36 Times in 21 Posts	It could be the spring beneath the lever that is broken also. Most of the broken TD lever I have seen, has come apart at the round checkered piece. So I would try to tap it out with a drifting pin or something in the flat area of the TD lever, not the round part. Good luck! __________________ Previously known as Morgan Kane

03-29-2009, 09:18 AM	#9
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	Here's two more pics showing the takedown lever locking block from the front...first pic is engaged (red line)...second pic is rotated back 90Ã?Âº to takedown position... Attached Images

03-29-2009, 10:18 AM	#12
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	If the takedown lever locking block is all the way up (engaged), scratch a vertical line on the round (unbroken) end before trying to move it...You want to make sure it rotates a full 90Ã?Âº before trying to drift it out...but you should be able to see it come down into the notch...another pic attached... Another idea - If the broken end of the takedown lever is covering this notch, and you have a Dremel, carefully cut it off so you can see where/when it is positioned correctly...(cut about 95% through and then snap it off so you don't go through and hit the frame)... If all else fails, I'd drill it almost all the way out and take it out in pieces... Attached Images

03-29-2009, 08:33 AM	#2
jonnyc User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 425 Thanks: 2 Thanked 46 Times in 34 Posts	Well, at least you can't do any worse damage to it. I hope it wasn't a matching numbered part. Have you tried soaking it with penetrating oil and then clamping on a large vise-grip?

03-29-2009, 08:47 AM	#5
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	Before there is any more damage, made sure the TDL is fully set in place, if it is trying to come out of frame, it will not turn/rotate......call me later today if you are still having trouble....760-375-5703, Howard.

03-29-2009, 08:48 AM	#6
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	I've never had this problem, but I have had (and may have now) the "L" shaped spring for the takedown lever break...Can you see if both ends are still in the frame??? If not, part of it may be jammed... I'd say that drilling the damaged lever out may be your best bet...If the checkered part is broken off, and the sideplate is removed, then you should be able to drift the rectangular tang of the takedown lever forward into the hole you've drilled and get the pieces out that way... I'd recommend a machinist with access to a milling machine...This is not something I'd do on a drill press...and definitely not with hand tools...

03-29-2009, 09:07 AM	#8
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	If you can lock the toggle back all the way up, and look at the front of the frame (under the barrel), you should be able to see if the locking block of the takedown lever is up all the way...If it is, and you have a long thin punch, and the lever is fully seated (all the way in), you could punch the takedown lever block down to the disengaged position, then drift it out of the frame like it should come out...

03-29-2009, 09:22 AM	#10
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	...It's situations like this that make me want to grab the object and analyze the problem and start working on it...

03-29-2009, 09:51 AM	#11
schneider244 User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Jersey Shore USA Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thank you very much for all the help, the TD lever is fully seated, and I have tried all methods of takedown. unfourtunatly the gun is all matching except for the mag I guess that means nothing though since the lever is pretty much destroyed. I am going to attempt postino's method, hopefully that will allow me to unlock the lever, then drift it out.

03-29-2009, 11:57 AM	#16
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	A button broken off a matching TDL can be replaced/repaired to keep matching SN#.....

03-29-2009, 01:09 PM	#17
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	schneider244 - Can you post some pics of the broken lever and the frame cavity??? (Hopefully, you took some..."before and after")...

03-29-2009, 02:11 PM	#18
schneider244 User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Jersey Shore USA Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I have a photo before I touched the TD lever. however my wife has been out all day with the baby and they took the camera so I have no photos during the ordeal. I would be glad to take photos of the remains and the frame cavity as soon they come back though. Last edited by schneider244; 03-29-2009 at 02:12 PM. Reason: sounds better