.30 Caliber failure to feed

w2ec · 06-27-2009, 08:15 PM

I'm attempting to fire my new 1920 Commercial 30 caliber for the first time, after complete cleaning and examination of course.

I'm using Winchester factory loads, 93 grain FMJ. I lock the toggle back with an empty magazine inserted, then remove and re-insert the magazine charged with 5 rounds. I release the toggle and the first round feeds perfectly. I then fire the first round, but the second round fails to feed into the chamber. Instead the cartridge is tipped upward so the nose jams into the top of the chamber. I attempted this 5 times and had the same result each time, first round fires, second round jams.

I proceeded to analyze the problem on the bench with some dummy rounds and have concluded that the toggle/breech is not moving fully to the rear on recoil. If I pull the toggle completely back so the breech face passes behind the cartridge rim in the magazine and release it, the cartridge feeds fine. But if I pull the toggle only part way back, just prior to the point where it would clear the rim of the top cartridge, and then release it, the friction of the bottom of the breech pushing on the top of the cartridge starts feeding the cartridge forward, but it is also applying pressure to the top rear of the cartridge just forward of the rim, so the cartridge is tipping upwards as it moves forward, and it jams exactly like it does during live fire.

So my question is, what would prevent the toggle/breech from retracting fully on recoil? The action itself is nice and smooth, no binding when operated by hand, it retracts freely and when released snaps forward with plenty of force. I would think that the Winchester factory 93 grain ammo should be plenty powerful enough to fully cycle the action, but it just doesn't seem to work, at least not to the point where it cycles the action fully rearward.

I've included two pictures, the first is of the feed failure, with the cartridge tipped up, and the second attempts to show the breech face where it is pressing the cartridge down just before the rim, causing the cartridge to tip and jam.

I'm confident that if the toggle/breech moved fully rearward past the cartridge rim on firing, the pistol would function fine.

Any ideas/suggestions for a Luger newbie?

06-27-2009, 08:15 PM	#1
w2ec User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Apalachin, NY Posts: 12 Thanks: 6 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	.30 Caliber failure to feed I'm attempting to fire my new 1920 Commercial 30 caliber for the first time, after complete cleaning and examination of course. I'm using Winchester factory loads, 93 grain FMJ. I lock the toggle back with an empty magazine inserted, then remove and re-insert the magazine charged with 5 rounds. I release the toggle and the first round feeds perfectly. I then fire the first round, but the second round fails to feed into the chamber. Instead the cartridge is tipped upward so the nose jams into the top of the chamber. I attempted this 5 times and had the same result each time, first round fires, second round jams. I proceeded to analyze the problem on the bench with some dummy rounds and have concluded that the toggle/breech is not moving fully to the rear on recoil. If I pull the toggle completely back so the breech face passes behind the cartridge rim in the magazine and release it, the cartridge feeds fine. But if I pull the toggle only part way back, just prior to the point where it would clear the rim of the top cartridge, and then release it, the friction of the bottom of the breech pushing on the top of the cartridge starts feeding the cartridge forward, but it is also applying pressure to the top rear of the cartridge just forward of the rim, so the cartridge is tipping upwards as it moves forward, and it jams exactly like it does during live fire. So my question is, what would prevent the toggle/breech from retracting fully on recoil? The action itself is nice and smooth, no binding when operated by hand, it retracts freely and when released snaps forward with plenty of force. I would think that the Winchester factory 93 grain ammo should be plenty powerful enough to fully cycle the action, but it just doesn't seem to work, at least not to the point where it cycles the action fully rearward. I've included two pictures, the first is of the feed failure, with the cartridge tipped up, and the second attempts to show the breech face where it is pressing the cartridge down just before the rim, causing the cartridge to tip and jam. I'm confident that if the toggle/breech moved fully rearward past the cartridge rim on firing, the pistol would function fine. Any ideas/suggestions for a Luger newbie?