Side plate and triger lever pin problem

[ithacaartist]

Welcome to the forum, "nemra",

A side plate original to the gun would have been hand fitted at the factory. Swapping side plates around is a crap-shoot, some fit and function, some do not, and everything in between. In the meantime, a quick and dirty method for tightening up a wiggly side plate is to clamp it in a padded vise and very carefully nudge the tang on the front (the tab that the locking bolt swivels over) in a direction that moves it a bit farther away from the pistol's frame, also using a padded setup such as a crescent wrench snugged on, for good leverage and control. Go a little at a time, checking after each tweak by fitting it into place and securing with the locking bolt. With the pistol de-cocked, hold your finger at the juncture of the rear end of the side plate and the portion of the frame that allows it to tuck under, and you'll be able to feel any remaining motion when the trigger is flexed. The end result will be the same as holding the plate with your finger.

I'd like to see a more revealing, close-up of the area on the trigger lever that is worn. If too bad, replacement levers are likely available from lugerdoc, here on this forum. Smoothing contact areas with a hard Arkansas stone may also help. Potentially one might anneal, adjust, re-temper the lever to address excessive wear, but it would be way more involved. Let's see what others have to say...