Fine Erfurt 1917/1920 PS police luger with intact(repaired) mag safety

[DonVoigt]

Just received this one from an auction where it flew under the radar-
thanks to all who did not post a link to the auction!

It is a super condition 1917 Erfurt with the 1920 property stamp of the Weimar Republic. All parts are numbered matching - except the striker which has no number. The piece was re-finished in the day- likely when it went into police service or received its sear and magazine safety upgrades. No unit markings present.

Magazine is a replacement nickle/aluminum numbered matching and with */K on the lower spine. Both grips have a */K inside; the left grip has a large 91 also, and the mods for the mag safety; the right grip may be the original Erfurt grip with a smaller 91 present and a */K-perhaps struck over the original Erfurt inspection.

As mentioned in the title, the Walther designed magazine safety has been repaired and is operable as intended. While the repair is well executed, it is not a perfect representation of the original part. The "tab" that protrudes into the magazine well should be a little larger and rounded; but the repair suffices to show how the device was intended to work. A 1937 order was issued to remove all magazine safeties, as they were problematic in use, requiring very fine adjustment to work properly. Photos 4 & 5 show the mag safety installed and then partially removed by sliding down wards.

The magazine when inserted moves the arm outwards(photo 7 & 9), removing the tab from behind the trigger- allowing it to fire. When the magazine is removed, spring tension of the arm moves the tab into the empty mag well(photo 6), and the trigger tab behind the trigger- so that the trigger cannot be pulled far enough to release the sear(photo 8).

Very few original, un-altered magazine safeties have been found, as nearly all seem to have been removed in service. Sometimes just the tabs are removed, sometimes the end of the arm is clipped, sometimes the arm is clipped really short, and occasionally the arm is entirely removed leaving the slot empty, and even less frequently the slot is welded and spot refinished!

The Schwy sear safety(photo 3) is also present and operable, as are many other examples; these were never ordered removed in use.
The sear safety has a pin that locks the sear bar when the side plate is removed, so that the sear bar cannot be depressed when the "canon" is removed from the frame. This was installed due to un-intended discharges resulting from leaving a live round in the pistol when field stripped for cleaning.

I believe you can figure out the operation from the several pictures posted.