Basic question from new luger owner

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Hi fellows, I have to say this is an awesome resource for luger owners. I just bought my first pistol, of course, a 1940 Luger, mismatched shooter that was professionally reblued. If you place an empty magazine in the Luger, and pull the knee toggle and bolt all the way back, it is held there. However the takedown lever somtimes rotates downward by gravity and the trigger sideplate falls off. What, if anything, is wrong? With the knee held all tyhe way back, the barrel is not placing any force on the takedown lever, allowing it to be loose enough to rotate on its own, leaving you with a pistol beginning o fall apart in your hands. Any idea what I should do about this?

[John Sabato]

There is a small wire-like spring that looks like the letter 'L' that fits the recess for the takedown lever or locking bolt... you will find that this spring is either missing or has been worn by age. You might be able to revive it if it is still present by slight bending to apply force to the takedown lever which has a notch in it's shaft to accept it in the stay-closed position. If not, you can purchase a new replacement spring from Tom Heller (member name is Lugerdoc) or some other parts dealer and your takedown lever will act llke it is supposed to once it has been installed...

If you look at the forward part of the frame in front of the trigger guard you will find a small hole where the leg of the 'L' shaped spring fits... if this is "just a hole" then the spring is missing... if it has a pin sticking part way through it, then the spring is either worn or the long part of the 'L' has broken off.

Congrats on becoming a Luger owner and welcome to the Lugerforum. Please post photos of your prize if you can so we can all see it.

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Thanks John, I found that L-shaped spring broken off, so I got clever and fashioned a new spring from a piece of wire out of a key ring. Before you cringe about gunparts being made in a garage shop, it will set your nerves to know that I have no little skill making handmade parts, being a medieval armourer as well as an engineer. The temporary spring is high enough in carbon to retain the springiness and I used pictures of the actual spring to fashion an exact copy. It is not quite as strong as an original, tempered spring, but it will do until I can locate and purchase a replacement. I'll bet photos of the Luger up soon. The reblueing job is beautiful, being done professionally, and has a slick black shiny finish. Perfect for a non-collectible shooter. The rear receiver surfaces and toggle surfaces that undergo impact or rubbing are undamaged and retain all the "new" bluing, so this shooter has not been over-used. NOt all that bad for $680.00. Gotta lose the black plastic grips and get the new, more fashionable walnut grips bought and installed. The barrel, extractor, and magazine have been replaced. All critical working parts appear to be matching. Thanks for the warm welcome John. I am fast learning the complexities of the Luger. I also have an MG-42. Gotta love German engineering and craftsmanship!

[ratdog]

tacfoley, slight sarcasm towards Dariv? I have an MG42 and it is an engineering marvel. What is a Purdey anyway? Something made up to baffle us?!?!?!? And the mind speaking reference wasn't necessary......................
<a href="http://home.dejazzd.com/ratdog/DSC00011.JPG" target="_fullview"><img src="http://home.dejazzd.com/ratdog/DSC00011.JPG" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

[JuergenG]

I second ratdog.
The MG42 is not necessarily an aesthetic "marvel" but it definitely is from an engineering/reliability standpoint.
Would it be in service with minor changes over 60 years otherwise?

[policeluger]

ratdog, please check your PM, thanka

[Edward Tinker]

MG42, cool <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

welcome to the forum Darvis.

I "thumbed" the MG42 picture, just made it smaller, but of course anyone can click on it and make it larger.

Must be fun to shoot

Ed

[ratdog]

I had a smaller pic Ed, but I thought the larger one would make more of an impact.............Thanks

[Edward Tinker]

It does, and I just have a mental thingy about scrolling back and forth and since I have the ability to change images (and I am sure piss off people), I do that.

That is why I thumbed it.

Is that you blazing away? Here is a silly question, the MG42, tell me more about it? Is that the one they used in WW2 and still essentially use now? If so, I have shot it for my (SP big-time) schnetzenfeur which I made a lowly bronze, but it is nice to have a foreign award on your Class "A"s.

And y'all shouldn't let Tac's British humor (notice I said British to my friend, think he'll respond?)...

Ed

[Pete Ebbink]

Kurt,

Do not be in too much of a hurry to toss out those black palstic grips. You might have a real pair made by Mauser which have been called "Black Widow" grips by some for marketing purposes.

If you post good close-up photos of your grips (both front and back views) the folks here could advise you if they are real or "repros". Real ones have been selling on e-Bay in the $ 150-180 price range...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

[Ron Wood]

tac,
Don't rise to the bait my friend. I doubt there are many gun enthusiasts that haven't heard of Purdey and its legendary quality. Mayhaps your leg was being pulled a little? Also, thank you for recognizing the skill that went into many Pennsylvania rifles.

[Edward Tinker]

dang it, no rise out of the British usage.

I must have worn him down, just worn him down, woe is me....

[Edward Tinker]

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

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[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Hello again guys,

The former owner of the Luger I acquired recently sent the worn out original wood grips along with the pistole just to keep the pieces together, and the crude fit of the plastic black grips demonstrates that they are repros. The wood grips have much of the checking worn away, and aren't worth much beyond the fact that they are original because of their poor condition, but they are saved anyway. As for Tacfoley, I understand his wee bit of sarcasm to be in good fun, and do agree that a good Pennsylvania has more craftsmanship than an MG-42, but the engineering know-how that came from a resource starved country and went into a wartime-produced and highly successful light MG such as the 42 also commands admiration. Plus, its a true joy to shoot just because of its high rate of fire and range (though expensive unless you use crappy Turkish surplus ammo and clean the gun very well). The perfect gun for a recoil junky (aside from those ungodly monsters like the .50 cal BMG). I tried out the luger and had many "classic" jams usig both Wolf (crap) ammo and Winchester, mostly because of the bad magazine. The mag spring seems weak and and the cartridge follower in it was sticky. After a few careful bends of the mag body, it worked a little better, but the pistole really needs new mags, which are already on order. Typical new shooter quality problems I guess. I was truly amazed at the accuracy and comfort of the Luger, despite my initial problems. Anyone know where I can purchase some aluminum-bottomed mags? Until I get the Luger up and running reliably, I'll just have to remain satisfied with riddling thousands of holes in helpless targets with the ole'-42. If you guys are curious and want to see some of the nice toys I have built, check out my website and click around to your hearts content: www.stormthewalls.dhs.org

DARIVS ARCHITECTVS

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Here are the pics of my Luger:

<a href="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20left%20side.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20left%20side.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20right%20side.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20right%20side.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

[Lugerdoc]

Darivs, Before you write off your BW grips as repros, it would be a good idea to post photos of the inside surfaces, as the outsides look good and they just may have shrunk, as some plastics will do over the years. I do have a good supply of both original WW2 numbered alum bottom mags (both folded or extruded) in the $75 range or E.Ger reworked ones @$60 or postwar Danish made folded one @$50. I also sell just the alum bottom pieces in the $15 to $25 range. TH

[Hugh]

Dariv,

You can get a nice pair of new Walnut grips for your Luger at www.nill-grips.com.

I can restore the checkering on your original grips for $40. Contact me at hhclark@academicplanet.com

<img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />
Hugh

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Inside view of grips:



They look like bad castings, no markings and not the best fit. The original grips have a chip on one side as well as serious wear. I'll get pics of them later. Thanks a bunch for the support guys! <img border="0" alt="[byebye]" title="" src="graemlins/wave.gif" />

[John Sabato]

I concur now that I have seen the inside... these are definitely recent reproduction grips that have been sold for $15-25 on most of the auction sites... you pays your money and takes your chances when you buy these... I have seen pretty ones and ugly ones from the same source... If you can get them to fit, they are good shooter grips to keep you from damaging original and aged wood grips...

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Here are some pictures of my Luger with new walnut grips furnished from CMR International in England. Tne new grips are absolutely and excellent fit, and I highly recommend them.

<a href="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20Left%20Side2.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20Left%20Side2.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20Right%20Side2.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/MG42/FULL/Luger%20Right%20Side2.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

The pistole almost looks like new now.