Swiss Luger durability

slick_nick540 · 05-09-2009, 01:31 PM

How durable are Swiss Lugers? Especially ones made later in production?

I'd think that .30 luger would be much more forgiving than 9mm on the parts.

You always hear of extractors going on regular German 9mm Lugers. I don't know about Swiss Lugers, there aren't as many around.

drbuster · 05-09-2009, 06:11 PM

Slick_nick540, I have shot all kinds of lugers for over 50 years and have never had an extractor break. I've seen cracks appear in the breachblock and have seen the ends of the ejector break off, but never the extractor. Of course I am talking about the "new model" extractor, those made 1902 and earlier were prone to breakage, that's why they were modified. And with respect to Swiss versus German made lugers, they are all the same in my experience.

Mauser720 · 05-09-2009, 08:40 PM

slick-nick540 -

I am also not aware of any reliability studies done regarding the Swiss versus German made Lugers.

However, if you will please go to the General Discussions portion of this Forum, Dwight Gruber has done an excellent "Broken Parts Survey" which does document which parts (including extractors) break, and with what frequency such breaks are encountered.

Mauser720 - Ron

Vlim · 05-10-2009, 07:18 AM

On Swiss lugers, barrel wear should be the main problem area. It still is the main problem on more modern Swiss firearms as well. Add to this the fact that the Swiss shoot long and often and that the Swiss have been very fond of steel jacketed ammunition and you can see why the rifling goes first.

The ejector spring is a problem area on all lugers, because it is always in a state of tension, with the toggle open and closed. Metal fatigue will kill it off in the end. So this part will be as breakable on the Swiss lugers as on any other one (including the post war Mausers).

Guisan · 08-02-2009, 06:05 PM

I go for mainly ejectors and grip safety springs for the older Swiss versions, barrels don't break, they just wear out.

Guisan.

Vlim · 08-02-2009, 07:53 PM

Barrels can and will break. Trust me on that one

The grip safety spring is a good tip. Another piece of metal that sees a lot of stress and not too much relief in it's life. Oh, and the red canvasite was a bit brittle as well.

05-09-2009, 01:31 PM	#1
slick_nick540 User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Swiss Luger durability How durable are Swiss Lugers? Especially ones made later in production? I'd think that .30 luger would be much more forgiving than 9mm on the parts. You always hear of extractors going on regular German 9mm Lugers. I don't know about Swiss Lugers, there aren't as many around.

08-02-2009, 06:05 PM	#5
Guisan User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 112 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	I go for mainly ejectors and grip safety springs for the older Swiss versions, barrels don't break, they just wear out. Guisan. __________________ Fight to your last cartridge, then fight with your bayonets. No surrender. Fight to the death. --Gen. Henri Guisan, Switzerland, July '40

05-09-2009, 06:11 PM	#2
drbuster User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Mateo, California Posts: 1,432 Thanks: 2 Thanked 71 Times in 56 Posts	Slick_nick540, I have shot all kinds of lugers for over 50 years and have never had an extractor break. I've seen cracks appear in the breachblock and have seen the ends of the ejector break off, but never the extractor. Of course I am talking about the "new model" extractor, those made 1902 and earlier were prone to breakage, that's why they were modified. And with respect to Swiss versus German made lugers, they are all the same in my experience.

05-09-2009, 08:40 PM	#3
Mauser720 User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 535 Thanks: 18 Thanked 49 Times in 33 Posts	slick-nick540 - I am also not aware of any reliability studies done regarding the Swiss versus German made Lugers. However, if you will please go to the General Discussions portion of this Forum, Dwight Gruber has done an excellent "Broken Parts Survey" which does document which parts (including extractors) break, and with what frequency such breaks are encountered. Mauser720 - Ron

05-10-2009, 07:18 AM	#4
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,988 Times in 1,205 Posts	On Swiss lugers, barrel wear should be the main problem area. It still is the main problem on more modern Swiss firearms as well. Add to this the fact that the Swiss shoot long and often and that the Swiss have been very fond of steel jacketed ammunition and you can see why the rifling goes first. The ejector spring is a problem area on all lugers, because it is always in a state of tension, with the toggle open and closed. Metal fatigue will kill it off in the end. So this part will be as breakable on the Swiss lugers as on any other one (including the post war Mausers).

08-02-2009, 07:53 PM	#6
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,988 Times in 1,205 Posts	Barrels can and will break. Trust me on that one The grip safety spring is a good tip. Another piece of metal that sees a lot of stress and not too much relief in it's life. Oh, and the red canvasite was a bit brittle as well.