Very VERY tight Take Down Lever (Locking Bolt)

[Quiet1]

As noted in a previous thread I just acquired a code 42 1940 Luger.

I've only field stripped it twice. I carefully followed disassembly, re-assembly instructions so I know that I have an issue with this gun, not my technique.

The issue I have is the locking bolt is REALLY, REALLY REALLY tight. Both to open and to close. I've had to resort to a hard plastic makeshift tool to "crowbar" it open and closed. From watching YouTube videos I know that is not normal.

What I've discovered after several hours of working with it, is that the lever itself toggles fine without any binding when the gun is disassembled. It also works fine if I just reinstall the barrel / toggle assembly without the sideplate. I can open and close it perfectly.

However, when the sideplate is in place it's an entirely different matter. It's EXTREMELY tight and impossible to move either up or down without using my plastic "tool" and a great deal of force for leverage.

I've carefully inspected the side plate. It looks fine. No bends or sharp edges and it slips into place and removes easily. It looks like it fits perfectly when it's in place. But, the dang takedown lever won't budge past halfway without very strong pressure on my "crowbar".

I know there's great depth and breadth of knowledge here in this forum. I'm hoping someone may have a guess or theory as to what causes this problem and, more importantly, how to fix it.

.

[wlyon]

One possibility. Someone replaced the takedown lever spring with an aftermarket spring. This can make it very hard to move the lever. Bill

[mrerick]

Double check the takedown lever spring to be sure it has the right amount of bend. If it's too strongly arched, and the edges of the groove on the lever are too sharp it can be hard to dislodge.

Make sure that you have drawn the receiver back on the frame a bit (even lock it with the magazine hold open).

Check to see the inner edge of the takedown bolt to see how sharp it is. Perhaps there is something interfering with movement.

[hayhugh]

Enlarging the first photo in your other post and the "9" seems to have a different font on the upper, side plate and the takedown bolt. Maybe the takedown bold has been replaced?

[G.T.]

But, in the context in which you have presented, tight is good! The cam built into the take down lever interacts with the caming surface, or curve on the front of the side plate leg, and this alone, is what keeps the sideplate tight... The cam pushes the rear edge of the side plate back, tight, into the corresponding frame slot .. By design, nothing else holds the sideplate tight.... Keep using your plastic leverage tools, it will be loose soon enough! ...... best to you, til...lat'r....GT

[DavidJayUden]

As previously mentioned, push the upper back on the lower a bit before trying to rotate the lever up into position. Failure to do this will make it very difficult.
dju

[mrerick]

As mentioned in your other posting, the side plate was not properly installed in it's rear slot in the first picture of the left side of the Luger you posted... That would also make the lever quite difficult to move.

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by wlyon

One possibility. Someone replaced the takedown lever spring with an aftermarket spring. This can make it very hard to move the lever. Bill

This. I had to replace my spring, it was VERY difficult to move the lever the first 20 or 30 times until the new spring was "broken in".