Extra step in chamber: Has anyone seen this before?

[alvin]

Sounds like a marginal main spring issue. Replacing old spring with a new one should resolve the problem. Please keep us posted.

[NH Photo Shooter]

Originally Posted by alvin

Sounds like a marginal main spring issue. Replacing old spring with a new one should resolve the problem. Please keep us posted.

I will keep you up to date. I put another 90 rounds or so through it this morning. I must say, this is one accurate pistol!

The first 50 rounds or so were my handloads: 124 grain Berry's Plated RN over 4.0 grains of Bullseye with a CCI 500 primer loaded into mixed range brass on a Dillon RL550. There were no malfunctions for the first 40 rounds or so. Then the odd failure to go into battery as described above began to crop up sporadically. Shifting to factory ammo didn't make a difference (4 different brands). The occurrence of the exact problem described in my original post became more frequent as I kept shooting, regardless of the ammo. There were no other types of failures of any kind, nor have there been in my last several shooting sessions with this pistol.

I see two possibilities: limp wristing as I got tired (which I doubt, as I was especially working on not allowing that to happen), or more challenging feeding as the chamber got dirty. In either case a more powerful spring would help. I ordered the standard 36 pound spring and a 38 pound extra power one. I would hesitate to use the 38 pounder out of respect for the age of the gun.

I'm a bit frustrated with the Post Office. The Wolff spring kit was shipped Monday morning first thing by priority mail, and the tracking number didn't even show valid until this morning, and has shown no progress after arriving in Philadelphia. Should have had them Fedex it.

One simple solution is not to expect this antique to be a range workhorse: keep the round count down and take a Glock or Sig to the range for long shooting sessions.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I will keep you all posted with the Readers' Digest version henceforth.

[ithacaartist]

[QUOTE=NH Photo Shooter;282895
I'm a bit frustrated with the Post Office. The Wolff spring kit was shipped Monday morning first thing by priority mail, and the tracking number didn't even show valid until this morning, and has shown no progress after arriving in Philadelphia. Should have had them Fedex it.[/QUOTE]

I've been feeling your 'Postal Pain" for several weeks. I mailed a parcel containing $80 worth of Erma parts to a buyer in Iowa on the 15th of December. For the entire period, tracking said only that it had left my local P.O. I initiated a trace for it last week, which apparently dislodged it from wherever it was "stuck", and it was finally delivered today--2 days short of an entire month for its journey.

[rhuff]

You may well find that a new, correct mainspring will solve your problem. As a spring undergoes compression and release, it will heat up somewhat, and if the spring in your Luger has reached the end of it's livelihood, it will begin to fatigue, and become less efficient. A Luger is such a balancing act of springs, mag, and ammo.

Also check the feed ramps on the frame and barrel to be sure that they are smooth so as not to slow down the feeding cycle. Good luck!!

[NH Photo Shooter]

Originally Posted by rhuff

Also check the feed ramps on the frame and barrel to be sure that they are smooth so as not to slow down the feeding cycle. Good luck!!

Did that almost first thing. SOP with a new to me semi-auto pistol. That and a few other things.

[NH Photo Shooter]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

I've been feeling your 'Postal Pain" for several weeks. I mailed a parcel containing $80 worth of Erma parts to a buyer in Iowa on the 15th of December. For the entire period, tracking said only that it had left my local P.O. I initiated a trace for it last week, which apparently dislodged it from wherever it was "stuck", and it was finally delivered today--2 days short of an entire month for its journey.

Oh, thank you. I feel much better now.