Cobbling up a mismatch back frame Krieghoff

[Doug G.]

Got this gun years ago with a navy upper and toggle. The toggle is on another gun now. So I am left with a matching frame, but the barrel and toggle do not match. I have two 10" barrels and have always wanted a long barrel shooter. Any reason not to do this? At this point the gun is just parts and nothing more.

[DonVoigt]

Putting a long barrel on the frame will not alter the frame - so why not.
I'm not sure if the missing/broken piece of the rear frame will prevent its use or not,
I'll have to "study on it".

Do yo still have the navy upper or barrel ? what model?

[Doug G.]

Darn, never noticed that part broken! Well then it's a no go as this is gonna be a shooter. I am gonna have Ted do the blue on the gun. I do have a less ratty 1923 Commercial that is all matching, I guess maybe it will be the donor? The upper is a 1917 I believe will have to dig it out. The toggle I put on another commercial frame that Ted restored with a 6" 30 Luger barrel. I may just use the upper off the back frame and have a gun with 3 different uppers.

[Doug G.]

The side of the navy upper and the Commercial navy that I made.

[Dwight Gruber]

Originally Posted by Doug G.

...so I am left with a matching frame...

Could you please report the frame serial number?

--Dwight

[Dwight Gruber]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

I'm not sure if the missing/broken piece of the rear frame will prevent its use or not...

According to Sturgess, the purpose of these tabs is to keep foreign material out of the frame. Several of the Basel police Lugers, made in 1916 and sold out of stock in about 1921, have these damaged or missing tabs. Presumably this had no effect on the acceptability or operaton of these pistols.

Why these pistols display this flaw is something I have been pondering for awhile, and now I wonder if this example is related.

--Dwight

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by Dwight Gruber

According to Sturgess, the purpose of these tabs is to keep foreign material out of the frame. Several of the Basel police Lugers, made in 1916 and sold out of stock in about 1921, have these damaged or missing tabs. Presumably this had no effect on the acceptability or operaton of these pistols.

Why these pistols display this flaw is something I have been pondering for awhile, and now I wonder if this example is related.

--Dwight

Thanks Dwight,
I couldn't see right off that they had a "purpose", but then sometimes the solution or in this case reason- is not obvious!

[Lugerdoc]

Doug, Too bad the this scarce Kreighoff marked frame got damaged and mismatched, as they were among the first (i suffix block) few hundred of DWM's alpha commericals produced in 1923, and marketed by KH. Ideally, if you could find a 1921 dated 7.65 or 9mm C/N commerical top, that's what this frame had originally, even though it would still be a mismatch. TH

[Vlim]

The Swiss and Mauser (post war) left those 2 tabs away all together, as they are pretty much useless anyway

[sheepherder]

As long as it's going to be a shooter anyway, I think I would mill/grind off the other ear to match and then get it re-blued.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

[Dwight Gruber]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

As long as it's going to be a shooter anyway, I think I would mill/grind off the other ear to match and then get it re-blued.

I dunno, it still has some utility toward its original purpose.

Doug, is the tab cut off, or broken off? I am chasing the contention that much of wartime commercial production was based on reject military contract parts. I have to wonder if this frame was made contemporaneously with the Basel police pistols?

--Dwight

[Doug G.]

Tab is broken off, serial number is8319 I.