shot my luger for the first time and need a little help

whos2kno · 09-24-2005, 08:20 PM

i have a 1937 S/42 and i took it out for the first time today. sweet little shooter but it keep staying open at different times. some times it would shoot all the rounds and then stay open and other times i would only shoot a few rounds and it would lock open with rounds still in the mag ( it would not jam up or anything it would just lock open and not feed the next round). i was shooting winchester 9mm from walmart so i don't think it's the ammo.im a little confused about this. what should i look for to correct this from happing.
thank you

Ron Smith · 09-24-2005, 08:26 PM

Lee,
Were you holding with a stiff wrist. Lugers don't like to be held with a limp wrist. The more rigid the better.

This will often cause them to lock open.

Ron

whos2kno · 09-24-2005, 08:29 PM

humm

dont really remember

whos2kno · 09-24-2005, 08:34 PM

could there be another reason?

whos2kno · 09-24-2005, 08:53 PM

does it look like the spring is bent?

Ron Wood · 09-24-2005, 09:05 PM

Yes

whos2kno · 09-24-2005, 10:04 PM

i think that might be the problem

Vlim · 09-25-2005, 05:01 AM

Hi,

That thing is the holdopen and it's meant to be pushed upwards by the magazine button, so that it will block the toggle after the last shot.

Sometimes the magazine button will not push against it hard enough or high enough so that the toggle closes after the first shot.

Your problem, however, indeed suggests that the holdopen stays in blocking position, thus catching the toggle.

You can safely shoot the pistol without the holdopen installed, btw.

Lugerdoc · 09-25-2005, 08:23 AM

W2K, I agree with the above in that your HO spring is either weak or not bent in the downward direction as it should be. TH

whos2kno · 09-25-2005, 10:19 AM

thank you guys

09-24-2005, 08:20 PM	#1
whos2kno User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: marietta ga Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	shot my luger for the first time and need a little help i have a 1937 S/42 and i took it out for the first time today. sweet little shooter but it keep staying open at different times. some times it would shoot all the rounds and then stay open and other times i would only shoot a few rounds and it would lock open with rounds still in the mag ( it would not jam up or anything it would just lock open and not feed the next round). i was shooting winchester 9mm from walmart so i don't think it's the ammo.im a little confused about this. what should i look for to correct this from happing. thank you

09-24-2005, 08:26 PM	#2
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Lee, Were you holding with a stiff wrist. Lugers don't like to be held with a limp wrist. The more rigid the better. This will often cause them to lock open. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

09-24-2005, 08:53 PM	#5
whos2kno User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: marietta ga Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	does it look like the spring is bent? Attached Thumbnails

09-24-2005, 09:05 PM	#6
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 6,988 Thanks: 1,067 Thanked 5,099 Times in 1,676 Posts	Yes __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

09-25-2005, 08:23 AM	#9
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	W2K, I agree with the above in that your HO spring is either weak or not bent in the downward direction as it should be. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

09-24-2005, 08:29 PM	#3
whos2kno User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: marietta ga Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	humm dont really remember

09-24-2005, 08:34 PM	#4
whos2kno User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: marietta ga Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	could there be another reason?

09-24-2005, 10:04 PM	#7
whos2kno User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: marietta ga Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	i think that might be the problem

09-25-2005, 05:01 AM	#8
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,042 Thanks: 1,032 Thanked 3,920 Times in 1,193 Posts	Hi, That thing is the holdopen and it's meant to be pushed upwards by the magazine button, so that it will block the toggle after the last shot. Sometimes the magazine button will not push against it hard enough or high enough so that the toggle closes after the first shot. Your problem, however, indeed suggests that the holdopen stays in blocking position, thus catching the toggle. You can safely shoot the pistol without the holdopen installed, btw.

09-25-2005, 10:19 AM	#10
whos2kno User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: marietta ga Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	thank you guys