P08 Trigger Problem

[wisgro123]

Yes I pushed the bar the way you described and the firing pin released. I noticed the spring on the back of the trigger is compressed so I took the trigger and side plate from a pistol that works fine and installed it on the faulty pistol and the same problem happens. Doesn't that eliminate the side plate and trigger?

[wisgro123]

I checked the gap against a pistol that works fine and they are the same, a bit less than 1/64th. I noticed the spring on the back of the trigger is compressed so I took the trigger and side plate from a pistol that works fine and installed it on the faulty pistol and the same problem happens. Doesn't that eliminate the side plate and trigger?

[kmichaels90]

Im not sure but it seems strange. Hopefully one of the experts can help you. Does the gun your having trouble with have matching #'s on the sideplate if not that could be your problem.

[wisgro123]

The pistol doesn't have matching numbers but I've had for 4 years and never had this problem. I realize it's an old pistol but everything worked fine until I took it out the other day. One of life's great Luger mysteries? I plan to field strip and clean it then see what happens.

[alanint]

Not necessarily. The "L" shaped transfer bar inside the sideplate may not be extending far enough to really gain a purchase on the sear bar. Since bending this lever is very tricky, (it is hardened and will snap if you try to bend it). A method you might try is to apply a tiny strip of electrical tape on the tip of the lever which engages the sear bar, (do this once the pistol is cocked, remove the sideplate while holding upper in place, apply tape, then replace sideplate directly over the cocked sear bar. You want to do this because the tape will interfere with the lever's travel over the sear bar if you try to **** the pistol with the tape in place). If the pistol then dry fires with less effort, (you should be doing this with a snap cap in place), then the original lever has not been engaging the sear properly.
Some members have laughed, but I have solved this problem by building up the upper pad of the L transfer bar by applying JB Weld. I then file it down until I achieve the proper sear engagement, keeping in mind to radius a "ramp" on the pad edge farthest from the muzzle, so that the sear bar plunger can properly ride over the L link.

This is obviously more easely explained visually, but I hope you get this.

[coverk]

With the pistol cocked and UNLOADED

1. Hold pistol with right hand
2. Put the muzzle against your left hand. Push the upper back against spring pressure unfilled it stops.
3. Pull the trigger and release the spring pressure.
4. Slowly release the trigger.

You should hear a click when the sear plunger releases. If you don't hear a click, the plunger is not resetting.

If it is not, you should check with Luger Doc.

[wisgro123]

Followed your suggestion and didn't hear a click. Can you please tell me what or who Luger Doc is?

[kmichaels90]

Originally Posted by wisgro123

Followed your suggestion and didn't hear a click. Can you please tell me what or who Luger Doc is?

Post #10 in this thread Tom Heller he is the Luger Doc

[wisgro123]

Have followed everyone's suggestion without success. The last suggestion was to push the muzzle back, press and hold the trigger, release the barrel then slowly pull the trigger and I should hear a click. I tried a couple of times didn't hear a click. I took the side plate from my other Luger that works fine and installed it on the problem pistol. The problem was still there. You mentioned I would have to do some work on the trigger lever inside the side plate. What do you suggest? I looked at the side plate of my working pistol and the action, how far the lever moves, etc. looks identical.

[kmichaels90]

You should hear the click when you release the trigger it is the sound of the sear bar plunger resetting.

[kmichaels90]

You should hear the click when you (release) the trigger. It is the sound of the sear bar plunger resetting. If the plunger moves freely with the gun apart, but doesnt reset with it together it sounds like the lever on the sideplate is the issue. But I really couldnt tell you.

[lugerholsterrepair]

If I hold the pistol so that I am facing the muzzle I can see a small gap between the side plate and side of the receiver. I can slide 3 thicknesses of regular bond paper edgewise into the gap (about 1/64). I can press the side plate snugly to the receiver but it doesn't stay there.

It could be possible that your locking lever has been bent outward not allowing it to press against the sideplate flange.

[wisgro123]

Good Point. I hope to figure something out now that I have all the input from you guys. I learned a lot today and thank you for it.

[Lugerdoc]

Walt, If your luger is a mismatch shooter, probably the easiest fix would be either a different FP or sear with less overlap between them. It's also possible that some judicious bending of the side plate arm could improve things. Finally, if all else fails, replacement of the trigger lever in the side plate or heating & bending, so that the disconnecting pluger in the trigger bar can push it more easily out of the way to recock, would be the last resort. TH

[wisgro123]

Thanks again for the advice. I'll clean it up first and see what I can do.

[ithacaartist]

I'll throw in with Tom Heller's suggestions/observations here. Here's another thing to check, to see if the side plate is held rigid by the takedown lever: Unloaded gun, of course, hold your finger on the juncture line of the frame and the rear edge of the sideplate, where its lip tucks under the frame. Flex the trigger and you will be able to detect any rocking/movement displayed by the sideplate when the trigger is pulled; you'd be feeling the sideplate's movement relative to the frame. As Tom mentioned, it's possible to tighten this up by careful bending of the sideplate's arm, which is what is clamped firmly by rotating the takedown lever over it. I recommend you spend the best $7.95 ever, for a copy of Gerard Henrotin's e-book Luger Function at http://www.hlebooks.com/ . If you read the pertinent chapter, you'll understand the parts and functioning of the trigger system, which would be good. It might help to check that the trigger spring, behind the trigger, is robust and functional and not wimped out by age and use, to be sure that the trigger itself is returning to proper position and not causing the bar in the sideplate to return to where it should.

I'm thinking the sideplate may be loose enough that its bar can't consistently escape its interaction with the sear's plunger, and might still hang up on the plunger's tip even though the trigger is released. If it were hanging up this way, flexing the trigger would only cause the tip of the bar to scrub across the face of the plunger's tip, not letting it pop out, so that the bar would be unable to press the plunger's side, as needed to rock the sear and release the fp. Jiggling it back to its full rest position--or at least the point where the lever's end allows the plunger to pop out again--may be what is accomplished by the repeated trigger pulls. The mechanical system may have right been on the edge of proper function all along, then pushed erratically across that line by use and continuing development of play within the system.

Ultimately, there can be no "mysteries" within a mechanical system. Its operation is all according to the laws of physics and mechanical interaction. If the mechanics are complicated, as are those within our beloved Lugers, this increases the number of variables geometrically because of the exponential growth of the number of different combinations of parts' interactions involved. Be patient... we'll get you through this if we can..and Lugerdoc is the ultimate backup resource!

David Parker

[FNorm]

Puzzling? Just a thought. Check the FP and the inside of the sear bar for any burring... Also is the trigger spring original, and fitting correctly?

FN

[jfxcushman]

I have had the same problem with my brother's shooter. I realized after screwing around with the trigger lever that the problem was a very loose takedown lever, and not enough pressure on the sideplate . I carefully bent the takedown lever so that it locked the sideplate much more snuggly, and that seemed to work. I used a vise and pliers with adequate protection for the metal.

[wisgro123]

By take down lever, do you mean the locking bolt? I've attached a parts map. The locking bolt is number 025.

[wisgro123]

Thank you for the excellent advice.