2 Date WW1 Erfurt Luger Help

[John Sabato]

Originally Posted by BlackBart

... Cut me some slack, I'm older than most and gave up after DOS.

Older than most? from your avatar, I would guess you are in your mid to late 60's? ...about my age (68). I started with an Apple ][ computer and my first IBM compatible had only a single floppy drive and no hard disk. It used MS-DOS 1.0 !

To sharpen your mind all you have to do is keep it in practical use. Collecting or learning about Lugers will definitely help with that...

Please try to take some photos of your pistol in natural light on an overcast day and without a flash. We can tell you more about your Luger if we can see clear, in-focus photos that show all markings and stamps. Please also include a photo of the front of the frame below the barrel. This is where the actual serial number should be... 4 digits with a cursive script letter underneath the number.

Welcome to the Lugerforum.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

Seems more likely that a mashed or out of spec. locking lever is more likely the culprit than worn lugs. You just need to land a spec. Erfurt or DWM lever for comparison. If that fails you may be able to send it to the Lugerdoc and let him swap some parts.
dju

I can't imagine either area wearing much, either. I should have said "messed with". Given the unorthodox outward appearance of the lever, it may well be the "deficient", offending part. A shout out to Lugerdoc will get you on your way!

[BlackBart]

Originally Posted by John Sabato

Older than most? from your avatar, I would guess you are in your mid to late 60's? ...about my age (68). I started with an Apple ][ computer and my first IBM compatible had only a single floppy drive and no hard disk. It used MS-DOS 1.0 !

To sharpen your mind all you have to do is keep it in practical use. Collecting or learning about Lugers will definitely help with that...

Please try to take some photos of your pistol in natural light on an overcast day and without a flash. We can tell you more about your Luger if we can see clear, in-focus photos that show all markings and stamps. Please also include a photo of the front of the frame below the barrel. This is where the actual serial number should be... 4 digits with a cursive script letter underneath the number.

Welcome to the Lugerforum.

Thanks for the welcome, yes we're close..... I started with a Tandy EX... single floppy at 1200 baud, aded external HD and became an expert on Alleycat and pong. BBSing was a lot of fun or so I thought. I really thought I was jamming when I got a XT clone and 2400, LIGHTSPEED! Many think my avatar is some kind of pirate or boatyard logo, oh well, I can still eat, sleep and waste time at the North York Co range.
Anyway, took gun semi apart and did stretch out extractor spring a bit.... no soap, same thing. I DID discover with no pin in it it does go home all the way as advertised BUT when I align and put the axle back in it draws the slide back maybe 1/16th of an inch or less, just not enough for the extractor to grab except maybe the last round. Therefore............ beats the **** out of me. Nothing "looks" bent or in backwards that I can see. Really at a loss and knowing I probably overpaid to begin with..... local gunshop somewhere or swap it off at the next gunshow.......... I dunno.
Barrel aligns perfectly with factory line and numbers match. Damn!!! Best guess... never been separated.

[John Sabato]

Try this. Separate the top assembly from the lower.

CAUTION: It is very important that you NEVER put a live round in the chamber when the top assembly is separated from the frame because a Luger can be discharged by pressing inward on the front of the sear bar.

With an empty fired case in the chamber watch as you close the toggle slowly on the empty case manually and all should work smoothly with the extractor snapping over the case rim as the toggle closes. This should happen every time. If it doesn't, then the problem is definitely with the upper assembly.

My recommendations:

Clean the toggle inside and out with a good gun solvent and a stiff toothbrush. Clean all the components including the firing pin, the sear, and the bottom of the firing pin channel and make sure they are clean and lubricated. The entire assembly should work as smoothly as a clock mechanism. While the extractor is removed, make sure the extractor spring hole is very clean and there are no kinks in the spring.

Gently polish both sides of the extractor with very fine emery cloth or paper (400 grit or higher) and then carefully clean the grit off the part and lubricate it. Reinsert the extractor in the breechblock without the spring. It should move very smoothly up and down in its channel. If not, keep polishing until it does.

Once the part is moving correctly, then reassemble with the spring and test the assembly once again with the fired case in the chamber. All should work smoothly. Once it does, then reassemble the gun and do the same test with the fired case. Once again, the extractor should snap over the case rim every time. If it does not, then we have to determine where the obstruction is occurring and remove it.

Please post photos of your breechblock and extractor from multiple angles so I can see if there is any damage that might not be apparent to an untrained eye... I would also include multiple photos of your takedown lever individually as well as mounted in the frame.

I can't see that this "problem" will be that difficult to solve to make your Luger a reliable shooter.

[BlackBart]

Allow me to be a PITA again on this thing. Does anyone have the exact dimensions of center to center holes of the REAR TOGGLE LINK and FORWARD toggle link and finally end to end of the breechblock. That 16th or so of an inch has to be there somewhere I think. Maybe a 7.65 part in a 9mm?????

How about a competent honest gunsmith in the York Pa. area?

Thanks in advance!

[Lugerdoc]

If the test described above by John S, show that the top half is OK, consider the S shaped connecting link attached to the rear toggle link, may be bent or a short one for the M1900 luger. TH

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by BlackBart

Allow me to be a PITA again on this thing. Does anyone have the exact dimensions of center to center holes of the REAL TOGGLE LINK and FORWARD toggle link and finally end to end of the breechblock. That 16th or so of an inch has to be there somewhere I think. Maybe a 7.65 part in a 9mm?????

How about a competent honest gunsmith in the York Pa. area?

Thanks in advance!

7,65 and 9mm parts are interchangeable, well except for the barrel.

I'm not sure what the "real" toggle link is, but if you have original made parts, the 1/16" is Not in the toggle parts. And no, I've never measured the lengths you mention- never needed to.

But,
I'm not convinced the toggle is not in place, the gap may be just a shadow, in another picture it looks fine.

Anyway,
the toggle has nothing to do with the alignment of the receiver to the frame. Three things that do affect this are:

Length of frame- yours could be a long frame cut down, or a short frame faced off for a new number- Possible with yours

In fact almost certainly your problem, the front of the frame is very close to the axle of the take down lever, indicating facing off of the front of the frame; the good news is that the pistol will function with this short frame- just won't look right.

Take down lever/bolt - rear face damaged or fit poorly allowing receiver to come too far forward, again Possible.

Length of the receiver- could be a long receiver , shortened but not enough- Not likely on your pistol, as it is marked with the Erfurt proof/acceptance and 1914 date, so it is a short receiver.

With only one luger in your possession, I'm not sure you can figure this out- or if you do - be able to fix it.

I suggest you send it to lugerdoc for evaluation.

Otherwise probably too late to return it to the seller , if not- I would; and at least complain about the condition.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by mrerick

(on background, I've never seen one of our members here respond to an inquiry with gibberish...

I didn't see this thread before...You made my day! Always start the day with a good laugh!

Now...I've not only SEEN members here respond with gibberish...I'VE responded with gibberish!!!

I've also woken up early on a Sunday morning and read posts here that would make a longshoreman blush...Those get reported immediately...

[BlackBart]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

7,65 and 9mm parts are interchangeable, well except for the barrel.

I'm not sure what the "real" toggle link is, but if you have original made parts, the 1/16" is Not in the toggle parts. And no, I've never measured the lengths you mention- never needed to.

Oops, typo............... "rear" and you're right, this is way over my head. Gunsmith or take a hit on trade.