malfunctioning luger

robin1 · 05-19-2004, 12:13 AM

i have just purchased my first luger. it is a 1917 9mm erfurt in very good condition. unfortunatly it malfunctioned the first time i fired it. almost every time i fired it the spent casing remained in the chamber. a few times the spent casing got caught between the bolt and chamber partially extracted. the extractor appears to be ok. could it be a weak extractor spring? if so where can i find parts. i have checked with numrich and northridge. no extractor spring with either of them. i am not having much luck finding any luger parts.

policeluger · 05-19-2004, 12:57 AM

Check the chamber, is it clean and free of rust, is the extractor moving freely up and down, you can make a new sping from stock, not hard to do. Ask Lugerdoc here on LF if he has an original spring. Most times I run into this, the chamber needs a light polishing with crocus cloth...I just wrap it around a small wood dowl and a few even twists and it will clean up...let us know if we can help...

jamese · 05-19-2004, 04:22 AM

Robin,
I also have extractor springs for sale, send me an
e-mail :
jamesegg@bellsouth.net

Jim

robin1 · 05-20-2004, 10:06 PM

the extractor does move freely and appears to be in good condition. i did polish the chamber. also i cleaned and lubricated the entire gun. i then fired two test shots. no luck! both times it malfunctioned. the bolt attempted to strip a new round from the mag but it could not chamber because the spent casing was still in the chamber. as a whole the gun appears to be in great shape with no rust but somethings not right. i will be working at a local gun show this weekend. with any luck mabey i can find a luger expert that is not too expensive. thanks for the suggestions. if i find the problem i will let you guys know what it was for future reference.

Lugerdoc · 05-21-2004, 09:52 AM

Robin, This sounds like an ejector, rather than extractor, problem to me. To check, just remove the toggle assy and make sure that the tip to the ejector is not broken off and that it moves freely in the receiver, when you push it from the inside. TH

lugerholsterrepair · 05-21-2004, 12:40 PM

Robin 1 says; almost every time i fired it the spent casing remained in the chamber.

Have you looked to see if some grit is under the extractor leaving it riding high?

Look at the extractor lips to see that they are not chipped or worn down excessively. Also that there is no carbon buildup anywhere , either under the extractor or on the boltface.

When working the toggle manually can you observe the extractor hooking onto the rim of the cartridge? And will it extract an unfired round? When you push up on the extractor with your thumb is the spring quite strong? It should be.

If the pistol will not extract, it cannot begin to eject.

I suspect the extractor lips are damaged or perhaps the headspace is incorrect causing the cartridge to insert further than proper. You must look closely to see if the extractor is actually gripping the rim on a closed bolt. Close visual inspection should tell you a lot. Jerry Burney

Danny R. Bowles · 05-26-2004, 08:24 AM

Hello Gentlemen, I had the same problem with a ejector on a 20 commercial. It was indeed the ejector as Tom has mentioned. My spring was broke. I measured it and took one out of a old vcr I had in my electronic shop. Put it in and presto, no more problems, buy the way Tom I got that HO working on my byf. A little bending did the trick.Thanks; Danny

robin1 · 05-26-2004, 11:00 PM

just to answer a few questions, yes when manually operating the toggle it would extract a new or spent casing. the extractor was quite easy to move with light pulling of one finger. carbon build up or any other grime was never an issue because the previous owner kept the luger in spotless condition. also i cleaned and lubricated after purchase and firing. now after replacing the extractor spring the extractor is much stiffer when trying to pull with a finger and most important the spent casings are now extracted. my luger now functions properly. lucky for me a $1 spring repaired the problem. now its time to perform a torture test that i perform on all of my weapons. fire 500 to 1000 rounds with out cleaning. if it does not malfunction then its worth keeping. thanks for all the input.

05-19-2004, 12:13 AM	#1
robin1 New User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	malfunctioning luger i have just purchased my first luger. it is a 1917 9mm erfurt in very good condition. unfortunatly it malfunctioned the first time i fired it. almost every time i fired it the spent casing remained in the chamber. a few times the spent casing got caught between the bolt and chamber partially extracted. the extractor appears to be ok. could it be a weak extractor spring? if so where can i find parts. i have checked with numrich and northridge. no extractor spring with either of them. i am not having much luck finding any luger parts.

05-19-2004, 04:22 AM	#3
jamese User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 789 Thanks: 0 Thanked 84 Times in 34 Posts	Robin, I also have extractor springs for sale, send me an e-mail : jamesegg@bellsouth.net Jim __________________ The "truth" is a matter of Perception

05-21-2004, 09:52 AM	#5
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	Robin, This sounds like an ejector, rather than extractor, problem to me. To check, just remove the toggle assy and make sure that the tip to the ejector is not broken off and that it moves freely in the receiver, when you push it from the inside. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

05-21-2004, 12:40 PM	#6
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,763 Thanks: 4,868 Thanked 3,105 Times in 1,429 Posts	Robin 1 says; almost every time i fired it the spent casing remained in the chamber. Have you looked to see if some grit is under the extractor leaving it riding high? Look at the extractor lips to see that they are not chipped or worn down excessively. Also that there is no carbon buildup anywhere , either under the extractor or on the boltface. When working the toggle manually can you observe the extractor hooking onto the rim of the cartridge? And will it extract an unfired round? When you push up on the extractor with your thumb is the spring quite strong? It should be. If the pistol will not extract, it cannot begin to eject. I suspect the extractor lips are damaged or perhaps the headspace is incorrect causing the cartridge to insert further than proper. You must look closely to see if the extractor is actually gripping the rim on a closed bolt. Close visual inspection should tell you a lot. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

05-26-2004, 08:24 AM	#7
Danny R. Bowles User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern West Va Posts: 21 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hello Gentlemen, I had the same problem with a ejector on a 20 commercial. It was indeed the ejector as Tom has mentioned. My spring was broke. I measured it and took one out of a old vcr I had in my electronic shop. Put it in and presto, no more problems, buy the way Tom I got that HO working on my byf. A little bending did the trick.Thanks; Danny __________________ drb

05-19-2004, 12:57 AM	#2
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	Check the chamber, is it clean and free of rust, is the extractor moving freely up and down, you can make a new sping from stock, not hard to do. Ask Lugerdoc here on LF if he has an original spring. Most times I run into this, the chamber needs a light polishing with crocus cloth...I just wrap it around a small wood dowl and a few even twists and it will clean up...let us know if we can help...

05-20-2004, 10:06 PM	#4
robin1 New User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	the extractor does move freely and appears to be in good condition. i did polish the chamber. also i cleaned and lubricated the entire gun. i then fired two test shots. no luck! both times it malfunctioned. the bolt attempted to strip a new round from the mag but it could not chamber because the spent casing was still in the chamber. as a whole the gun appears to be in great shape with no rust but somethings not right. i will be working at a local gun show this weekend. with any luck mabey i can find a luger expert that is not too expensive. thanks for the suggestions. if i find the problem i will let you guys know what it was for future reference.

05-26-2004, 11:00 PM	#8
robin1 New User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	just to answer a few questions, yes when manually operating the toggle it would extract a new or spent casing. the extractor was quite easy to move with light pulling of one finger. carbon build up or any other grime was never an issue because the previous owner kept the luger in spotless condition. also i cleaned and lubricated after purchase and firing. now after replacing the extractor spring the extractor is much stiffer when trying to pull with a finger and most important the spent casings are now extracted. my luger now functions properly. lucky for me a $1 spring repaired the problem. now its time to perform a torture test that i perform on all of my weapons. fire 500 to 1000 rounds with out cleaning. if it does not malfunction then its worth keeping. thanks for all the input.