Help with Erfurt 1918

P08Leder · 10-23-2015, 07:12 PM

Just found a shooter Erfurt 1918 (refinished but matching numbers), got it home and the take down lever will not budge.
Any tips or tricks? Soaking in oil right now
Thanks!

DavidJayUden · 10-23-2015, 07:56 PM

Are you pressing the barrel to the rear to take the pressure off?
dju

wlyon · 10-23-2015, 08:22 PM

It should be easy. But as above push the barrel against something and while holding it there move the takedown lever down and lift the sideplate off. Same when assembling. Do not force it or worse use a screwdriver. If you are not familiar with field stripping a luger I suggest you look it up before you attempt it. It is very simple but only when you know how. Enjoy your luger and welcome to the Forum. Bill

P08Leder · 10-23-2015, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

Are you pressing the barrel to the rear to take the pressure off?
dju

yes

Quote:

Originally Posted by wlyon

It should be easy. But as above push the barrel against something and while holding it there move the takedown lever down and lift the sideplate off. Same when assembling. Do not force it or worse use a screwdriver. If you are not familiar with field stripping a luger I suggest you look it up before you attempt it. It is very simple but only when you know how. Enjoy your luger and welcome to the Forum. Bill

tried it at all levels of pushback
even broke the toggle to go back a little further
nothing works
noticed the tiny pin on the right side sticking out a bit. do not know if this is normal
Thanks for the welcome

P08Leder · 10-23-2015, 08:45 PM

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P08Leder · 10-23-2015, 08:46 PM

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P08Leder · 10-23-2015, 08:48 PM

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DavidJayUden · 10-23-2015, 09:55 PM

I'm leaning toward the takedown lever retaining spring being broken or ill-fitting and causing a bind. Any chance you can pull on that stub on the right side? If the spring were broken in the right place it might actually pull out the side.
I'm beginning to lean toward medieval violent force. Tape up a straight screwdriver and while pressing the barrel back a bit use very light force on the tool to start the lever down in back. It shouldn't take much and be gentle, as you don't want to break off the takedown lever.
But probably best to wait 24 hours to see if someone else has a better idea, as I'm probably overlooking the obvious.
While you are waiting put on some penetrating oil. Probably not the solution but it won't hurt.
dju

DavidJayUden · 10-23-2015, 09:57 PM

Also you may want to use a small punch and try tapping the spring back into the frame, then try the normal takedown procedure.
dju

DonVoigt · 10-23-2015, 10:15 PM

All good advise, but I use wood or plastic to move stubborn TD levers.

As you say that it is matching, must be something "else" that has it in a bind, like David says maybe the spring. It sticking out a little is not bad, but it may be broken and binding.

alanint · 10-24-2015, 10:26 AM

That looks like a home made spring, which is probably binding the lever. I also use a wood or nylon/Delrin tool to move parts like this.

P08Leder · 10-24-2015, 05:20 PM

Took it to the local gunsmith who was able to take it down.
He just said it was really tight and mechanically fine.
Said the pin was long and trimmed it. Pin had been replaced when it was refinished.
He gave it a good clean bill of health and told me to go shoot it.

P08Leder · 10-24-2015, 05:20 PM

Montage with some family heirlooms

P08Leder · 10-24-2015, 05:21 PM

P08Leder · 10-24-2015, 05:21 PM

Lugerdoc · 10-24-2015, 06:01 PM

I'm really tired of hearing of using a hard surface to push back the barrelled receiver to release the TD lever. The perfered method is to pull back the toggle on an empty mag to hold open. Then the lever should move easily. In this case, a bad repro spring is causing the problem. TH

rhuff · 10-24-2015, 06:40 PM

Welcome to the forum, and glad to hear that you found the problem. A bit of "tuning" should make the takedown process easier in the future. I assume that you know to use std. velocity FMJRN ammo for best results.

ithacaartist · 10-24-2015, 07:12 PM

Welcome, Erich. Tom beat me to the post! If your lever is still unacceptably stiff, contact Lugerdoc for a good spring that is in spec. The levers were not supposed to be that difficult to move!

P08Leder · 10-24-2015, 07:47 PM

Thanks for the welcome. I have wanted a P08 for a long time,
and this one popped up local for a reasonable price so I jumped on it.
Hopefully I can get it straightened out.

padredan · 10-25-2015, 08:47 AM

welcome to the forum , very nice p08, enjoy it and be safe

10-23-2015, 07:12 PM	#1
P08Leder User Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 77 Thanks: 8 Thanked 43 Times in 18 Posts	Help with Erfurt 1918 Just found a shooter Erfurt 1918 (refinished but matching numbers), got it home and the take down lever will not budge. Any tips or tricks? Soaking in oil right now Thanks!

10-23-2015, 08:22 PM	#3
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,625 Thanks: 3,165 Thanked 2,544 Times in 949 Posts	It should be easy. But as above push the barrel against something and while holding it there move the takedown lever down and lift the sideplate off. Same when assembling. Do not force it or worse use a screwdriver. If you are not familiar with field stripping a luger I suggest you look it up before you attempt it. It is very simple but only when you know how. Enjoy your luger and welcome to the Forum. Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

10-23-2015, 08:45 PM	#5
P08Leder User Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 77 Thanks: 8 Thanked 43 Times in 18 Posts	[IMG][/IMG]

10-23-2015, 08:46 PM	#6
P08Leder User Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 77 Thanks: 8 Thanked 43 Times in 18 Posts	[IMG][/IMG]

10-23-2015, 08:48 PM	#7
P08Leder User Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 77 Thanks: 8 Thanked 43 Times in 18 Posts	[IMG][/IMG]

10-23-2015, 07:56 PM	#2
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Are you pressing the barrel to the rear to take the pressure off? dju

10-23-2015, 09:55 PM	#8
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	I'm leaning toward the takedown lever retaining spring being broken or ill-fitting and causing a bind. Any chance you can pull on that stub on the right side? If the spring were broken in the right place it might actually pull out the side. I'm beginning to lean toward medieval violent force. Tape up a straight screwdriver and while pressing the barrel back a bit use very light force on the tool to start the lever down in back. It shouldn't take much and be gentle, as you don't want to break off the takedown lever. But probably best to wait 24 hours to see if someone else has a better idea, as I'm probably overlooking the obvious. While you are waiting put on some penetrating oil. Probably not the solution but it won't hurt. dju

10-23-2015, 09:57 PM	#9
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Also you may want to use a small punch and try tapping the spring back into the frame, then try the normal takedown procedure. dju

10-23-2015, 10:15 PM	#10
DonVoigt User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: near Charlotte NC Posts: 4,681 Thanks: 1,441 Thanked 4,350 Times in 2,040 Posts	All good advise, but I use wood or plastic to move stubborn TD levers. As you say that it is matching, must be something "else" that has it in a bind, like David says maybe the spring. It sticking out a little is not bad, but it may be broken and binding.

10-24-2015, 10:26 AM	#11
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	That looks like a home made spring, which is probably binding the lever. I also use a wood or nylon/Delrin tool to move parts like this.

10-24-2015, 05:20 PM	#12
P08Leder User Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 77 Thanks: 8 Thanked 43 Times in 18 Posts	Took it to the local gunsmith who was able to take it down. He just said it was really tight and mechanically fine. Said the pin was long and trimmed it. Pin had been replaced when it was refinished. He gave it a good clean bill of health and told me to go shoot it.

10-24-2015, 05:21 PM	#14
P08Leder User Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 77 Thanks: 8 Thanked 43 Times in 18 Posts	Last edited by P08Leder; 10-24-2015 at 07:46 PM.

10-24-2015, 06:01 PM	#16
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	I'm really tired of hearing of using a hard surface to push back the barrelled receiver to release the TD lever. The perfered method is to pull back the toggle on an empty mag to hold open. Then the lever should move easily. In this case, a bad repro spring is causing the problem. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

10-24-2015, 06:40 PM	#17
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,287 Thanks: 2,702 Thanked 971 Times in 716 Posts	Welcome to the forum, and glad to hear that you found the problem. A bit of "tuning" should make the takedown process easier in the future. I assume that you know to use std. velocity FMJRN ammo for best results.

10-24-2015, 07:12 PM	#18
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,320 Thanks: 7,178 Thanked 2,532 Times in 1,348 Posts	Welcome, Erich. Tom beat me to the post! If your lever is still unacceptably stiff, contact Lugerdoc for a good spring that is in spec. The levers were not supposed to be that difficult to move! __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894

10-24-2015, 07:47 PM	#19
P08Leder User Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 77 Thanks: 8 Thanked 43 Times in 18 Posts	Thanks for the welcome. I have wanted a P08 for a long time, and this one popped up local for a reasonable price so I jumped on it. Hopefully I can get it straightened out.

10-25-2015, 08:47 AM	#20
padredan User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: louisiana Now, but from the Rebublic of Texas Posts: 937 Thanks: 429 Thanked 316 Times in 182 Posts	welcome to the forum , very nice p08, enjoy it and be safe __________________ In this world nothing is free, except the grace of God