Luger magazine safety

Karl F. Kleber · 08-17-2002, 05:35 AM

In the 1920s Lugers for the German police had been equipped with magazine safeties. I have found in my collectors life a lot of guns, where the safeties had been later removed or cut off.

Who has an original safety to copy? I would like to get my gun (1921) back to original spec.

Karl

Marvin · 08-17-2002, 07:31 AM

Hello Karl,

I think you have posed a very interesting question and I hope others will come in and offer their opinions also.

The Weimar Police Lugers are one of the most interesting Lugers to me because of the history behind many of them. Many were used in WWI, the Weimar Era, and on into the Third Reich Era. This gives them a rich history of use.

As to your question, I don't have a definitive answer, but I feel the Sear Safety was removed sometimes during the later WWII period. The Police during the war were probably required to join the soldiers on the front line and the pistols they had with them were the ones they carried into combat. Since a combat situation is different than Police duty, I feel the military requested/required that the Sear Safety be removed since it was not a military requirement. If this was the case, I feel the sideplate with the cutout for the Sear Safety should still be with the pistol to keep it all factory original parts. As it is well known, the government requested that all pistols that could be spred from civilians, Police, NSDAP, etc. be sent to the front line combat troops for the defense of Germany from the Russians. This is the reason I feel that there are those like your pistol with the removed safety.

On another note, the saftery could have been removed by anyone at anytime and no one would know unless told when and by whom this was done. During a war, anything can happend and rules can be bent to meet the situation. Just a few of my thoughts!

Great question!!!!

Marvin

Jan C Still · 08-21-2002, 01:18 AM

Marvin
You stated "As to your question, I don't have a definitive answer, but I feel the Sear Safety was removed sometimes during the later WWII period.... I feel the military requested/required that the Sear Safety be removed since it was not a military requirement"

Almost all sear safety Lugers, retained their sear safeties after the end of WWII. This is evident by the fact that almost all sear safeties on Lugers in collections today are intact.

Magazine safeties were likley clipped by police armories in the 1937-1938 period when the police surveyed to determine their success or lack of success. Installation of magazine safeties on newly mfg. Lugers ceased during 1936.
Jan

Pete Ebbink · 08-21-2002, 02:01 AM

Hello Karl,

And welcome to the Forum !

If you go to the Luger Forum section called "Luger Accessories", there was a message thread started on 7-23-03 titled "Magazine Safety Scan For Doug George" that has some info, photo, and diagrams you might find useful.

Regards,

Pete <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

bradsimpson · 08-21-2002, 02:53 PM

Karl,
I've seen thousands of Lugers, but only one with the mag-safety intact. Dad says he's seen about a half-dozen or so.

He also says that these parts have been recently manufactured in Germany. He has seen them for sale at the German gun shows.

[img]smile.gif[/img]

08-17-2002, 05:35 AM	#1
Karl F. Kleber New User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Worms, Germany Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Luger magazine safety In the 1920s Lugers for the German police had been equipped with magazine safeties. I have found in my collectors life a lot of guns, where the safeties had been later removed or cut off. Who has an original safety to copy? I would like to get my gun (1921) back to original spec. Karl

08-17-2002, 07:31 AM	#2
Marvin User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Upstate S.C. Posts: 1,132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hello Karl, I think you have posed a very interesting question and I hope others will come in and offer their opinions also. The Weimar Police Lugers are one of the most interesting Lugers to me because of the history behind many of them. Many were used in WWI, the Weimar Era, and on into the Third Reich Era. This gives them a rich history of use. As to your question, I don't have a definitive answer, but I feel the Sear Safety was removed sometimes during the later WWII period. The Police during the war were probably required to join the soldiers on the front line and the pistols they had with them were the ones they carried into combat. Since a combat situation is different than Police duty, I feel the military requested/required that the Sear Safety be removed since it was not a military requirement. If this was the case, I feel the sideplate with the cutout for the Sear Safety should still be with the pistol to keep it all factory original parts. As it is well known, the government requested that all pistols that could be spred from civilians, Police, NSDAP, etc. be sent to the front line combat troops for the defense of Germany from the Russians. This is the reason I feel that there are those like your pistol with the removed safety. On another note, the saftery could have been removed by anyone at anytime and no one would know unless told when and by whom this was done. During a war, anything can happend and rules can be bent to meet the situation. Just a few of my thoughts! Great question!!!! Marvin

08-21-2002, 01:18 AM	#3
Jan C Still User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Box 240188, Douglas, Alaska, 99824 Posts: 463 Thanks: 0 Thanked 52 Times in 32 Posts	Marvin You stated "As to your question, I don't have a definitive answer, but I feel the Sear Safety was removed sometimes during the later WWII period.... I feel the military requested/required that the Sear Safety be removed since it was not a military requirement" Almost all sear safety Lugers, retained their sear safeties after the end of WWII. This is evident by the fact that almost all sear safeties on Lugers in collections today are intact. Magazine safeties were likley clipped by police armories in the 1937-1938 period when the police surveyed to determine their success or lack of success. Installation of magazine safeties on newly mfg. Lugers ceased during 1936. Jan

08-21-2002, 02:01 AM	#4
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Hello Karl, And welcome to the Forum ! If you go to the Luger Forum section called "Luger Accessories", there was a message thread started on 7-23-03 titled "Magazine Safety Scan For Doug George" that has some info, photo, and diagrams you might find useful. Regards, Pete <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

08-21-2002, 02:53 PM	#5
bradsimpson User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Galesburg, IL Posts: 135 Thanks: 0 Thanked 17 Times in 9 Posts	Karl, I've seen thousands of Lugers, but only one with the mag-safety intact. Dad says he's seen about a half-dozen or so. He also says that these parts have been recently manufactured in Germany. He has seen them for sale at the German gun shows. [img]smile.gif[/img]