Results of "Shadetree Gunsmithing"

[Hugh]

Been fooling around with a parts gun and came up with my version of a "New Navy". Kinda crude work, I usually do better, but this started out as just an experiment.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

[Luke]

Hugh -

Where did you get those grips ??????

Luke

[Doubs]

Hugh, that spot on top of the barrel just in front of the receiver ring..... did someone try to weld a rear sight on or what? <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

Just kidding! That's a pretty Luger and if it shoots as nice as it looks, it's a barn burner! Is it a .30?

[Hugh]

<img src="graemlins/r.gif" border="0" alt="[king]" /> New Navy--Genuine Navy bbl in 9mm, I don't know who did the engraving, I bought it like that. Genuine Navy frame marked 1917 on left rail. "Genuine?" Navy reciever with Navy acceptance marks on left side, but dated 1936--go figure! Just got it all together today and haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Hope it holds together! I made the grips about 20 yrs ago from a piece of fancy Walnut from Herters (remember them?) and the swastika from a Mexican silver peso. <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

[Herb]

Looks great. When are you going to straw them parts?

[AGE]

Hugh,

Have you ever tried to integrate a S&W revolver sight into the toggle like some smiths do on a 1911 slide?

[Hugh]

<img src="graemlins/r.gif" border="0" alt="[king]" /> AGE, do you mean like this? <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

[max2cam]

Man, that looks like a GREAT shooter to me. Are you going to try it out with some live ammo?

I remember Herter's very well. They were big on gunstocks with color photos of their inletted stocks. Some of their stuff was junk but most wasn't, and the prices were always good. Wish they were still around. They were the true sportsmans' Bible.

Those grips turned out nice. With that silver inlay you could sell that gun as Admiral Doenitz's personal Luger on Ebay.

[Jack Owens]

Dear Hugh,

It looks like the pistol was restored with a fair amount of polishing. Was the "S/42" restamped in front of the toggle? I have a C96 that was polished and the lettering can be read but it is somewhat faint. Seeing that very clear "S/42" made me wonder if my C96 could be carefully restamped with the same size and type stamps as the originals. And whether Ted does that sort of thing

Regards,
Jack [img]rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Hugh]

Jack,

Actually, the toggle train is a mixture of three different parts. The middle link is original finish, but dinged up pretty badly. The rear toggle just happens to be the same number, has been buffed heavily, and when I got it, already had the dovetail cut for a rear sight. I just had to modify it a little to make my sight fit. Although the frame and bbl/receiver are both navy, they have different SN's. Some, but not all of the small parts match the frame. Just goes to show what you can do with a box full of Luger parts! <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

To make Herb happy, I strawed the small parts today! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

[Hugh]

<img src="graemlins/r.gif" border="0" alt="[king]" />
Rick,

Brownells Oxpho Blue is one of the best.

The rear toggle had a dovetail cut in it when I got it, I just had to do some filing to get the MMC sight to fit. I don't think it would be too much of a problem to to cut through the hard "skin" with a Dremel tool, and then use a dovetail slot mill to cut the dovetail.

As an extra anchor, I drilled a small hole thru the receiver and sight base, tapped threads in the sight base and screwed it down from the bottom.

The other problem was that the sight is wider than the toggle, and the toggle wouldn't close down all the way. So I took my "handy-dandy" Dremel tool and inletted slots on the inside of the receiver to allow the sight to fit and the toggle to lock down all the way.

<img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

[AGE]

Hugh,

I guess that's the S&W revolver sight, but it hangs out the back too far. The one on my 1911 measures about 1.75" from attachment screw to adjustment screw. Can this be shortened somewhat so it won't stick out so far? I realize this might cut down the adjustment travel, but it would sure appeal to me a lot more.

Maybe one of the square prewar Colt match .45 rear sights would be a better choice (with a wider and probably taller front sight) for a Luger without destroying it's appealing lines.

[AGE]

Rick,

Maybe you could consider a set of shims to place under the rear sight. What do you think of that? Of course they might not always be right with the gun--that's a disadvantage.

Maybe a better idea would be to have one or two set screws under the sight that could be raised or lowered--of course the sight would have to be removed to get at the set screws.

In my opinion a wider (and higher if necessary) untapered front sight should also be used which shouldn't be too difficult since the sight is dovetail mounted (this would require making a sight).

[AGE]

Rick,

I like the idea of a neat, tidy, compact handgun that is a handgun (not a sawed off rifle) in all respects. That's mainly why I rejected electronic sights--makes any handgun unwieldy. Also that's why I like my 1911 with recessed S&W revolver sights. It's much more appealing than any other 1911 including my Gold Cup and several with buried Bo-Mars.

I am a retired ME and I do have some ideas. I have never been a machinist but my dad was one. I appreciate the complexity of machining hardened parts and getting everything just right on the setup. I tinker, but wouldn't try anything complicated that might screw up a good gun.