My First Luger - Page 2

Heydrich · 07-05-2002, 03:51 AM

Karl:

Followed your instructions, and removed the firing pin from the bolt assembly with a screwdriver. You were right, very easy.

wterrell · 07-05-2002, 03:11 PM

Heydrich,
The Borchardt, from which the Luger evolved, was created by a sewing machine engineer (turned firearms engineer). This may account for the complexity of the Luger design. The sewing machines were engineering marvels, as were the Lugers.

Compare that with the design of the blowbacks.

lugerholsterrepair · 07-07-2002, 01:13 AM

Heydrich, Welcome! I noticed that someone gave you the advice of using WD40. Don't do it. WD40n is not an oil. It stands for water displacer #40 and is a penetrating solution meant to displace water. It is not so much a lubricant as a solution that once it displaces water it is supposed to evaporate. Once it does that it leaves behind a gunky varnish like substance that will build up. On top of all this, it is horrible as a rust preventative. I would prefer to use nothing other than WD 40. I used to live in Seaside OR and I know what kind of moisture you are dealing with up there. A friend of mine used to slather WD40 on his safe full of pistols and rifles in Yuma AZ and couldn't figure out why all of them were rusting. He even installed a de-humidifier and used pounds of dessicant. Same story, every week more rust. WD40 was the culprit. Also, I shot 200 rounds through my 1936 Mauser this afternoon and didn't use a loading tool. Magazines are not that hard to load although they are a little easier with a tool if you can juggle the tool, mag and a handful of cartridges. Jerry Burney

Heydrich · 07-07-2002, 01:34 AM

Jerry:

Thank you for the advice. I thought about using WD40, and I even went so far as to go out to my parent’s house and borrow a can if it from them. But right before I started to reassemble the DWM model I bought, I completely relapsed in a way (LOL) and used standard gun oil like I always have with my 98k rifles. I oiled every moving part, the bore and most of the rest of it. Although I did not put much at all on the trigger spring area, safety catch, and the locking bolt spring mechanism. I guess I should get around to it.

Your name sounds real familiar. Have you ever been to any of the Rose City Collectors gun shows at the Expo Center in Portland, Oregon? I used to attend all the time in the late 90s, but much less so in the past two years.

-Curt Jensen

Jerry Harris · 07-07-2002, 03:07 AM

Heydrich,
You may want to ignore this kind of backing and filling, but I've noticed that subjects like WD-40 (and W.J. Clinton) generate a spectrum of opinions. I've used WD quite a bit, often with good results, not as a rust-preventer but as a lubricant -- one drop at a time from the end of a toothpick. As Karl implied, it has the wicking characteristics of a penetrating oil. It freed up a slightly sluggish sear plunger for me a few months ago, and the plunger remains free today (I just checked it). I've also used regular light gun oil on Luger parts with no problems. Incidentally, the original DWM manual recommended only one lubricant -- Vaseline!

Lugerdoc · 07-07-2002, 10:16 AM

Curt, Perhaps we'll convert you from those hard to store K98s. You have to admit, reinstalling the luger firing pin is a lot easier than that of a Mauser 98. Tom H.

Heydrich · 07-07-2002, 05:14 PM

[Curt, Perhaps we'll convert you from those hard to store K98s. You have to admit, reinstalling the luger firing pin is a lot easier than that of a Mauser 98]

Tom:

That’s for sure! Not only that, the luger firing pin sure is a lot easier to remove. The 98k firing pin spring flies out with lethal velocity at times. LOL.

-Curt Jensen

Doubs · 07-07-2002, 07:02 PM

Curt, the US Navy and, I believe, the Air Force stopped using WD-40 for exactly the reasons stated. It doesn't prevent corrosion. Stick with your gun oil and you should be fine.

I'm not trying to start an argument about WD-40 but a good friend who worked quality control in a joint AF-Navy weapon's project told me about the problems the Navy in particular had with WD-40. Ed Banks was also one of Handgunner Magazine's "Top 100 Pistolsmiths" listed every year until his untimely death a few years ago. He favored "Break Free" as an all-around lubricant and was widely known for his work on 1911's.

OTOH, the Luger loading tool and the mag are not difficult to manage. It makes loading quite easy and prevents sore thumbs. Hook the mag button in the hole with the screwdriver end of the tool pointing straight up and use the thumb on the L-piece that will be sticking out to pull the follower down. It's a piece of cake to drop the cartridges in.

07-05-2002, 03:11 PM	#22
wterrell User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,096 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Heydrich, The Borchardt, from which the Luger evolved, was created by a sewing machine engineer (turned firearms engineer). This may account for the complexity of the Luger design. The sewing machines were engineering marvels, as were the Lugers. Compare that with the design of the blowbacks. __________________ Noli me vocare, ego te vocabo, wes --------------------

07-07-2002, 01:13 AM	#23
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,760 Thanks: 4,848 Thanked 3,099 Times in 1,426 Posts	Heydrich, Welcome! I noticed that someone gave you the advice of using WD40. Don't do it. WD40n is not an oil. It stands for water displacer #40 and is a penetrating solution meant to displace water. It is not so much a lubricant as a solution that once it displaces water it is supposed to evaporate. Once it does that it leaves behind a gunky varnish like substance that will build up. On top of all this, it is horrible as a rust preventative. I would prefer to use nothing other than WD 40. I used to live in Seaside OR and I know what kind of moisture you are dealing with up there. A friend of mine used to slather WD40 on his safe full of pistols and rifles in Yuma AZ and couldn't figure out why all of them were rusting. He even installed a de-humidifier and used pounds of dessicant. Same story, every week more rust. WD40 was the culprit. Also, I shot 200 rounds through my 1936 Mauser this afternoon and didn't use a loading tool. Magazines are not that hard to load although they are a little easier with a tool if you can juggle the tool, mag and a handful of cartridges. 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."

07-07-2002, 10:16 AM	#26
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	Curt, Perhaps we'll convert you from those hard to store K98s. You have to admit, reinstalling the luger firing pin is a lot easier than that of a Mauser 98. Tom H. __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

07-05-2002, 03:51 AM	#21
Heydrich Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Karl: Followed your instructions, and removed the firing pin from the bolt assembly with a screwdriver. You were right, very easy.

07-07-2002, 01:34 AM	#24
Heydrich Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Jerry: Thank you for the advice. I thought about using WD40, and I even went so far as to go out to my parent’s house and borrow a can if it from them. But right before I started to reassemble the DWM model I bought, I completely relapsed in a way (LOL) and used standard gun oil like I always have with my 98k rifles. I oiled every moving part, the bore and most of the rest of it. Although I did not put much at all on the trigger spring area, safety catch, and the locking bolt spring mechanism. I guess I should get around to it. Your name sounds real familiar. Have you ever been to any of the Rose City Collectors gun shows at the Expo Center in Portland, Oregon? I used to attend all the time in the late 90s, but much less so in the past two years. -Curt Jensen

07-07-2002, 03:07 AM	#25
Jerry Harris User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 64 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Heydrich, You may want to ignore this kind of backing and filling, but I've noticed that subjects like WD-40 (and W.J. Clinton) generate a spectrum of opinions. I've used WD quite a bit, often with good results, not as a rust-preventer but as a lubricant -- one drop at a time from the end of a toothpick. As Karl implied, it has the wicking characteristics of a penetrating oil. It freed up a slightly sluggish sear plunger for me a few months ago, and the plunger remains free today (I just checked it). I've also used regular light gun oil on Luger parts with no problems. Incidentally, the original DWM manual recommended only one lubricant -- Vaseline!

07-07-2002, 05:14 PM	#27
Heydrich Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	[Curt, Perhaps we'll convert you from those hard to store K98s. You have to admit, reinstalling the luger firing pin is a lot easier than that of a Mauser 98] Tom: That’s for sure! Not only that, the luger firing pin sure is a lot easier to remove. The 98k firing pin spring flies out with lethal velocity at times. LOL. -Curt Jensen

07-07-2002, 07:02 PM	#28
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,670 Thanks: 769 Thanked 1,611 Times in 525 Posts	Curt, the US Navy and, I believe, the Air Force stopped using WD-40 for exactly the reasons stated. It doesn't prevent corrosion. Stick with your gun oil and you should be fine. I'm not trying to start an argument about WD-40 but a good friend who worked quality control in a joint AF-Navy weapon's project told me about the problems the Navy in particular had with WD-40. Ed Banks was also one of Handgunner Magazine's "Top 100 Pistolsmiths" listed every year until his untimely death a few years ago. He favored "Break Free" as an all-around lubricant and was widely known for his work on 1911's. OTOH, the Luger loading tool and the mag are not difficult to manage. It makes loading quite easy and prevents sore thumbs. Hook the mag button in the hole with the screwdriver end of the tool pointing straight up and use the thumb on the L-piece that will be sticking out to pull the follower down. It's a piece of cake to drop the cartridges in.