jamming

jcgallego · 10-18-2011, 06:49 AM

Maybe I´m posting in the wrong place, is fo, please excuse me.
My Luger jams every two or three rounds. The new cartridge stands in upside position cought by the locking mechanism with the bullet pointing to the ceyling. Sometimes it ends jammed a little earlier, with the point of the bullet against the upper side of the chamber.
It does the same thing with new springs installed.
I´ve polished the chamber ramp, no change.
The gun is in a realy very good condition, and the magazine has matching number with the rest of the gun.
I just ordered a new production magazine just in case...
Thanks for helping

DavidJayUden · 10-18-2011, 08:47 AM

If your magazine (and all other parts) matches the gun, we worry about shooting it at all because of the value lost if a small numbered part should break.
Couple of places to start are with a new Mec-Gar magazine AND with good ammunition. Most preferred are the Winchester white box stuff, available most places. Fiochi 115 gr. seems to work well. And grip the gun tightly as you fire it.
Avoid working on the feed ramp or gun.
dju

mrerick · 10-18-2011, 10:18 AM

Juan Carlos, welcome to the forum!

Is your Luger one from the WW-I or WW-II era, or a more modern one?

Please post some pictures taken in natural light (not flash).

The grip and solid wrist support that David mentioned are the most common cause of feeding problems. Pay attention to that first.

Use only normal velocity ammunition. Don't use anything like +P or surplus machine gun loads. The regular Winchester or Fiochi that David mentions should work fine.

It is possible that the spring in the magazine or the Luger's recoil spring is fatigued or perhaps the wrong spring. These things do affect timing. Don't try and disassemble the magazine yourself. Again, as David mentions, try a replacement magazine first.

If you have an all matching gun in original finish from any era, it is collectible. Collectors value pistols as close to the original factory state as possible. Refinishing one, or breaking a numbered part cuts the value down 40%, and also destroys some of the history associated with the Luger. It is particularly rare to find a Luger with it's numbered magazine.

Marc

Rootshot · 10-18-2011, 11:11 PM

I recently tried 5 different loads in my 1936 VOPO rework to see which would work best. This was my first time shooting it. I replaced the original springs with a Wolff spring kit (standard weight). There was a wide range in both accuracy, point of impact relative to the sights and reliability.

Worst was 115gr Speer Lawman - they would jam in the same manner you describe about 50% of the time and also fail to lock open the pistol after the last shot. They impacted low and I assume they are under-powered.

PMC 115gr FMJ were reliable, aligned with sights, buy not accurate.

CCI Blazer 115gr FMJ were reliable but shot low and not terribly accurate.

Magtech 115gr FMJ were accurate, aligned with sights, but not 100% reliable.

Winchester 115gr white box were reliable, aligned with sights, and accurate.

Given my little experiment, I would have to agree that the Winchester 115gr White Box is a great choice for reliability and accuracy.

--Rootshot

jcgallego · 10-19-2011, 06:39 AM

Marc, dju, thank´s for your answer. I know it has a certain value, but much less than the value I get shooting with it. I know... I feel a bit guilty but not enough. Anyhow I don`t stress any of my guns in any way, except the ones I have to shoot often.
On the other hand even as a collector, I need to have them in perfect working order, or at least need to know myself that they are. Thanks again for your welcome and help. Juan Carlos

jcgallego · 10-19-2011, 06:42 AM

Winchester 115gr White Box
Can I reproduce this loads and components as a reloder?
JC

jcgallego · 10-20-2011, 08:25 AM

Problem sort of solved. I put back the original spring and the gun changed a bit to better, jamed but with the point always in the upper outside of the chamber.
Charged five rounds with same powder load but with 95 grain bullets I use in the 380 ACP, and all the rounds functioned flawlesly. Shots were ok with the sights but with some dispersion left to right. I'm waiting to receive the 115 grains bullets and see what happends, but anyhow I'm happy with what I have now.

Quentin · 10-20-2011, 02:36 PM

We would love to see pictures! If this is an all matching Luger maybe it would be best to forget about reliability and buy a "shooter". I've never fired my 1941 byf over the 10+ years I've had it and I doubt it has much over 100 rounds ever through it.

Now my 1913 DWM mismatch, with parts from about 15 Lugers of the era, has been shot regularly since I bought it in 1975. Took it out about a month ago and put about 50 rounds through it with no jams or malfunction of any kind. It's always been a reliable pistol. I use Mec-Gar mags and Winchester white box or Federal Champion, both from Walmart.

Good luck with yours but it sounds too valuable to shoot anyway. I'd fear polishing the feedramp and replacing springs and parts. "Shooters" can be found fairly cheap instead. If you insist on shooting yours, definitely buy some Mec-Gar mags and try Win or Federal FMJ. Since you're getting stovepipes with some loads the problem may lie in the extractor or ejector, the spent case isn't being flung out of the gun with authority.

jcgallego · 10-20-2011, 02:45 PM

I'll try to borrow a camera, the pictures taken with my phone are very poor quality.

Freischütz · 10-21-2011, 01:26 AM

Though not yet mentioned, cartridge length can cause feeding problems. Modern cartridges are sometimes shorter than the original ammo. I have had the best results with 29 mm overall length and velocities in the 1050-1100 fps range.

10-18-2011, 06:49 AM	#1
jcgallego User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	jamming Maybe I´m posting in the wrong place, is fo, please excuse me. My Luger jams every two or three rounds. The new cartridge stands in upside position cought by the locking mechanism with the bullet pointing to the ceyling. Sometimes it ends jammed a little earlier, with the point of the bullet against the upper side of the chamber. It does the same thing with new springs installed. I´ve polished the chamber ramp, no change. The gun is in a realy very good condition, and the magazine has matching number with the rest of the gun. I just ordered a new production magazine just in case... Thanks for helping

10-18-2011, 10:18 AM	#3
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,907 Thanks: 1,374 Thanked 3,108 Times in 1,509 Posts	Juan Carlos, welcome to the forum! Is your Luger one from the WW-I or WW-II era, or a more modern one? Please post some pictures taken in natural light (not flash). The grip and solid wrist support that David mentioned are the most common cause of feeding problems. Pay attention to that first. Use only normal velocity ammunition. Don't use anything like +P or surplus machine gun loads. The regular Winchester or Fiochi that David mentions should work fine. It is possible that the spring in the magazine or the Luger's recoil spring is fatigued or perhaps the wrong spring. These things do affect timing. Don't try and disassemble the magazine yourself. Again, as David mentions, try a replacement magazine first. If you have an all matching gun in original finish from any era, it is collectible. Collectors value pistols as close to the original factory state as possible. Refinishing one, or breaking a numbered part cuts the value down 40%, and also destroys some of the history associated with the Luger. It is particularly rare to find a Luger with it's numbered magazine. Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

10-18-2011, 08:47 AM	#2
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	If your magazine (and all other parts) matches the gun, we worry about shooting it at all because of the value lost if a small numbered part should break. Couple of places to start are with a new Mec-Gar magazine AND with good ammunition. Most preferred are the Winchester white box stuff, available most places. Fiochi 115 gr. seems to work well. And grip the gun tightly as you fire it. Avoid working on the feed ramp or gun. dju

10-18-2011, 11:11 PM	#4
Rootshot User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: California Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	I recently tried 5 different loads in my 1936 VOPO rework to see which would work best. This was my first time shooting it. I replaced the original springs with a Wolff spring kit (standard weight). There was a wide range in both accuracy, point of impact relative to the sights and reliability. Worst was 115gr Speer Lawman - they would jam in the same manner you describe about 50% of the time and also fail to lock open the pistol after the last shot. They impacted low and I assume they are under-powered. PMC 115gr FMJ were reliable, aligned with sights, buy not accurate. CCI Blazer 115gr FMJ were reliable but shot low and not terribly accurate. Magtech 115gr FMJ were accurate, aligned with sights, but not 100% reliable. Winchester 115gr white box were reliable, aligned with sights, and accurate. Given my little experiment, I would have to agree that the Winchester 115gr White Box is a great choice for reliability and accuracy. --Rootshot

10-19-2011, 06:39 AM	#5
jcgallego User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Marc, dju, thank´s for your answer. I know it has a certain value, but much less than the value I get shooting with it. I know... I feel a bit guilty but not enough. Anyhow I don`t stress any of my guns in any way, except the ones I have to shoot often. On the other hand even as a collector, I need to have them in perfect working order, or at least need to know myself that they are. Thanks again for your welcome and help. Juan Carlos

10-19-2011, 06:42 AM	#6
jcgallego User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Winchester 115gr White Box Can I reproduce this loads and components as a reloder? JC

10-20-2011, 08:25 AM	#7
jcgallego User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Problem sort of solved. I put back the original spring and the gun changed a bit to better, jamed but with the point always in the upper outside of the chamber. Charged five rounds with same powder load but with 95 grain bullets I use in the 380 ACP, and all the rounds functioned flawlesly. Shots were ok with the sights but with some dispersion left to right. I'm waiting to receive the 115 grains bullets and see what happends, but anyhow I'm happy with what I have now.

10-20-2011, 02:36 PM	#8
Quentin User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NorthWest USA Posts: 124 Thanks: 59 Thanked 11 Times in 4 Posts	We would love to see pictures! If this is an all matching Luger maybe it would be best to forget about reliability and buy a "shooter". I've never fired my 1941 byf over the 10+ years I've had it and I doubt it has much over 100 rounds ever through it. Now my 1913 DWM mismatch, with parts from about 15 Lugers of the era, has been shot regularly since I bought it in 1975. Took it out about a month ago and put about 50 rounds through it with no jams or malfunction of any kind. It's always been a reliable pistol. I use Mec-Gar mags and Winchester white box or Federal Champion, both from Walmart. Good luck with yours but it sounds too valuable to shoot anyway. I'd fear polishing the feedramp and replacing springs and parts. "Shooters" can be found fairly cheap instead. If you insist on shooting yours, definitely buy some Mec-Gar mags and try Win or Federal FMJ. Since you're getting stovepipes with some loads the problem may lie in the extractor or ejector, the spent case isn't being flung out of the gun with authority.

10-20-2011, 02:45 PM	#9
jcgallego User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I'll try to borrow a camera, the pictures taken with my phone are very poor quality.

10-21-2011, 01:26 AM	#10
Freischütz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 125 Thanks: 9 Thanked 26 Times in 19 Posts	Though not yet mentioned, cartridge length can cause feeding problems. Modern cartridges are sometimes shorter than the original ammo. I have had the best results with 29 mm overall length and velocities in the 1050-1100 fps range.