Mitchell Luger

[shadow]

I did several tape test today. I put a double layer of masking tape across the rear of the frame. The tail of the rear toggle put a ding in the tape without cutting it, so it appears that I am in the ballpark. In addition the action has never failed to hold open which is another test for an underpowered load that is listed on this site. The breechblock does catch the next round properly when this jam occurs so the action is moving back far enough to catch the next round.

The good news is that I shot 50 rounds today and did not have a single extraction failure, So I hope that problem is behind me

In the 50 rounds I had 6 jams total and four of these were the ones where the empty case stayed attached to the breech block and blocked the next round from feeding. On another the tip of the round hit the top of the chamber opening and stoped dead. On the other the next round was feeding properly but the empty case did not clear the action completely and kept it from closing.

I actually made up a test plan and record sheet and kept careful notes on each shot.
One pattern that surfaced was that all but one jam occurred on the fifth round fired from a full magazine, and the other one was on the fourth round fired. Perhaps the follower is catching up on something at this spot in the mag. I am going to order a Mecgar stainless magazine tomorrow and hopefullly this wil fix this last problem.

I spent more time polishing the sharp edges near the chamber opening before todays session. As a result there were no copper or brass particles all over the action like last time when I had to clean the copper shavings out regurlarly.

I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. (hopefully it is not the train)

Today I shot Winchester 115gr. I cant find S&B ammo anywhere in Southern New Jersey. If anyone has a local source I would appriciate it.

[unspellable]

You show a picture with a snap cap held to the breech face of the breech block by the extractor. I don't think it should be tipped down like that as if there were a high spot on the breech face. I'll try to remember to take a look at mine tonight. I'm not sure from the picture where you have a ding, but if I look at mine it will refresh my memory of what it looks like.

BTW: For functioning tests you should use a dummy with the correct weight. The snap caps you have are too light to function properly and are only meant to cushion the firing pin.

The Luger is sensitive to overall length of the cartridge and a bit sensitive to the bullet ogive. That could be a possible cause for the bullet ogive hanging on the upper edge of the chamber mouth. You might try different ammo.

[shadow]

The face of the breechblock is flat. If the extractor were moved back a little the bullet would sit flat. When I push the bullet flat to the breechblock the extractor rides up a little on the back of the groove in the cartridge.

I did remove the striker, and performed the same test with Winchester 115gr bullets. The action performed perfectly when cycled quickly by hand.

I will be out of town until Saturday and may not have computer access. My Mecgar mags should be waiting for me when I get home.

[shadow]

By Jove I think I got it!!!

I shot a whole box of Winchester 124gr. today and only had two jams in the whole box. Both of the jams were a failure to extract so my next step is to try a new extractor spring.

Ponyman, you were probably correct about the 115 gr. loads not being strong enough, even though the gun seemed to pass several tests that I mentioned above. The Winchester 124gr. seems to have slightly stronger recoil than the 115 gr. and the gun does function better with them.

I wound up using the magazine that came with the gun instead of the new Mecgar magazines that I bought. The new magazines have a much weaker spring and rattle around in the magazine opening when I put them in the gun. I had to put 6 layers of tape on the back of the new magazines to take up some of the slop and to hold the mag forward. Before I added the tape the mag would move back with the action to the point that the action could not get behind the bullet to strip it out of the magazine even with the action fully retracted by hand.

[Johnny C. Kitchens]

Sounds like you have the newer stainless Luger, which has a completely redone magazine design...

[shadow]

The new mags are identical to one of my old ones, but it turns out that the new mags were not latching in fully. If I push the mag in firmly, then push on the back side of the mag release to engage it fully, the mag don't rattle around anymore.
I guess it has to wear in.

[Rod WMG]

Heavier bullets will cause more felt recoil as a general rule. Recoil impulse can be changed by using a different powder. Winchester likely uses the same powder in those two loads, but maybe not.

Glad things are improving for you.

[shadow]

I am still getting a jam about once every other magazine.

I decided to give up and send the gun back to the factory for repair.

I will keep you posted on the results.

[shadow]

Over the weekend I came across a good looking, matching number, re-blued shooter
that was for sale on this website for a good price so I decided to buy it. I cannot
afford two lugers right now so I have decided to list my Mitchell Luger for sale on
this website. I want to be full and open about the jamming problem that this gun is
having so I will reference this thread in the listing.

The problem:

Once every magazine or two the gun experiences the jam shown in the two photos
below. When this happened the breechblock does pick up the next round and begins to feed
it properly but the spent case blocks the next round from entering the chamber.



The contributing factors???:

The bottom face of the breechblock is pushed up which I donâ??t believe is normal.


There is a hole in the bottom of the breech block.


The extractor appears to be too far forward. If you look at the back of the extractor
(by the spring) the extractor is about 1/8 inch forward of being flush. In the second photo I push
the cartridge back and you can see light between the rear of the extractor and the breechblock face.




With the gun disassembled I extracted several cartridges from the chamber using the breechblock. The extractor allows
the cartridge to move forward to the point that it is just barley staying attached to the breech block.
The cartridge fell off of the breechblock face several times during this test. See photos.



My theory:

I believe that the top of the cartridge is staying attached to the extractor but the
bottom of the cartridge is coming off of the face of the breech block and tipping up
to the point that it does not contact the ejector when the breechblock is full aft.

Then when the next round is being stripped from the magazine it is blocked by the spent cartridge.


I was planning to ship the gun to AIMCO for a new breechblock and extractor this week,
but the purchase of my second Luger means that I need to sell this first one and recoup some of the money now.

Looks like with the help of the "Lugerforum", you have solved most of your problems. I really like your Luger and I would purchase one if I saw one up for sale at a good price. I'd keep my 1916 Erfurt in its velvet case and just use the stainless one.

Bob