Hold Open Protection.....

DaveinTN · 03-24-2007, 08:31 PM

I just returned from the range after firing my "shooter" Luger for the first time. This was also another first... until today, I've never fired a Luger before!

My first impression of firing a Luger (a 22 or 23 Commercial with a new barrel), is that it "feels" more sound or tight than other semi auto's I've fired. It's difficult to describe, but it's as if the gun is better built than the others (and it probably is). I shot the better part of a box of Winchester 115 grain fmj in the white box from Wal-Mart and had zero jams. The gun is definitely fun to shoot.

However, the reason for this post is not to go on and on about my pistol (you sold me a good one, Hugh!), but to describe how I protected the hold-open. After reading numerous posts in the forum about hold open failures, I decided I wanted to do something to protect mine from possible damage or destruction.

So, when I loaded the magazine, the first cartridge I put in was a snap cap. All the rest were regular cartridges. By making the snap cap the last cartridge, I could eject it manually rather than have the hold open absorb the full impact of the bolt returning at high speed when the last round was fired. An added benefit of the snap cap was to let me monitor my trigger pull.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable shooting session. The sights will take some getting used to, but I'm delighted with the gun..

Many thanks,

Dave in TN.

shadow · 03-24-2007, 09:26 PM

That sounds like a great idea. I will try it, but I will be sure to keep count of my shots fired so I don't open the action on a misfired cartage thinking it was the snap cap.

The Luger does feel incredibly good in the hand. I shoot mine regularly, and when other shooters show interest I let them shoot it. Most if not all of the people who have shot my Luger comment on how good it feels to shoot. The people usually let me try their gun in return and to me none so far feels better, but I do get to shoot a good variety of guns this way.

Chris

DaveinTN · 03-25-2007, 12:00 AM

Shadow,

If it weren't for your great videos, I wouldn't have been able to clean my pistol this evening! However, I didn't use a vintage cleaning rod like the one you so capably demonstrated.

You're right about other shooters. Several folks came over and asked to see the gun. Great for the ego since I drive a Corolla and not a Dodge Viper!

Interestingly, I was amused to get hit in the head several times by spent cartridges falling back to earth. All the other semi-autos I've fired eject sideways, but the Luger spits them out nearly straight up!

I have to agree with you about how good the gun feels. I can't wait to take my son to the range so he can fire it too.

Thanks for your comments,

Dave in TN.

Ron Smith · 03-25-2007, 10:28 AM

Dave,

You haven't lived until a hot .30 Luger case goes down the back of your collar. Or better yet , get to watch your Wife after one gets lodged in the her cleavage. I've never heard a Luger called that before. ;-)

Ron

Vlim · 03-25-2007, 12:21 PM

Interesting idea.

Another option is simply to remove the holdopen. The gun will function perfectly without it. In fact, the holdopen was an afterthought and not present on all lugers in the first place.

davidkachel · 03-25-2007, 12:25 PM

Think of the shape of the German helmet. That outward curve at the bottom was to keep hot Luger brass from slipping into your shirt!
(Shhh, let's pretend it's true and see if it's got legs.)

shadow · 03-25-2007, 12:58 PM

Yeah, and if the brass lands on the spike it's called a ringer.

DaveinTN · 03-25-2007, 03:25 PM

Shadow,

I found the companion to the photo you posted.... I guess this one is the legendary "three point shot?"

Actually, this helmet belonged to the great tactition, Major Baron Manfred Wolfgang Von Shuetzen, who on April 1, 1902, was enjoying target practice in the company of his faithful hund, Von Fido, when a shell case ejected from his Luger pistol landed squarely on the spike of his helmet! Upon hearing the telltale "clink," he carefully removed his helmet and looked at the impaled casing in complete astonishment.

Believing this to be an omen from God, the good Baron never wore the helmet again, but instead preserved it as a shrine in a special display case along side an identical helmet placed there in a similar case for comparison.

Little is known about the Baron's demise except that it involved a half empty bottle of schnapps and an unmarked well.. Anyway, some time during the war, the two cases were separated, never to be united again. Thus the reason for two photographs instead of one....

You have to believe me on this. After all, I work for the government so why should I lie?

76 VETTE · 03-25-2007, 03:57 PM

Hi Dave.
Nice you like the way your Luger shoots.
It would have been a pity if you had maybe numerous Lugers lying/hanging around and would never have known how they shoot.

One of the benefits of showing up at the range with a Luger is indeed that instantly you are the expert.

One thing however I don't fully understand.
The 'holdopen' is designed and built in to do just that; holdopen.
Why would you want to prevent it from doing so?

IMHO the speed from the returning bolt isn't that high when it reaches the holdopen because the bolt has just begun returning and thereby hasn't been able to build up speed.

Again, this is my very humble opinion; I could be totaly wrong on this one.

Peet.

DaveinTN · 03-25-2007, 04:08 PM

You have a good point there Peet.

Since my pistol is a "shooter," I guess it's pretty much a non-issue.

In fact, I do have a spare hold open that I was going to use on my other pistol (a low-end collector) which has all matching numbers. If I had shot that pistol, I would have replaced the hold open before going to the range.

But, not wanting to have to perform Luger surgery for a mangled hold open, I decided to take a safer route the first time out.

Dave in TN.

Sieger · 03-25-2007, 05:01 PM

Hi:

The hold open device was designed to take abuse. Look at the thickness of the steel throughout.

Some of you newer members may not know that the hold open device was originally turned down for military use. The reason given was that they wanted to reduce the number of parts and complexity of the pistol. Good idea, they should have adopted the Makarov for simplicity instead. Ha!!

The little spring is usually the ultimate problem with hold open function. I'm having a problem with my 1916 LP-08 right now with it.

Sieger

03-24-2007, 08:31 PM	#1
DaveinTN User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 186 Thanks: 3 Thanked 15 Times in 11 Posts	Hold Open Protection..... I just returned from the range after firing my "shooter" Luger for the first time. This was also another first... until today, I've never fired a Luger before! My first impression of firing a Luger (a 22 or 23 Commercial with a new barrel), is that it "feels" more sound or tight than other semi auto's I've fired. It's difficult to describe, but it's as if the gun is better built than the others (and it probably is). I shot the better part of a box of Winchester 115 grain fmj in the white box from Wal-Mart and had zero jams. The gun is definitely fun to shoot. However, the reason for this post is not to go on and on about my pistol (you sold me a good one, Hugh!), but to describe how I protected the hold-open. After reading numerous posts in the forum about hold open failures, I decided I wanted to do something to protect mine from possible damage or destruction. So, when I loaded the magazine, the first cartridge I put in was a snap cap. All the rest were regular cartridges. By making the snap cap the last cartridge, I could eject it manually rather than have the hold open absorb the full impact of the bolt returning at high speed when the last round was fired. An added benefit of the snap cap was to let me monitor my trigger pull. All in all, this was a very enjoyable shooting session. The sights will take some getting used to, but I'm delighted with the gun.. Many thanks, Dave in TN.

03-24-2007, 09:26 PM	#2
shadow User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down The Shore Posts: 245 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	That sounds like a great idea. I will try it, but I will be sure to keep count of my shots fired so I don't open the action on a misfired cartage thinking it was the snap cap. The Luger does feel incredibly good in the hand. I shoot mine regularly, and when other shooters show interest I let them shoot it. Most if not all of the people who have shot my Luger comment on how good it feels to shoot. The people usually let me try their gun in return and to me none so far feels better, but I do get to shoot a good variety of guns this way. Chris __________________ The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good. George Washington

03-25-2007, 10:28 AM	#4
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Dave, You haven't lived until a hot .30 Luger case goes down the back of your collar. Or better yet , get to watch your Wife after one gets lodged in the her cleavage. I've never heard a Luger called that before. ;-) Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

03-25-2007, 12:25 PM	#6
davidkachel User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 784 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Think of the shape of the German helmet. That outward curve at the bottom was to keep hot Luger brass from slipping into your shirt! (Shhh, let's pretend it's true and see if it's got legs.) __________________ A heroin habit would be cheaper.

03-25-2007, 12:58 PM	#7
shadow User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down The Shore Posts: 245 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Yeah, and if the brass lands on the spike it's called a ringer. __________________ The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good. George Washington

03-25-2007, 12:00 AM	#3
DaveinTN User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 186 Thanks: 3 Thanked 15 Times in 11 Posts	Shadow, If it weren't for your great videos, I wouldn't have been able to clean my pistol this evening! However, I didn't use a vintage cleaning rod like the one you so capably demonstrated. You're right about other shooters. Several folks came over and asked to see the gun. Great for the ego since I drive a Corolla and not a Dodge Viper! Interestingly, I was amused to get hit in the head several times by spent cartridges falling back to earth. All the other semi-autos I've fired eject sideways, but the Luger spits them out nearly straight up! I have to agree with you about how good the gun feels. I can't wait to take my son to the range so he can fire it too. Thanks for your comments, Dave in TN.

03-25-2007, 12:21 PM	#5
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,041 Thanks: 1,021 Thanked 3,915 Times in 1,192 Posts	Interesting idea. Another option is simply to remove the holdopen. The gun will function perfectly without it. In fact, the holdopen was an afterthought and not present on all lugers in the first place.

03-25-2007, 03:25 PM	#8
DaveinTN User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 186 Thanks: 3 Thanked 15 Times in 11 Posts	Shadow, I found the companion to the photo you posted.... I guess this one is the legendary "three point shot?" Actually, this helmet belonged to the great tactition, Major Baron Manfred Wolfgang Von Shuetzen, who on April 1, 1902, was enjoying target practice in the company of his faithful hund, Von Fido, when a shell case ejected from his Luger pistol landed squarely on the spike of his helmet! Upon hearing the telltale "clink," he carefully removed his helmet and looked at the impaled casing in complete astonishment. Believing this to be an omen from God, the good Baron never wore the helmet again, but instead preserved it as a shrine in a special display case along side an identical helmet placed there in a similar case for comparison. Little is known about the Baron's demise except that it involved a half empty bottle of schnapps and an unmarked well.. Anyway, some time during the war, the two cases were separated, never to be united again. Thus the reason for two photographs instead of one.... You have to believe me on this. After all, I work for the government so why should I lie? Attached Images

03-25-2007, 03:57 PM	#9
76 VETTE User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi Dave. Nice you like the way your Luger shoots. It would have been a pity if you had maybe numerous Lugers lying/hanging around and would never have known how they shoot. One of the benefits of showing up at the range with a Luger is indeed that instantly you are the expert. One thing however I don't fully understand. The 'holdopen' is designed and built in to do just that; holdopen. Why would you want to prevent it from doing so? IMHO the speed from the returning bolt isn't that high when it reaches the holdopen because the bolt has just begun returning and thereby hasn't been able to build up speed. Again, this is my very humble opinion; I could be totaly wrong on this one. Peet. __________________ Collector of Legends; '76 Corvette- AK47- Mauser K98k- Colt 1911- Luger P08.

03-25-2007, 04:08 PM	#10
DaveinTN User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 186 Thanks: 3 Thanked 15 Times in 11 Posts	You have a good point there Peet. Since my pistol is a "shooter," I guess it's pretty much a non-issue. In fact, I do have a spare hold open that I was going to use on my other pistol (a low-end collector) which has all matching numbers. If I had shot that pistol, I would have replaced the hold open before going to the range. But, not wanting to have to perform Luger surgery for a mangled hold open, I decided to take a safer route the first time out. Dave in TN.

03-25-2007, 05:01 PM	#11
Sieger User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,575 Thanks: 2,124 Thanked 400 Times in 249 Posts	Hold Open Protection Hi: The hold open device was designed to take abuse. Look at the thickness of the steel throughout. Some of you newer members may not know that the hold open device was originally turned down for military use. The reason given was that they wanted to reduce the number of parts and complexity of the pistol. Good idea, they should have adopted the Makarov for simplicity instead. Ha!! The little spring is usually the ultimate problem with hold open function. I'm having a problem with my 1916 LP-08 right now with it. Sieger