Rear Sight on 1900 American Eagle

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by skeeter4206

Im glad I posted this about the peep sight.

I am too. In the last couple years, a couple members have posted pics of re-barreled artillery Lugers with the barrel replaced with a 4"...But retaining the artillery toggle...IOW, no rear sight...

I had not even thought of dovetailing the toggle...Much less a peep sight...

Both are excellent ideas...(For the above situation anyway)...

(I must save the URL of this thread)

[skeeter4206]

Thats an interesting statement I havent thought of. My barrel is no stamped with a serial number. So my question is do you think this gun was restored at one point in time and thats when they added the peep sight. Makes me wonder if this gun ever saw any military action, whether it being someones personal gun or an issued gun. But I dont think its got any military stampings or import stamps. I really just dont know how to tell if it did.

[Karl]

Glen,

Congratulations on a nice M1900 shooter. I also have a 1900 shooter (mismatached, slightly buffed and reblued). If you intend to shoot this gun I suggest that you get a spare leaf type recoil spring and a spare extractor. Tom Heller (Lugerdoc) here on the forum has excellent quality reproduction extractors. The leaf main springs are getting hard to find, all the more reason to get one now. Happy shooting.
KFS

[skeeter4206]

Yeah I was also pondering in getting an aftermarket magazine and grips. My magazine has the wooden bottom and the wooden grips also have the "72" serial number stamp on the backside. So Id hate to crack them puppies. They aint got many scratches on them. Just gotta fifure out how to remove the extractor. I havent removed that part yet on the toggle.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by skeeter4206

My barrel is no stamped with a serial number. So my question is do you think this gun was restored at one point in time and thats when they added the peep sight...

Do you mean was it re-barreled??? Um...Well...here's a pic of two original 1900AE's with barrel serials...

[Ron Wood]

Glenn,

The "1" is just an inspector's mark and has no particular significance. The barrel should have a serial number, so the gun has either been rebarreled or the markings on the barrel were obliterated when it was refinished (I would tend to go with a rebarrel since it was obviously a marksman's gun). There would be no military markings since the only military issue American Eagles were the US Test Trials guns, and even they did not have any military markings. The only other military issue M1900 Lugers were the Swiss.

I would not attempt to remove the extractor unless you actually break it while shooting. More M1900 Luger extractors are broken by attempting to remove them than actually fail in shooting. You have to lift up on the forward end of the extractor to free the lug on the bottom from the detent in the breech block and then pull forward on the extractor to remove it. Kind of a fiddley operation and a bit risky if you haven't done it before (don't ask me how I know!). It is an un-numbered part so replacement is not a detraction.

For Rich (postino): The apertiure is large that is true, but consider that it is being held at arms length, not with only a couple of inches eye relief that you would have with a rifle peep sight. At arms length it looks more like a ghost ring than a peep sight (at least for these old eyes).

[lugerholsterrepair]

But I dont think its got any military stampings or import stamps.

Germany IS an import marking.

[Ron Wood]

Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair

Germany IS an import marking.

As someone said earlier, "not to be a smartass" but GERMANY is an export stamp.

[lugerholsterrepair]

I just can't win today!

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by skeeter4206

Yeah I was also pondering in getting an aftermarket magazine and grips...

I've read here that late magazines won't work in a 1900...But at least one does...(Or so I've read)...

I would contact G.T. here about a magazine and Hugh Clark about grips...Which also are pretty much 1900-specific...

[skeeter4206]

So this gun having the barrel changed and the toggle modified. How bad does it hurt the value. And as for the extractor, I know my limitations and thats why I never even attempted to take the whole toggle apart other than removing the firing pin. Talking about firing pins, do the original firing pins have a serial number on it for the 1900 luger. Cause mine dont. A possible replacement pin as well.

[skeeter4206]

Postino,
So your saying a brand new aftermarket magazine wont work in my gun. I almost bought one from a local gun shop here the other day. So I dont need to try and get that mag from them or what?

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by skeeter4206

Postino,
So your saying a brand new aftermarket magazine wont work in my gun. I almost bought one from a local gun shop here the other day. So I dont need to try and get that mag from them or what?

Someone had a post hereabouts regarding that, that I read a couple days ago; hopefully he'll chime in here (I don't own a 1900)...

Or you could walk into the gun shop, slap that mag into your Luger, and see what happens...

Edit: Post on mag interchangeability may not have been recent; I've been reading/Searching for info on 1900's...can't recall who said it and can't find the post!!!

[Ron Wood]

M1900 firing pins are not numbered.

[skeeter4206]

Well thats good to know that it wasnt stamped. I think Ive seen some that were on later models.

[Ron Wood]

The more I look at your gun, the more I like it. You have a keeper. Enjoy it. I would love to know how easy it is to accurately punch holes at 25 yards slow fire. I suspect with care it will group at less than two inches.

[skeeter4206]

Ill have to let you know and get back with you on that. Talking about ammo, I bought a box of Fiocchi semi jacket soft point 93 grain. What are your thoughts on ammo to use. I was really curious how corrosive this ammo I got is, granted I clean all my guns that day after I shoot. So this being a luger you better believe Ill clean. But still curios what is the better bullet to use on this old gun and not damage it or cause any issues with feeding or to high of grain content.

[SteveM]

Fiocchi should be good to use, I haven't had any experience with it though. If you think about it, what else can you use this ammo for? No one chambers anything for this caliber anymore except for the Rugers that were built several years ago and came with a spare barrel in 30 cal. I suspect those for the most part were never used. Benelli built a pistol in this caliber, they didn't sell many of them. FN built a HP in this caliber but there aren't that many of them over here as did Beretta, so if you think about it all of the intended market for the 30 luger is for those who own the Lugers that are chambered for it whether it is the many thousands of the original commercials or the 70's built Mausers.

I acquired my 1900 AE in 1974 when I was 14. I came with 4-5 hundred rounds of ammo from the 30-40-50's era. All were mixed boxes of Winchester, Western, Remington, Peters and were either FMJ or soft point. Mine really liked the sp type and I burned most of it up. I later found Norma brand at a Gibsons Discount Center on close out for $6.97 a box and picked up 6-7 boxes of that, it really liked that too.(Well, my dad got it for me)

So, I'll bet that any of the 30 cal you find will not be a problem. If you do happen to find some of the old stuff don't shoot it as it has become collectible in itsself.

SteveM

[skeeter4206]

I figured I add some more Pictures of my 1900 American Eagle

[skeeter4206]