Luger dis-assembly

I've decided to field strip my 2 Lugers this weekend(it's too damn hot to do anything else here in Texas). One's a s/42 and the other is a DWM military dated 1917. I'm a virgin; this is my first time to do it. I suspect that neither one of the guns has been taken down since WAY before Elvis passed away;].


Anyway, I just looked at the instructions on this site for disassembly and just a little confused by the line:


>. Hit the frame with the rear of the screw driver to get the Safety Catch out.

[Johnny Peppers]

Taking the safety lever out goes beyond field stripping. Field stripping can be accomplished without any additional tools if you have a tough thumb to remove and install the firing pin and spring. I would not suggest taking the pistol down any farther than removing the barrel and receiver from the frame, the toggle assembly from the receiver, and the firing pin and spring from the breechblock. By the way, the firing pin and spring come out easier with the additional help of a secrwdriver. You will probably want to check under the grips for any signs of rust, but be very careful with the left grip and do not break the piece off that is under the safety lever. Just as you start lifting up on the left grip also start pulling it down and away from the safety lever.

I never liked to put the muzzle of the pistol against anything to retract the barrel and receiver to unlock the takedown lever. I always took them down by grasping the pistol just as if you intend to fire it, but shift your fingers to the top of the toggle assembly. Squeeze and the receiver assembly will be drawn to the rear and you can now unlatch the takedown assembly while keeping a firm grip on everything else. Assembly is accomplished the same way.

[John Sabato]

if you just insert an empty magazine and lock back the toggle... then after opening the takedown lever, just ease the toggle back down and viola! she slides apart!


-John

[lugerholsterrepair]

Ray, You may want to be careful when re-assembling the cannon and toggle- joint breech block to the reciever.(Handle Piece) The fireing pin must be uncocked and the coupeling link that hooks to the mainspring is hardnend and very brittle. Be careful when taking the pistol apart that this coupeling link does not hook onto the magazine holdopen as you pull the cannon off the handle. This could snap the coupeling link. The book calls for doing this procedure upside down. The coupeling link is extreamly strong and will take an amazing amount of tension but sharp jerks and snaps are not good.Hope this helps, just go slow and you will be amazed , it will fall apart in your hands. It's actually one of the great charecteristics of the luger pistol. Jerry

[BILL]

..your eyes are more important!! WEAR SAFETY GLASSES! The firing pin guide is a guided missile waiting to fire (directly at your face). It would be sad going through life only being able to FEEL if a pistol was 95% or not.

so does field stripping mean that a "firing pin guide"(?), is going to come shooting out at me??????


Ray the Virgin

[BILL]

Well, as the saying goes "Firing pin guides don't kill people, people.." whoops, uhm, I think the important message was SAFETY GLASSES..that's what I was trying to say. If you wear them when you are working on Lugers (or other pistols with springs) you don't have to worry about getting an eye damaged when you take screws and pins out. Nothing to get confused about, basic safety. One other tip.."Don't fry bacon when you are naked". Good luck. Have fun.

[ViggoG]

If someone has not referred you to the Technical Information quick link that usually appears to the left as you read this.

Or if it is not there then click on "back arrow" until you see the black column to the left . then click on technical Information there you will then find four options choose "Parts and Disassembly". There you will find an "Exploded View" of The "P-08". Just above the barrel and breech you will see the bolt(010) , Firing pin(013) , spring(014) and spring guide, retainer(015).

From this it is easy to see when the s. guide, retainer is released that the spring will forcefully eject the s.g.retainer out of the bolt . "BE PREPARED TO TRAP THESE PARTS AS THEY SEPARATE" The spring has been known to eject the s.g.retainer with force enough to blind (Wear Face Shield or Goggles" , study the disassembly instructions until you can repeat them by heart before proceeding . Too much information is never too much to know .

Hope this is of some help .

ViggoG viggogdereng@juno.com>

[ViggoG]

as a post script ;


I am in no way advocating the complete disassembly to the full extent shown in the Tech. Section . a good deal oof this is for more extreme conditions when foreign matter has penetrated where it ain't supposed to go or perhaps moisture has caused rust that must be removed .


Otherwise you usually take down only enough to clean and oil.


A small brush of the type used to clean electric razors and an old toothbrush is usually sufficient for most cleaning and oiling .


Beat of luck , be careful and don't force anything till you know for sure what will happen and that its what you want .


Good Shooting ;

ViggoG

Even I did it; and I, literally, have trouble screwing in a light bulb. Put it back together upside down so the little swinging dingus goes in front of, and catches, the whatsis.

[dc8ray]

Hey, one of my other guns has a doohickey, too. It must be a technical term. I guess if I can put my kid's Ruger MK2 back together 3 out of 4 times, then this shouldn't be much of a problem.


Thanks guys,


Ray

[Hugh]

[John Sabato]

Or take it back down and start over?

Gentlemen, I think we've gone a little off topic here. To refocus . . .I found the e-book "Luger Mechanical Features" to be the most helpful in taking my luger down for the the first time (albeit in front of my computer). You can go directly to the website posted in the links and download the book. In adddition, it will provide you with a lot of tips on checking the weak points of the gun and for signs of undue wear. It is $6 well spent.


You'll find the book, as do most experts, recommends that the average owner stop disassembly with the firing pin. After that, you are into very tight fitting pieces and very small springs best left to a gun smith (The voice of experience here.) With regard to the firing pin and guide take down, I found the luger tool works better than a screwdriver. Just keep pressure on the guide after you turn it to the left and ease back slowly. That way the spring won't fly accross the room. As with most things. the hard part is putting it back together. You have to keep pressure on the guide and spring while trying to hit the guide slot in the breech.