Dutchman
08-10-2023, 12:27 AM
In 1998 I walked into the dealer outlet store for Southern Ohio Guns in Lebanon, Ohio with some money to spend. On a table at the back were some handguns, some Lugers..... I knew nothing about Lugers though I have a 1st edition book on Lugers by Fred Datig so of course I knew something that really was next to nothing but hey, they were real dadgum Lugers. Never owned one, never shot one and this one was ??? I think maybe it was $240 or something close.
S/42 - Mauser Oberndorf
It had no magazine. It had some weird plastic grooved grip panels that were loose on the right side. It was mostly matching numbers, a few parts replaced. It had some light pitting in the grooves but not on the lands.
Vintage Industries cataloged a black plastic grip set for the BYF41 Luger. I could live with that and I bought two modern magazines, one Triple K and one Meggar. Both 8 rd.
https://images12.fotki.com/v1226/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0008-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf0008.html)
There are two problems evident in this picture. First one is the extractor. It wouldn't close on a loaded cartridge because the tail of the extractor had never been *hand fitted* to where it cleared the bolt body. The second problem was that little hole in the far right of the photo.
https://images20.fotki.com/v731/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0002-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf3.html)
In that little hole was supposed to be a pin. That pin extended down underneath the toggle and served as a *keeper* for the middle toggle pin. The pin was .052" and since I had a lathe I could just whip one out. Yesterday I couldn't spell Luger gunsmith and there I was fixin' one.
How I discovered that missing pin was at the shooting range when the toggle pin dropped out on the ground and I had some choice words for Herr George Luger. This event marred the top of the frame when the pin wiggled out and interacted with the frame in an ugly manner. I picked up my broken Luger and sulked home to ponder the origin of the universe. I took my Buck honing stone, a very fine Arkansas stone, and dressed down the damage to the top of the frame rail and dressed the head of the toggle pin, oiled it and put it back together. I lathe-turned the little .052" pin and tapped it in place. Bingo! A functioning Luger once again.
https://images49.fotki.com/v109/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0011-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf0011.html)
The take-down lever and the safety arm are both mis-match but function fine. The trigger and ejector are both original *straw* color (from tempering process).
https://images34.fotki.com/v1522/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0005-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf0005.html)
I handloaded a mess of 9x19 with 124 gr FMJ and a stout load of Unique. How was it to actually shoot a Luger? Trigger pull is not overly light but it is crisp. It shoots FAST and felt recoil is LESS than other 9mm pistols. I was shooting an Inglis Hi-Power and a Star B that day and the Luger had less felt recoil with the same ammo. I was not only impressed with the Luger I was glad I was able to figure out and fix it and shoot it. There have been no failure to feed or fire since then.
Only problem is it empties the magazine too dang fast!
Dutch
S/42 - Mauser Oberndorf
It had no magazine. It had some weird plastic grooved grip panels that were loose on the right side. It was mostly matching numbers, a few parts replaced. It had some light pitting in the grooves but not on the lands.
Vintage Industries cataloged a black plastic grip set for the BYF41 Luger. I could live with that and I bought two modern magazines, one Triple K and one Meggar. Both 8 rd.
https://images12.fotki.com/v1226/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0008-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf0008.html)
There are two problems evident in this picture. First one is the extractor. It wouldn't close on a loaded cartridge because the tail of the extractor had never been *hand fitted* to where it cleared the bolt body. The second problem was that little hole in the far right of the photo.
https://images20.fotki.com/v731/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0002-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf3.html)
In that little hole was supposed to be a pin. That pin extended down underneath the toggle and served as a *keeper* for the middle toggle pin. The pin was .052" and since I had a lathe I could just whip one out. Yesterday I couldn't spell Luger gunsmith and there I was fixin' one.
How I discovered that missing pin was at the shooting range when the toggle pin dropped out on the ground and I had some choice words for Herr George Luger. This event marred the top of the frame when the pin wiggled out and interacted with the frame in an ugly manner. I picked up my broken Luger and sulked home to ponder the origin of the universe. I took my Buck honing stone, a very fine Arkansas stone, and dressed down the damage to the top of the frame rail and dressed the head of the toggle pin, oiled it and put it back together. I lathe-turned the little .052" pin and tapped it in place. Bingo! A functioning Luger once again.
https://images49.fotki.com/v109/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0011-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf0011.html)
The take-down lever and the safety arm are both mis-match but function fine. The trigger and ejector are both original *straw* color (from tempering process).
https://images34.fotki.com/v1522/photos/4/28344/10914174/DSCF0005-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/luger/dscf0005.html)
I handloaded a mess of 9x19 with 124 gr FMJ and a stout load of Unique. How was it to actually shoot a Luger? Trigger pull is not overly light but it is crisp. It shoots FAST and felt recoil is LESS than other 9mm pistols. I was shooting an Inglis Hi-Power and a Star B that day and the Luger had less felt recoil with the same ammo. I was not only impressed with the Luger I was glad I was able to figure out and fix it and shoot it. There have been no failure to feed or fire since then.
Only problem is it empties the magazine too dang fast!
Dutch