Lahti-Da?

[Zorba]

Starting the thought process towards acquiring a Lahti. Any thoughts or pertinent websites? Approx cost for "High end Shooter/low end collectible"? All unsolicited opinions welcome!

I know the L-35 is considered a better built gun than the L-40 (If I remember my terminology correctly (??)). But that's the extent of my knowledge...

[nukem556]

Yeah, but if you bought a m/40, that would really be Swede! Heehhehahah

[Zorba]

Yea, I know about that too - which has something to do about build quality.

[Sieger]

Hi,

These pistols are heavier than just about any other.

Also, they feel strangely in your hand, after you have shot a Luger for a while.

Sieger

[jonnyc]

The Swedish M40 is your better bet for a shooter. If you're patient, a decent one can be found in the $500-700 range.

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by jonnyc

The Swedish M40 is your better bet for a shooter. If you're patient, a decent one can be found in the $500-700 range.

I'll keep looking - they're asking RIDICULOUS money on GB, but what else is new? They're not much cheaper on the collector's sites either!

[Zorba]

I keep reading that the Swedish guns are of inferior metallurgy...

[saab-bob]

Zormpas
I find that claim about Swedish metallurgy very hard to believe. I have long personal experience with Swedish steel and it is very high quality. I have been involved in a few shunts both on and off the track with my beloved Swedish SAAB cars and have always been amazed at the strength of the steel those cars are made of.
Kinda kick myself for not buying a Lathi when they where reasonably priced.
Bob

[alvin]

An ideal one has bolt accelerator, this design feature is very rare on pistols. Harder to find. I saw a collector getting one last year. If I remembered right, the feature is visible from exterior, it has a bulge on top of the gun (or side?, I cannot remember).

[Olle]

Originally Posted by zormpas

I keep reading that the Swedish guns are of inferior metallurgy...

I would call that an urban legend. The M/40 was taken out of service because some of them developed cracks, from what I have heard there were even some accidents where the shooter got hit by parts flying off the gun. However, this doesn't have anything to do with the steel quality.

The Swedish M/45B "Carl Gustav" submachine guns use a 9mm round especially developed for use in submachine guns. Sometimes you find it as surplus, packed in brown boxes marked M/39B. This round has a bullet with a very heavy jacket, actually heavy enough to qualify as armor piercing (even though it isn't). This ammo is easy to come by in Sweden, and it has been the demise of many 9mm handguns.

The heavy jacket causes more resistance in the bore, which in turn leads to higher pressure and a more violent recoil. Some people claim that it's a hotter load, but it's simply a matter of the bullet itself. The M/40 pistol is designed to work with standard 9mm pistol ammo, but many of them have been shot extensively with M/39B ammo just because it's easier to come by. This is what caused the infamous cracking in these pistols, and it happens in just about any pistol you shoot with this ammo. I know that many SIG 210s (a popular target gun in Sweden) have met the same fate.

This made authorities realize that the next service pistol needed to be of a type that could be shot with M/39B ammo, so this was one of the requirements in the trials before adopting the Glock 17 as Pistol M/88. Sometimes you will find surplus M/39B advertised as "armor piercing", "personal defense" etc, but my recommendation would be to stay away from it. You can compare this with some Com-Bloc surplus ammo, it happens that you encounter a submachine gun variety that's simply not suitable for use in handguns. You'll see the same thing when somebody shoots commercial 30-06 in an M1 Garand. This is a very well built rifle, but parts can start flying around if you use the wrong ammo.

So there's nothing wrong with the steel quality, the problems are caused by operator error.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by alvin

An ideal one has bolt accelerator, this design feature is very rare on pistols. Harder to find. I saw a collector getting one last year. If I remembered right, the feature is visible from exterior, it has a bulge on top of the gun (or side?, I cannot remember).

No, no bulges. (Early examples had a cartridge indicator on top of chamber but no accelerator bulge). The frame covers the accelerator & pin when assembled.

The accelerator can be seen through the ejection port when the bolt is locked back.

Good web site here -

http://www.gotavapen.se/gota/m40/pist40_1.htm

[alvin]

Thanks for the info! I misunderstood the function of that bulge. It's great to know.

I also bought a "off-center" pistol from jcoe of gunboards, he has some great items for sale. I just bought a "svw46" P38 from him. I'm not a regular player of P38, but have a P38 could be fun. I guess it's the last P38 variation made by Mauser.

[Patronen]

The late Ian Hogg put that to print in Military Small Arms of the 20th Century at least in the 6th edition which I own about the Swedish metallurgy. The claim is the specifications were changed in the steel to suit wartime availability of steel in Sweden. It also is noted in the early 80's the 9mm Service cartridge they were using was hotter for use in submachine guns too that were in use led to cracked frames and the withdrawal of the pistols in exchange for the older m/07 Browning 1903.

[sheepherder]

Heh...There is a Lahti M40 barrel on eBay right now...

Swedish LAHTI M40 9mm Pistol Barrel

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swedish-LAHT...-/291544282545

I do not recommend anyone buying it - here's why -

Condition: Used
Seller Notes: “Used with removal dings at the hex area, nice bore”

Heh, heh..."removal dings"...heh, heh...You trashed it you douchehead!!!

[Zorba]

So - how are you going to clean it up?

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

... ??? ...Why would I want it???

'Cause you're one of the few that could actually fix it!

[Patronen]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Heh...There is a Lahti M40 barrel on eBay right now...

Swedish LAHTI M40 9mm Pistol Barrel

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swedish-LAHT...-/291544282545

I do not recommend anyone buying it - here's why -

Condition: Used
Seller Notes: “Used with removal dings at the hex area, nice bore”

Heh, heh..."removal dings"...heh, heh...You trashed it you douchehead!!!

Channel locks can be used on many things. Apparently pistol barrels is one of them

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

'Cause you're one of the few that could actually fix it!

If it were a reasonable price (like $20, which is all it's worth like that) I'd buy it, cut off the front sight band [and bore & tap it for a custom barrel] for later use and make another receiver thread chasing tool out of the rest. The Lahti thread is the same as the Luger (although the shank is longer) and there are some Luger barrel extensions ['receivers'] that are crudded up pretty bad with old dried up powder/grease/dirt.

As is, the only part of this barrel that's worth anything is the front sight.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

Starting the thought process towards acquiring a Lahti. Any thoughts...

Yes, a thought. IMHO, the tapered barrel [trumpet shape] is much 'prettier' than the hex barrel. From the gotavapen site it appears that the hex is the older/original style and the tapered/trumpet style is the newer/arsenal refurbished barrel. I would look for the newer style, particularly the arsenal refurbished Lahtis. The finish is quite well done, although it is [lightly] buffed.

I do like the front sight band on the hex barrels.

I don't like the square-ish thick trigger guards of the hex style Lahtis.

Boy, what a snob I am.

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Boy, what a snob I am.

That's OK - your redeeming quality is that you like Nambus, ya can't be all bad!