New to me 1920 DWM nickel plated

[Laf]

Hello everyone,

New to the forum and to Lugers. I've purchased a 1920 marked DWM Luger with a rough nickel plate finish. It's matching many numbers but not all. The barrel and receiver match and it looks like the alignment line is straight. The frame, side plate, take down lever, toggle link, grips, grip safety, and trigger are all the same serial as well. Unfortunately the grip safety spring is broken I think because it just falls flat on fire. Suggestions on where to find one of those parts would be appreciated. And any comments about it are welcome. I know it's no collector piece, just hoping to get some rounds through it and enjoy it.

Alan

[wlyon]

For your spring-Contact Tom Heller (Luger doc) on this Forum.

[DonVoigt]

Spring is there, unless it it missing its "end"; perhaps you don't have it on the right side of
the tab on the grip safety.
Or the grip safety tab is missing.

That is a mixed up luger, a P 08 upper on an "06 model frame.
I believe the upper receiver is a 1920 dated DWM, but I cannot read the numbers on it or the barrel.

[Laf]

Thank you both for the reply. The spring is there but it appears to be too short or broken. The grip safety does have a tab but it is farther up and the spring doesn't come close to contacting it. I have a crudely annotated photo if that helps describe it.

The barrel has 1920 on the top and serial 2456 with 388 under it closer to the receiver and upside down compared to the serial. The frame has 31777 all over it and most of those parts all match with '77' stamped on them.

[DonVoigt]

The 388 on the barrel is "8,88" the actual bore diameter.

The picture of the grip makes me a little dizzy; but the tab may also be broken and a little short.
I really can't make out the length of the spring.

lugerdoc on this board can help you with a spring.

[Laf]

I've taken a couple more pictures. The spring is about 16.5mm from the tip to the end. The tab on the grip is about 3mm wide. It's not long enough to contact the grip safety tab. Thanks for the suggestion about Lugerdoc, I'll ask if he's got a spring for sale.
Alan

[DonVoigt]

Great additional pictures.
Yes, you need a spring.

[Lugerdoc]

I do have new grip safety springs in stock. TH

[Roadster 02]

I fixed a broken spring on my 1906 Navy, I haven't tried to fire it yet, but it seems as if you must squeeze the bejesus out of the grips in order to get the safety forward far enough to allow the pistol to fire. I'd hate to have to rely on my perfect grip in an emergency scenario to save my own, or others lives. I can see why a gun made for the military would not want to have this "option" functional.

[Laf]

Thanks for the insight on the safety spring tension. I'm assuming it's more like the H&K P7M8/13 where there is a considerable amount of force required to activate it. With that series it is a lot to get it going but easy to hold once it's cocked. I was assuming this would be like a 1911 style grip safety and require a pound or two of force to hold down and not effect the grip much but it sounds like it is very stout.

I have found a local place that will strip the nickel finish off and either re-apply or blue it so I'll look into that further. The finish appears to be so thick that it covers up any of the proof markings on the side of the receiver and I'd like to know what those are.

[Roadster 02]

Sorry, maybe not a good explanation on my part. It's not really hard to squeeze because of spring tension, you just have to squeeze the heck out of it to get the grip safety pushed in far enough to fire the pistol. The grip safety almost has to "bottom out" on the grip frame. If you find anyone that can do a good job getting the nickel off, let me know. If you redo the pistol, I for one would like to see before and after pics.

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by Laf

Thanks for the insight on the safety spring tension. I'm assuming it's more like the H&K P7M8/13 where there is a considerable amount of force required to activate it. With that series it is a lot to get it going but easy to hold once it's cocked. I was assuming this would be like a 1911 style grip safety and require a pound or two of force to hold down and not effect the grip much but it sounds like it is very stout.

I have found a local place that will strip the nickel finish off and either re-apply or blue it so I'll look into that further. The finish appears to be so thick that it covers up any of the proof markings on the side of the receiver and I'd like to know what those are.

The safety spring is Not very "stout", it is quite easy to squeeze if it is the correct spring.

If you have a large hand, it may be a little tough to squeeze the safety to its limit, not because of the spring, but because of the shape of the grip vs. one's hand.

I use a bit of the fluffly side of a piece of velcro stuck to my grip safety on my shooter for this reason.

Don't waste your money stripping the pistol to find the markings!
They are quite likely long lost to the buffing wheel before plating.

I'd replace the spring, but not spend any more money trying to change it into something it is not.

Welcome to the board.

[Roadster 02]

Don, that's exactly my problem. I wear XXXL gloves, when I can find them, so it sounds like your solution is exactly what I need to do also. Thanks!!

So an addendum. I gave the pistol to the wife and told her to hold the pistol and aim as if to shoot, and as you said, in her hand the grip safety was completely taken off. I'm gonna have to try your Velcro trick.

[Laf]

Is it a simple task to remove the grip safety mechanism if after replacing the spring I find it to be uncomfortable to shoot? Or easier to remove the spring? Or some other method to defeat it's intended purpose?

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

The safety spring is Not very "stout", it is quite easy to squeeze if it is the correct spring.

If you have a large hand, it may be a little tough to squeeze the safety to its limit, not because of the spring, but because of the shape of the grip vs. one's hand.

I use a bit of the fluffly side of a piece of velcro stuck to my grip safety on my shooter for this reason.

Don't waste your money stripping the pistol to find the markings!
They are quite likely long lost to the buffing wheel before plating.

I'd replace the spring, but not spend any more money trying to change it into something it is not.

Welcome to the board.

My hands are "largish" and I have no problems with the grip safety of my Portuguese M2, but I also shot some Portuguese Navy Lugers where it seems I could never get the safety lever bar completely down. Go figure.

By the way. The Luger (with or without grip safety) seems to have been designed for "largish hands". I know a lot of excellent shooters, a few much better than me, with smaller hands that were never able to master the Luger.

[George Anderson]

I recently acquired the perfect loading tool for this plated Luger. It's a commercial tool plated either nickel or chrome.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by Laf

Is it a simple task to remove the grip safety mechanism if after replacing the spring I find it to be uncomfortable to shoot? Or easier to remove the spring? Or some other method to defeat it's intended purpose?

If you deactivate the grip safety, you'll need to find some way of getting the beavertail of the lever out away from the frame in order to engage the thumb safety. If the parts are removed, you'll have no safety whatsoever. Maybe Don would know...is it possible to install P.08 style safety parts in an '06 frame?

[Edward Tinker]

Originally Posted by George Anderson

I recently acquired the perfect loading tool for this plated Luger. It's a commercial tool plated either nickel or chrome.

I have never seen a plated tool.


*** I am a bit confused, is the upper and lower matching or are they as guessed, a DWM 1920 upper (I can't see acceptance and proofs on the right?) and the lower a different number....


Ed

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

If you deactivate the grip safety, you'll need to find some way of getting the beavertail of the lever out away from the frame in order to engage the thumb safety. If the parts are removed, you'll have no safety whatsoever. Maybe Don would know...is it possible to install P.08 style safety parts in an '06 frame?

Yes,
it can be done and was done by the Germans on a few lugers during the Weimar era.

Grips safeties on some Navy lugers were converted to the P 08 type at the same time barrel length was reduced to 4".

The change requires a change in the slot that the safety bar enters and a pin to be inserted to keep the bar in place.

Would not be easy or cheap.

I would repair the grip safety and get used to it, it is not cumbersome at all if practiced with a bit, and modified with a pad if need be to make it easier to depress fully.

[Laf]

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

I have never seen a plated tool.


*** I am a bit confused, is the upper and lower matching or are they as guessed, a DWM 1920 upper (I can't see acceptance and proofs on the right?) and the lower a different number....


Ed

The barrel and receiver match with 1920 on the receiver. The rest of the gun matches but has a different serial number. The magazine doesn't match serial for anything.