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Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger

Article about: Hi everyone! This is a recent find at a veterens(US Army, 24th Infantry Division) estate sale. I am a medals/insignia collector and 'baffled' on reassembly of this P08 Luger. After many hour

  1. #1

    Default Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger

    Hi everyone! This is a recent find at a veterens(US Army, 24th Infantry Division) estate sale. I am a medals/insignia collector and 'baffled' on reassembly of this P08 Luger. After many hours on the internet, with NO solutions here is what I know: DWM manufactured, double stamped 1917/1920 Polezei(Prussian/Potsdam disrict) conversion(sear safety) 9mm. Prior to the first disassembly the slide could be brought back completely to full rear and would stay open with an empty magazine. I could then dry fire(with a snap cap). It seemed 100%. After I disassembled(field stripped) and reassembled, the slide will only move rearward about 80% and thus not be able to engage the empty magazine and stay open. Now for the interesting part. My friend has a DWM 1917/1920 double stamp that was not converted to Polezei use(no sear safety for Army) and we can exchange uppers and lowers along with the proper side plates and both 'combinations' function just fine. This leads me to believe that I am not reassembling my P08 Polezei CONVERTED luger properly. Any insight would be much appreciated as to how I can get this 'paper weight' back to a functioning arm. Remember, I am a medals/insignia collector and don't know much about the firearms language.

    Yours truly and beyond frustrated...Alex

    P.S.- does anyone know what the Zw stamping on the grip butt stands for?
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger   Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger  

    Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger   Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger  

    Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger   Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger  

    Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger   Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger  

    Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger   Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger  

    Need Help on 1917 P08 Luger  

  2. #2

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    Have a look at the 'hold open' device in the lower frame. Strip the gun and insert the magazine into the magazine housing, then check to see if the hold open device is pushed upwards. Then take the magazine out and see if it drops down. It is likely to be this problem... but not guaranteed. If I had it in hand I could easily solve it for you, but not so easily done when trying to describe in words!

    Cheers,
    Steve.

  3. #3

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    Saxon Police marking.

    Sachsische Landespolizei Zwickau.

    Source History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings, 1900-1936 by Don Maus

  4. #4
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    Just wondering.
    Have you taken many Lugers apart? I only ask as these are a complicated configuration of parts.
    Check what Steve has mentioned.
    Also Is the coupling link(Thing that hangs down from the toggle mechanism) hooked to the recoil spring lever?( does it have spring tension when you cycle the toggle?)

    Semper Fi
    Phil
    Last edited by AZPhil; 10-17-2017 at 01:56 AM.

  5. #5

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    This came from Luger gun boards Jerry Burney.
    It might be that the hook that connects to the mainspring is not staying in place when you re assemble. The T hook must drop into the well and be in position to grasp the top hook on the mainspring and stay there.

    This is accomplished by putting your right hand thumb in the trigger guard and grasping the pistol by wrapping your fingers over the top of the barrel. This will enable you to hold the top of the pistol to the rear while holding the pistol rear down towards the floor.

    The T hook that attaches to the toggle will then fall into the correct position to grasp the mainspring hook without falling forward. While holding the top to the rear you will feel the tension of the mainspring. Using your left hand pick up the sideplate and slip it into place. Then swivel up the sideplate locking piece and its done! The pistol should be held in place and cycle correctly.
    John

  6. #6
    ?

    Default

    Yes my thoughts exactly John. That is what I was asking in my post. But if he has spring tension when cycling the toggle it's not that. But I guess we won't know until he replies.

    Semper Fi
    Phil

  7. #7

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    Thank you all for the fast responses. I appreciate the interest in my situation. Steve, the 'hold open' device functions normally when an empty magazine is inserted and removed. Phil and John, I tried the reassembly instructions as stated in John's post with the same results. The toggle, under spring tension, only moves back most the way but not far enough to engage the 'hold open' device(see the 5th picture from the top of this page). I'm guessing the T hook is engaged since the toggle is under spring tension. As mentioned earlier in my original post, I'm able to swap uppers and lowers of the two 1917 double date Lugers(my Police version and my friends Military version) and both 'mated' guns function perfectly(full toggle to the rear and staying open with an empty magazine). Can I therefore assume that when my Police Luger had the Sear safety added that it modified my upper and lower in such a manner that there is a special technique to be done when my Police upper and Police lower are reassembled together as opposed to the mated uppers/lowers of the Police and Military Lugers? Please stay in touch and let me what you think or if you have other suggestions. If I can't figure this out, I will eventually call on the expertise of a gunsmith and hope for the best.
    Thanks again, sincerely....Alex

  8. #8

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    Hi Richie,
    Thank you for the information on the Police markings. What I learned is that the S.P. indicates SchutzPolezei(S.) Potsdam District(P.) so, I'm assuming the Zw. is Sachsische Landespolizei Zwickau as you stated. Can you tell me the connection between the two, if any, as this is all new to me. Thanks...Alex

  9. #9

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    Alex

    You're right in that "S. P." is the marking for Schutzpolizei Potsdam.

    However according to the book I mentioned, which is the leading source on the matter, the "Zw" for Zwickau in Saxony means that the "S. P." on your P08 stands for Sachsische Landespolizei.

    Links to the Luger Forum where there is confirmation.

    1914 Mauser police unit help?

    End of another 1914 Mauser quest...

    I hope that makes sense

    Richie

    ps Good luck with the technical problem

  10. #10

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    Hi Richie,
    Thank you for this information and the Luger Forum links! So according to Don in the first link, the S.P. over Zw. is not two stampings applied at different times but one representing Sächsische Polizei (or Schutzpolizei) of Zwickau in Saxony as you have stated. So does Sachsische Landespolizei in Zwickau represent the same as Schutzpolizei in Potsdam? If not, what does the Sachsische Landespolizei stand for or represent?
    Thanks again Richie...Alex

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