Luiger magazine won't hold the lock back....

My 1918 Imperial Police modified luger does not lock back after last cartridge is fired. It will not lock back manually either. I believe that the magazine is the problem. it is a WWll P08 fxo plastic base mag. and it does not extend far enough to hold the mag lever. The lever can be made to work if a pencil is inserted in the magazine well and the lever is pushed up.

I am willing to buy a repro mag. but I do not want to spend $40.00 and up for something that might not work.

I have tried various gun shops around here and none have lugers, much less magazines to try. Any suggestions for making the WWll magzine work?

The hold open is engaged by the magazine button when the last shot is fired, or when the toggles are withdrawn on an empty magazine. If the magazine has any slack when it latches into the frame, the hold open probably won't be engaged. Normally you can push up on the base of the magazine while drawing the toggles back and it will latch. You can also take the barrel/receiver assembly off the frame, and insert the magazine to see if it is raising the hold open. Normally you just try another magazine to see if it works, but if you only have the one magazine that is out.
I have one LP.08 that won't lock back, but since I don't shoot it, it is no problem.

With the receiver assembly removed, fully insert the magazine so that the magazine catch engages and it cannot be removed without pressing the release button. If the magazine can then be withdrawn or pushed further in without depressing the release button, there is too much play and the magazine is faulty.

A fully inserted magazine should lift the hold-open latch. Sometimes the magazine riser button is too flat and fails to engage. It can be prised out a fraction of an inch with a flat screwdriver or a knife. This is the most usual cause of hold-open failure.

A.F.Medic,
Here is an example of the magazine not locking fully into position. After latching the magazine drops down just enough that it won't engage the hold open. Pushing it up just slightly causes it to engage the hold open enough to lock the toggles back.
Best not to pry on anything on the magazine if it is an original magazine.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../29z91g4-1.jpg

Do you mean the button on the mag. that slides downward as cartridges are inserted? Still new to Lugers.

---------- Post added at 05:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------

Johnny Peppers.
I have tried that "push on mag and pull the toggle bolt back" but no luck. Pistol fires like it is brand new! You guys have given me some great homework! Thank you!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by A. F Medic

Do you mean the button on the mag. that slides downward as cartridges are inserted? Still new to Lugers.[COLOR="Silver"]!

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Yes. Take the barrel/receiver assembly off the frame, and then insert the empty magazine to see if the empty magazine raises the hold open. Is it an original magazine?

The button and follwer can be replaced, look for Jonathan Heller he can fix you up. MEGAR made the best after market magazines at one time and they went for $20 in the day.