1918 Erfurt Luger

My dad sent this Luger home during WW2. I was wondering if anyone has any information they could give me about this pistol. Number is 4549 and what looks like a g. The barrel is frosty but it shoots pretty good. I have to push the toggle down most of the time. The bullets seem to be tight when putting them in the magazine. The magazine spring feels real strong and the top of the mag seems tight, the bullets are hard to put in. Not sure if that would cause the bullets not to feed or if the mainspring might is weak. Thanks for your help.

If you have to push the toggle back down after a shot, you probably need a new mainspring; easily obtained from Wolff Springs in the US. You´ll find a number of instructional videos about how to instal the spring on the net. The `frosty´ barrel might even improve after cleaning. The mag is usually fed using the screwdriver tool with the hole over the button on the mag.

I agree, the main could use a replacing. Hard to say about your mag without it in hand but use the loading tool as suggested and it may cure all your problems there. Order a new main though, shooting with a poor one will beat up the frame.

You normally need 2-3 Luger mags to find a good runner. New mags are cheap, buy 2-3. Good luck.

Thanks for the responses. I ordered a set of Wolff springs with an extra 40lb recoil spring (mainspring), waiting to get them. I just got back from the range, I am shooting Speer Lawman 115 gr TMJ. They seem kind of long for the magazine. They touch in the front of the magazine and seem to bind when loading them. I'm going to pick up come 124 gr and try them also. The magazine I have is the original one that came with the pistol. The spring set I ordered has a +10% round magazine spring in it, just have to figure out how to take the magazine apart.

Original mag??? PLEASE, do not touch it. Buy 2-3 mags from CDNN, cheap and runners. You will damage a collector mag and be unhappy in the end. Good luck.

You don't really need plus power springs, just new ones.

Thanks, the spring set I ordered comes with a plus power mag spring. I will try the regular mainspring spring first but ordered a 40lb spring just in case. Don't want to pay $4 shipping for an $8 spring if the 38lb one is to weak. I also ordered a set of springs for my Browning 1922 .32 auto, seems to not eject every time. I will do as Calif-Steve says and order a couple spare mags from CDNN instead of screwing with the original. Any one know which is better, the ones made in Italy or by Mitchell Stoeger? They are the same price. Thanks for all the help.

Have a good look at the original mag, if there's any anomalies at all, they could be at fault for the problems. It doesn't take much for a Luger mag to be put out of whack. On the other hand, you may find thay all operate the same and it's the cartridge length of the ammo you have. They sound a bit long...

I use Italian mags (couldn´t call them `cheap´ though), as they work a loit more reliably than the originals. ALL my Lugers work well with any standard ammo. Has the barrel improved with cleaning?

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Originally Posted by villiers

I use Italian mags

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I agree...Meggar makes good mags. Promag also makes them but I've had less than stellar results with theirs.

Buy the Italian mags from CDNN. You will be happy.

That is what I'll do, can always use extra mags. I just measured the bullets. They are 1.156", a couple reloading books I have say they should be 1.100" with 115gr FMJ. I'm going to try and pick up a couple different bullets (115gr and 124gr) tomorrow if they have any. I just started reloading last winter, haven't loaded any 9mm or 45 auto yet, just 45 Long Colt, 32 auto and 38 Special. Getting my brass together for this winter.

Put the new springs in the Luger and finally made it to the range. It worked great with the #maglug mags except the action wouldn't stay open after the last shot most of the time. The original worked OK (still feels like the bullets are binding) but a bullet would stand up instead of chambering one round per loaded mag and once it ejected the empty brass and a good round at the same time. While I had it apart I removed the recoil lever. The pin wouldn't slide through it easily so I went over the hole with a phillip screwdriver and kind of deburred it and it went in and moved freely. Also the outside of the recoil lever felt rough so I filed it to smooth it out. Any idea how to get the action to stay open with the #maglug mags? The button is thinner than the original and rounded on top.

That's such a fidgetty little part that you'd have to make a new one. Adding to it would be a nightmare. Making one on a lathe would be simple though...

'Yooper's' magazine is nicely serial numbered to his Luger. Is this a post-WW1 replacement magazine, with its aluminum base?

Wouldn't an original 1918/WW1 Luger magazine have a wooden base? (Not being picky & critical. That's a nice family bring-back. Just curious).

I have a nice 1917 Erfurt Luger with a mismatched Nazi marked aluminum base.

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Originally Posted by butlersrangers

Is this a post-WW1 replacement magazine, with its aluminum base?

Wouldn't an original 1918/WW1 Luger magazine have a wooden base?

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Correct on both accounts...

Thanks for info about the magazine, I didn't know the base was originally wood. I was wondering about the 20 stamped under the side plate and on the frame. Also should there be a serial number on the barrel? How does it look over all? Thanks again for all the info on this.

Probably no serial on the barrel, it can't be stripped and separated. The number on the bottom of the chamber is the bore diameter. I'm thinking the "20" is an inspection number.