Luger cracking
- Thread starter Holmes529
- Start date
Where are you expecting to find a crack?
I'm a Luger user, not an expert, but I'm not aware of ever having heard/read anything about cracks?
The breechblock failed on mine, maybe for the second time as the failed part was non-matching, the firing pin retainer pushing through the thin breechblock wall, and that does seem to be a fairly common failure.
I'm a Luger user, not an expert, but I'm not aware of ever having heard/read anything about cracks?
The breechblock failed on mine, maybe for the second time as the failed part was non-matching, the firing pin retainer pushing through the thin breechblock wall, and that does seem to be a fairly common failure.
From what I gather the frame is susceptible to cracking. I just don’t know how common this problem is
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Tons of places. Other forums I’m a member of, fellow collectors, groups I’m in on Facebook, and even Brownells put out a video a few months ago on how to check to see if a Luger is cracked before buying it
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Walt Sherrill
New member
I've been following a lot of different forums, including various C&R forums for 20+ years. I've owned several Lugers, including a Soviet-captured P-08 that had been used by the East Germ police. That gun had a badly corroded barrel (inside near the chamber), but it was a tack driver and very reliable.
Like jonnyc rumors of or actual examples of cracked P-08 frames seem to be very rare.
Like jonnyc rumors of or actual examples of cracked P-08 frames seem to be very rare.
xtriggerman
New member
IDK about cracked frames but what I can add is Many P08's were set up to fire the hotter 9mm used in sub machine guns of that day. So I'v had to trim the recoil springs on those guns to shoot domestic 9mm ammo years ago. Its not much of a mod and generaly is about one coil but go 1/2 coil cut at a time until the weapon makes reliable ejection. Now what might happen is if someone hap hazardly cuts away too much spring to get ejection, that can in fact stress frame points of recoil containment.
highpower3006
New member
OP, I think you’re way overthinking this. Just take whatever particular gun you are looking at and inspect it carefully, if you see any flaws that you can’t live with, pass on it.
FYI, my experience has shown me that the most likely part to break on a Luger is the firing pin. If you are going to shoot a matching number gun, replace the firing pin with a spare for range trips and save the original.
FYI, my experience has shown me that the most likely part to break on a Luger is the firing pin. If you are going to shoot a matching number gun, replace the firing pin with a spare for range trips and save the original.
This is some good advice, and I’m glad you brought that to my attention. I appreciate it
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1911_Hardball
New member
I was thinking the same thing. Back in 1988, 89, 90 everybody who'd ever heard of the Delta Elite knew that the frames cracked yet, oddly, no one I met had ever actually seen one or knew anyone personally who had. Years later I met a gunsmith who had actually seen one.
https://lugerman.com/
Might be worth a call to a pistolsmith who works on Lugers(?). I’m originally from the area this guy works out of, and he does nice restoration work.
Might be worth a call to a pistolsmith who works on Lugers(?). I’m originally from the area this guy works out of, and he does nice restoration work.
Never heard of issues with the Luger frame. Parts in the toggle group, yes, they have been known to crack or break, but not the frame.
I've often heard this, or something like it, never once has anyone provided any proof, so I'm thinking its a BS rumor. The Germans were virtual fanatics about documenting everything, if there were anything done to the guns to "set them up for SMG ammo" there would be documentation.
Original Luger load was a 124gr @ 1050fps from a 4" (100mm) barrel.
Shortly before WWI this was changed to a 115gr @ 1150fps.
The toggle action is mechanically very efficient. It won't run well unless the ammo develops the recoil impulse it is made for. MV alone is not the whole story.
Up until the 1980s when we adopted the 9mm NATO as standard, US 9mm ammo could be, and was, whatever the maker felt like making, and US ammo makers had a long history of underloading metric calibers, compared to European loadings.
Lots of Lugers wouldn't run well, on US ammo. Since the fault "couldn't be" incompatibility with our ammo, the story became "they were made to shoot the hotter SMG ammo", and it stuck, and is still around today.
It's not true. If you run "SMG" ammo in your Luger, odds are high you will break it. If you run +P+ or +p ammo in your Luger, odds are something will fail, and fairly soon.
Now, having said that, someone will come along and relate how they've run thousands of rounds of hot SMG stuff through their Luger with no issues. And, maybe they have, but that doesn't mean YOUR Luger will handle the same thing the same way.
Shoot an all matching # gun and break a numbered part, and you no longer have an all matching # gun. Could turn a $2500 gun into a $1200 gun with a single pull of the trigger.
Do remember that the last German Military Lugers were made in 1942. The "newest" ones are currently 78 years old this year. Most are older.
There are some Lugers that were made in the 70s, and later, Mauser did a run of "Swiss pattern" guns and some others have produced small numbers of Lugers since then, as commercial guns. But mass production of military Lugers ended during WWII.
Shoot 115gr @ 1150fps, its what they were made for. Shoot anything else and you're rolling the dice.
I've often heard this, or something like it, never once has anyone provided any proof, so I'm thinking its a BS rumor. The Germans were virtual fanatics about documenting everything, if there were anything done to the guns to "set them up for SMG ammo" there would be documentation.
Original Luger load was a 124gr @ 1050fps from a 4" (100mm) barrel.
Shortly before WWI this was changed to a 115gr @ 1150fps.
The toggle action is mechanically very efficient. It won't run well unless the ammo develops the recoil impulse it is made for. MV alone is not the whole story.
Up until the 1980s when we adopted the 9mm NATO as standard, US 9mm ammo could be, and was, whatever the maker felt like making, and US ammo makers had a long history of underloading metric calibers, compared to European loadings.
Lots of Lugers wouldn't run well, on US ammo. Since the fault "couldn't be" incompatibility with our ammo, the story became "they were made to shoot the hotter SMG ammo", and it stuck, and is still around today.
It's not true. If you run "SMG" ammo in your Luger, odds are high you will break it. If you run +P+ or +p ammo in your Luger, odds are something will fail, and fairly soon.
Now, having said that, someone will come along and relate how they've run thousands of rounds of hot SMG stuff through their Luger with no issues. And, maybe they have, but that doesn't mean YOUR Luger will handle the same thing the same way.
Shoot an all matching # gun and break a numbered part, and you no longer have an all matching # gun. Could turn a $2500 gun into a $1200 gun with a single pull of the trigger.
Do remember that the last German Military Lugers were made in 1942. The "newest" ones are currently 78 years old this year. Most are older.
There are some Lugers that were made in the 70s, and later, Mauser did a run of "Swiss pattern" guns and some others have produced small numbers of Lugers since then, as commercial guns. But mass production of military Lugers ended during WWII.
Shoot 115gr @ 1150fps, its what they were made for. Shoot anything else and you're rolling the dice.
I’m not a Luger collector expert but I’ve had a good many of them and shot them a lot. I never had trouble with any. 95% were 4” 9mms. The one thing that’s out there that all 9mm shooters should be aware of is several countries produce 9mm for SMGs and it can be hot. I can run pistols metal to metal. I ruined a S&W 39 with it. Alloy frame model cracked frame with 1960s French military ammo.
highpower3006
New member
I have had a few Lugers over the years dating from 1913 up to WWII and have probably examined a dozen others and I haven't seen a frame or any other significant part fail. I do have a spare firing pin that I install when I shoot mine, but even at that I don't think I would worry about it as I don't dry fire Lugers.
Currently I have three a 1916 LP08, 1920 dated Berlin police issued P08 and a 1937 S/42. Just for the heck of it I took them apart and examined them closely with a magnifying glass and just as I suspected, they are all in excellent condition mechanically. All show some finish wear, but I can't say how much they may have been shot over the years before I acquired them.
Currently I have three a 1916 LP08, 1920 dated Berlin police issued P08 and a 1937 S/42. Just for the heck of it I took them apart and examined them closely with a magnifying glass and just as I suspected, they are all in excellent condition mechanically. All show some finish wear, but I can't say how much they may have been shot over the years before I acquired them.
silvermane_1
New member
Nice trio of Lugers/Parabellums, especially the Arty one there highpower3006. 
I have had a few Lugers over the years dating from 1913 up to WWII and have probably examined a dozen others and I haven't seen a frame or any other significant part fail. I do have a spare firing pin that I install when I shoot mine, but even at that I don't think I would worry about it as I don't dry fire Lugers.
Currently I have three a 1916 LP08, 1920 dated Berlin police issued P08 and a 1937 S/42. Just for the heck of it I took them apart and examined them closely with a magnifying glass and just as I suspected, they are all in excellent condition mechanically. All show some finish wear, but I can't say how much they may have been shot over the years before I acquired them.
Thanks for the advice! Do you only suggest getting a spare firing pin for when I go shooting, or are there other spare parts I should change out before I shoot?
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