MAUSER PO8 prints high

V

Varel

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My 1940 PO8 shoots about 2 inches high at 15 yards. Front sight seems to have the original height.
Is it the same for al lugers?
Does bullet weight make a difference?
I use a 124 grain lead copper plated bullet and 3.8grains vv 320, 4.4vv340 or 4.7vv350.
 

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There would just about have to be different front sights depending on caliber and barrel length, but you'd think all P08s - other than artillery models - would be the same?
SARCO lists only one P08 sight.
 
IIRC, the Luger was originally sighted at 25 meters, with German service ammo The difference may be the ammo being used (try German or Czech ammo) or just the vagaries of the gun. But don't go filing on anything; even "shooter" Lugers are too valuable today to experiment with.

Jim
 
I wouldn't think of filing the sights:eek:. It's a matching numbers Luger.
Maybe my ammo is to anemic. I worked my loads down to the minimum that still gives reliable cycling. Windage is perfect so with some practice on the elevation i can hit what i aim for. I'll stick with my soft loads to improve the chance i can enjoy the gun for many years without breaking something.
 
Get a repro sight and file that.
I used to put 100 rounds a year through my Luger, but broke two internal parts the last time out, and now I'm wondering just how much more I'll be shooting it?
It's not matching - barrel and breech block replaced - so I don't have to worry about originality
 
Only the front sight can be replaced. Filing this down would make the problem worse.
What would help is a higher front sight, if that exists.

I would feel bad breaking something on an original pistol... but what fun is a gun tucked away in a safe al the time? It might be different for other people or if you speculate on increasing value, but to me that is no fun at al.
 
Yeah, clearly "file" was incorrect.
You could squeeze the sight in a vise to make the post larger, then file/shape it to suit.

What about a P38 sight? I've never seen one in the flesh, but I think they share the Luger's dovetail, and maybe they come in different heights?

I found this on a Walther forum, applying specifically to the P1, which may not be the same as a Luger/P38 but it's a start.

"If you are shooting low, go one number higher. Shooting high go one number lower.
My P1 shoots about 1 to 2 inches low at 25 feet, has a #3 front site.
So I ordered a #4 from Numrich. Looks like 15/100 difference between each sight. All the other vendors play dumb, just list front sight.

Walther P1 Front Sight Numrich

Front Sight, #5, w/ White Dot, .210" High

Front Sight, #4, w/ White Dot, .225" High

Front Sight, #3, w/ White Dot, .240" High

Front Sight, #2, w/ White Dot, .255" High

Front Sight, #1, w/ White Dot, .270" High."
 
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A friend's 1923 Finn, converted to 9mm with Tikka barrel, has a great tall, very square front sight. I assume that is what it took to get it to zero with their 9mm instead of .30.
 
I would try more careful handloading. I would be very leery of filing a front sight-especially on a more or less collectible. Irons rule for filing front sights:
1. Make sure the front sight is easily removeable.
2. DON'T file the original.
3. Have 2 or 3 spares on hand,
 
Unless it's been heavily staked, it shouldn't be difficult to remove.
I've adjusted windage by moving mine.
 
I might go for the jb weld first.
Sure it comes of again?
I'm also considering buying a replacemnet front sight and to weld that one up with steel carefully and afterwards file it into shape.

I'm going to stick with my handloads as i'm making them now. They are low recoil, accurate (they print high but make very smal groups), reliable in the luger and work well in my Lathi and CZ also.
 
I had no problem drifting the front sight on my DWM '20 Commercial in .30 Luger, to correct for a 3" to the left windage problem. Ttarp makes a good suggestion... Best regards, Rod
 
I never found JB Weld being very useful in spots that flip or bounce a lot and the front sight of a Luger does that a lot.

While bullet weight can affect where the bullet hits the target, the difference in bullets weights isn't generally all that noticeable at 15 yards. (Bullet weight isn't as important as bullet speed -- as all bullets (without regard to weight) drop at the same rate; how far they travel during a set period of time is greatly different, and heavier bullets are sometimes quite a bit slower than lighter bullets. But even then, the differences aren't likely to be noticeable at 15 yards -- shooter variation from shot to shot could be a bigger factor than bullet weight or speed. Getting a second front sight that you can modify (or have modified) might be a more satisfying solution. Welding might be a better option than other solutions.

The Brownell's Sight Correction Calculator will tell you exactly how much material needs to be added to the sight. (Click on the image after the site opens. Everything is measured in inches.)

https://www.brownells.com/aspx/learn/learndetail.aspx?lid=13093
 
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Honestly, I find it somewhat humorous that we're even discussing a 2 inch POI difference for a military combat pistol.

Here's a solution. Hold 2" lower. :)
 
In the end, holding 2 inches lower, as I have been doing for years, probably will remain the simple st solution.
But the luger is so much more than just a service pistol. Its iconic. It is ridiculesly complicated and was never that good in it's role as service pistol: to fragile, to expensive, sensitive to fouling. It was a status symbol for the officers. But for a service pistol the more than a century old design is very accurate.
A lot of my fire arms are older than 1945 and I get a big kick out of it when the guys next to me on the firing line, with their brand new pistols with al the gadgets can't outshoot a 70-100 years old gun.:eek: And to be able to do that: I shoot beter groups when poa =poi
 
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