Peter,
I believe you may be over thinking this.
The luger needs the same care as other firearms. Due to close tolerances, oil is the preferred lube - not grease.

If you use the search feature - you will find several threads on cleaning and lubrication.

Ballistol is just fine and is likely was was used originally(or something quite similar).

 

Re: maintenance, I'd add environment. Moderate to low humidity, moderate temperature without wide swings, don't store the pistol in the holster, and you should be fine.

My view on spring or other parts replacement is thoroughly inspect the pistol from time to time, and if parts appear OK let (mal)function be the indicator of things needing replacement. IMO modern smokeless powders and non-corrosive primers may leave residue but don't really harm metal, so there is not need for elaborate or exotic procedures to maintain the pistols.

I think there are no stickies on these subjects because of the wide variation between collectors in practice. I had the same questions when I began collecting. I browsed the forum to evaluate what approaches others took. Bores, metal parts, grips, and holsters all have many threads where practices are discussed.

 

over-cleaning is the biggest issue I have seen - in the army we were taught (by unit armorer school NOT by the unit) - and I have met many folks who tell me they get a new gun and strip it ALLLL the way down. Why I ask? I mean, guys tell me they will even take out the police sear safety.

So, too much cleaning is worse than light cleaning IMO

 

Good Point, Ed! They don't need cleaning unless fired or improperly stored! I do wipe them down after admiring and handling! Especially strawed parts~Renaisance on all!

 

Field stripped a Luger for the first time yesterday. Not as scary as I imagined. Pleased to find all matching internal parts including firing pin. Surprisingly, given it's excellent condition, quite a bit of carbon, especially inside the breechblock, inside and outside the firing pin, spring and plunger. Also along the frame rails. Cleaned those parts by soaking for a few minutes in mineral/white spirits. Seemed to work very well, lots of sediment, so took the plunge and dunked the rest of the parts, except grips of course. Wipe with cotton tea towel, then compressed air on the parts to remove any loose stuff, but mainly to dry the parts out thoroughly before a liberal spray of Ballista, reassembly and wipe down.

The only thing that I got stuck on was this angled pin that fell out while trying to put the trigger sideplate back on. Googled and found that it was the trigger lever pin that had come loose from the inside of the trigger sideplate. Normally that pin should be snapped into place, but the snap seems to have gone. Still, it's in place now.

Amazing what a clean and lube can do. The mineral/white spirit became a light yellowly/brown colour with the carbon, grime and dirt it had removed (which wasn't really noticeable before the clean). The Luger now has a finish that looks almost new. I won't need to clean the gun for a long time, if at all, being a collector piece. Will post pics...

Peter

 

Well done!

The pin that fell out should be an elongnated "S" shape, if it is "angled"- perhaps one leg is broken; if so it can't lock in as designed.
There is a fair amount of stress on the pin when latched in place, so understandable that it could break at the curve.

I have bought lugers that had this pin replaced with just a straight pin, held in by "lock tite" or peening. If you can't find a new pin in Oz, perhaps a drop of thread locker on the front hole the pin goes into will hold it.

 

all the large firearms companies ( ex Sig Saurer) now use vegetable based white grease on metal to metal contact and oil for everything else what type of oil depends on your preference l lIke like hoppes or breakfree some prefer other products

I do not shoot my collectibles, so they very rarely need to be cleaned. For my shooters a through cleaning is performed, if they go to the range but I rarely shoot them. they go out for my nephews and company.
range time for me is with modern semi auto's but that's me

 

Grease is not good for using a luger, oil is the key- tolerances are too tight to use grease. Grease increases friction and slows down the action; so for reliable function- use oil.