Doc, go to the lugerforum.com and search fpor a thread called "Mitchell Luger sucker." Some varying opinions, but it whould be revealing.

 

Doc, go to the lugerforum.com and search fpor a thread called "Mitchell Luger sucker." Some varying opinions, but it whould be revealing.

 

These stainless "Lugers" are kind of crude reproductions of the real thing. Some work, some don't. After fooling with four of them, I now have no desire to own one.

 

These stainless "Lugers" are kind of crude reproductions of the real thing. Some work, some don't. After fooling with four of them, I now have no desire to own one.

 

quote:Originally posted by Rod WMG

Doc, go to the lugerforum.com and search fpor a thread called "Mitchell Luger sucker." Some varying opinions, but it whould be revealing.

I started a thread once with a subject line like that one. Mine was "Lugers for suckers?"

These are refinished Mitchell's Lugers though which being sold to the unsuspecting and ignorant:

http://www.mauser.org/autopistols/hist_p-08 luger/index.htm

http://luger.gunboards.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4681&SearchTerms=lugers

 

quote:Originally posted by Rod WMG

Doc, go to the lugerforum.com and search fpor a thread called "Mitchell Luger sucker." Some varying opinions, but it whould be revealing.

I started a thread once with a subject line like that one. Mine was "Lugers for suckers?"

These are refinished Mitchell's Lugers though which being sold to the unsuspecting and ignorant:

http://www.mauser.org/autopistols/hist_p-08 luger/index.htm

http://luger.gunboards.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4681&SearchTerms=lugers

 

Two different animals here, Mitchell stainless steel Lugers made in Houston in the 1990's, vs. the Mitchell's Lugers which are re-worked (ruined) original German Lugers that have been force matched, re-blacked, and overbuffed, then sold with new "credentials" stating their authenticity, as having originally been original, and presented in fancy wood boxes with repro medals and ribbons. Two entirely different kinds of Lugers.

By the way, like Aaron, I have given up on them, after having had three different examples of these stainless steel guns and finding none would work properly. They lack the precision and fit necessary for a Luger to function. Some owners have had more success, but IMHO not for long would they continue to work, as the steel is not hardened at the critical points and areas that are necessary.

 

Thanks for all the info, I was thinking and hope I was clear
on the stainless steel Stoeger part, from what I understand
and please correct me if I am wrong but they were all manufactured
by the same company but first they were distributed by Stoeger
then later Mitchell Arms. The one I was considering was offered
to me at 700 plus shipping and was said to be unfired. I think
I will pass and hold out for maybe a 70's Interarms Mauser.

 

I have a few stainless models I enjoy shooting. I modified my posting a little. My apologies to the forum for being too wordy(my slang term for trying to be specific/overly helpful).

Rick W.

 

Thanks, Rick W. That seems to have summed it all up. But just to add my unsubstantial pennyworth, here in Germany, DWJ, the periodical representing the national weapons associations tested both the Mitchel and Stoeger Lugers. Results were, on the whole, positive.

Please remember that this is mainly a collectors´ forum. Thus, many of the contributors are unlikely to appreciate attempts to adapt the Luger design to modern manufacturing procedures.

My personal experience with the ever dwindling number of Luger (P08) owners and users at the pistol clubs here in Germany is that the stainless Lugers are no more prone to malfunction than the traditional varieties. Both need constant attention and the owner should have, or accumulate, the necessary know how.

 

villiers and Rick,

I concur. I have a stainless that performs well as a shooter. Obviously, it is of no value as a collectable, but it shoots very much like the originals. It is nicely finished and looks great.

Luke

 

All three of my stainless steel Lugers, stamped Stoeger, were of soft metal that deformed as the gun was shot, from the start. The impact of the cylindrical toggles against the unhardened frame ramps caused the frame ramps to deform and flatten in a slight half circle, with the displaced metal belling the rail outwards. All three guns had poor fit, and the barrel extension or forks' front face rested aback from the grip-frame front face.
All the surfaces were buffed irregularly, compared to an original Luger of any vintage. Wavy imprecise flats. Side-plate edges not parallel. All this cosmetic imprecision was external evidence of the poor fit of the guns inside and out, with a corresponding high failure to cycle rate. These particular guns had serial numbers in the high 2000's and low 3000's range. Possibly a bad run.

Parts are impossible to find, have never even seen any available anywhere. Many of the parts are not really interchangable with the genuine P08.

Strongly advise buying only on condition of shooting live ammo beforehand, and checking for reliable function. Getting a good one seems to be a crap-shoot. (Pun intended)

 

removed my posting

 

Rick,
I wrote "stamped" without really thinking about it or even knowing. I sold all three of them after about six months, as collectors items, a long time ago, and wasn't paying attention to how they were marked. You are probably right about them being engraved.
I bought the first one, and after having trouble with it, bought two more at the same time, so determined was I to have a good working example, and not believing they could all be so bad. I took the first one to a gunsmith to have a safety lever problem worked on, but then it still refused to feed reliably.
Factory WallMart white box, and then some hotter loads. No improvement. The failure to feed of the other two convinced me to quit trying. Taking out the mainspring and messing with it did not occur to me at that time.
Since the magazines are not available, I did not try other springs there either. All three guns looked new out of the box, could only be 10 or 15 years old at the most, and compared to a ninety year old DWM that was operating just fine, I had no faith in the Stoegers.
Did I give up too soon ?
Anyway, working with a 1917 DWM was alot more satisfying. Rebarreled a P08 4" with a 6" Bohler Stahl Austrian barrel, and it fired just fine without any spring changes. 'Had to adjust the POI quite a bit, extreme banging on the barrel with a 7-foot yellow pine 2x12, and replacing the front sight with a custom made taller sight of the patridge sort, and now it is a tack driver reliably shooting tight groups right on the sights.

This gun had been refinished over a badly pitted and rusted condition, in places, and I stripped it down to white metal, filed down some of the pitted areas, and am letting it re-finish itself slowly now. This photo was before changing the front sight, and changing the grips to wood.

 

removed my posting

 

Rick, I just realized that I or we hijacked this thread, after I wrote another reply which has been mostly moved into a PM I sent you ....
Apologies to PhysDoc.

 

no appologies are necessary, I've learned all sorts of things
that I didn't expect to learn when I asked my orginal question
and have enjoyed reading the intelligent articulate messages left
here. My sincerest thanks.

 

ok, and thanks ... it's easy to get sidetracked on an open discussion.
You mentioned the recent Mausers, and I too have wondered about their reliability and functionality.
There are some that have the full traditional grip-frame shape, while mostly seen are the Swiss-style straight front strap Lugers. I don't speak for any other collectors, but they don't look right to me, regardless of their respectable history.