P08 Lugers don't like hollowpoints and other false internet folklore on the P08

[41mag]

Lugers are great guns, just like '63 Bugs are great cars;

I had a 65 Bug, it WAS a great car. Reliable starter, ran well, go anywhere on or off road, drove from Boise to PDX for $5.25 gas each way. In that era I could get the dealer to service it, change oil, set valves, and wash it, for $6.95 too.

A buddy had one of those Luger clones in the early 70s. He'd drag it out now & then & we were always hopeful it would work....this time.

 

[Medic!]

I have read several places online that say that P08 Lugers in 9mm don't feed JHP's or other self defense ammo. I don't know why people say this I picked up a 1916 Luger at the gunshow that has no problem feeding Winchester Ranger T's. Maybe they don't like 115 grain (haven't tried it yet),but all 124 grain seems to feed flawlessly.
I think a lot of the negatives people say about this design stems from them having bad/old worn out mags and springs.

Mine has had all the springs replaced and I have a new Mecgar magazine,I bought it from a guy who specializes in all things Luger P08. I was surprised when I first tried cocking it because the amount of force required was more than other 9mms I tried,I got used to it quickly though.

Another complaint I don't understand is the safety,people complain that is awkward and unusable,yet with just a few hours of practice I can remove the safety on the draw like with a 1911,it just takes a little more practice initially.

I'm glad I saw the InRange mud test of the gun,from what the internet said it should have never passed that test but it worked just fine like you'd expect most well made guns to. I've heard countless time in person and on the internet that the tiniest dust flake will jam up the Luger P08 unless it is kept scrupulously clean,I think the people saying that are just repeated hear·say.

I'm glad I didn't let all I read from stopping me from buying this Luger P08,it is a really cool piece of history and just as reliable as other pistols if taken care of. The barrel isn't original and the gun has been reblued so I got it for a really good price.

The P08 Luger points better for Me than any handgun I've ever held,I am confident in it's ability to point shoot at 25yards. If I point it at something without aiming then later look at the sights they are always lined up to what I thought I was pointing at.

Just saw your add. Looks like your love affair is over?

 

[aksu747]

Just saw your add. Looks like your love affair is over?

I still love the thing but ultimately I am worried about it rusting or eventually having to replace parts. Modern stainless guns have spoiled me.

 

[RickB]

I still love the thing but ultimately I am worried about it rusting or eventually having to replace parts. Modern stainless guns have spoiled me.

I put 100 rounds a year through my Luger, and last time, the firing pin/spring retainer broke, and in trying to disassemble the gun to get at the broken part, the mainspring guide broke. Neither part was expensive, about $20 each, and they're not serialed, so no loss of "matching numbers" if replaced, but I noticed some damage to the breechblock, which probably contributed to the parts breakage, and it's possible that continued shooting will cause the breechblock to fail and no longer properly retain the retainer, and, of course, the breechblock is a serialed part.
While repairing the gun, I noticed that my breechblock was numbered "42", when everything else is "72", so I don't have to worry about matching, even if I do have to replace the breechblock.

 

[tac]

I hear ya. I'm more a $4-600 type a guy though, hence the Stoeger.

That there Stoeger ain't no Luger nuffin'. It's either an ERMA KGP38 if it's centrefire [.380ACP] or the awful .22 rimfire with the 'fly-away extractor' feature.

Unless, of course, it's a genuine Stoeger-imported P08 from the middle of the last century....

tac