Short version is a few years ago I fell into a 1915-dated DWM - all matching, except the barrel (and the extractor isn't numbered). It is NOT a collector's piece...it was refinished and buffed within an inch of it's life. The cartouches on the right side of the upper slide for example...mostly buffed off The numbers were all also buffed, but for the most part they're legible and the last two digits seem to match everywhere that has numbers. It's an early 1915 gun (no subscript on the serial)...and the barrel's been replaced; there's not a single marking on the barrel anywhere. The bore's a little frosty but not a big deal...

It was for sure shot a whole lot (probably why the barrel was replaced and it was refinished); I replaced the main spring and sourced a couple of new mags, BUT - the trigger is mushy. I mean really mushy, and vague, and ...random. Some times it'll go off with a normal trigger pull, other times I'll need to squeeze it and hold it and squeeze some more until it finally goes off. Clearly something's worn...but I don't know enough about how the parts interact to even begin to diagnose and troubleshoot. So I'd rather send it to someone who knows what they're doing and knows how to fix it

It doesn't need a refinish (well, it could use it, but it might do more damage to the numbers), doesn't need any custom work, etc...I just want to make it more enjoyable to shoot, and possibly less dangerous to shoot as well due to the randomness of the trigger.

I'm not really a Luger guy and have never bought anything from them, but Simpson Ltd. in Galesburg, IL has been selling collectible Lugers forever.  I would bet they could direct you to someone.

https://simpsonltd.com/

Retro Arms Works

...if John Thomas does Luger gunsmithing work, this would be the first time I have heard of such..

Well he does do 1911's so I figured that Luger was a possibility.

The problem with the trigger pull is most likely being caused by the trigger bar assembly. It consists out of the trigger bar, plunger, plunger pin and spring. Poppert's gun part has the trigger bar. I would start with a replacement trigger bar spring.

Good call, I don't think I even thought about that...let me order that and see what it does!

Thanks!

Edit - I'm on the other side of the country; I was about to order from Sarco (Popperts is out) but I don't remember if it's a numbered part or not...everything on the gun matches except the barrel and I know it sounds dumb, but I'd like to kind of keep it numbered together...eh I'll see when I get home

I would say reach out to Thor340 but he hasn't posted in a while.  His work was excellent.

IIRC he had an accident/injury a while ago and has since hung up his hat - a real shame and loss to the community but I fully understand his desire to step away and let others pick up the work.

Dang.  Sorry to hear that because his restorations of Lugers and P38s were fantastic.

I would give Eugene a call.

https://lugerman.com

Thanks, just sent him an email!

And I just got roped into a full restore, as apparently 1915 DWMs don't grow on trees

Oh well, so long as I can take the thing out and shoot it now and again...

Got it back yesterday; Lugerman did a great job on it!











For reference - the two main things I can remember that were unmarked were the extractor and the barrel; the barrel was a replacement for sure though it was done right. They marked the barrel and proofed it with the correct stamps, and remarked the extractor to match. The other main thing was that the proofs and stamps on the right side of the upper slide were basically buffed off...I mean you could tell it had the 4 stamps but they were indistinct at best - just buffed almost off when it was refinished at some point. I think they welded it up and restamped them. It's fantastic.

They chased some of the lighter 2 number stampings on the rest of the matching parts so the numbers are a lot more clear. The strawing is fantastic! All those parts were blue before, from the stateside refinish...it looks great now. A bunch if not all of the external pitting is gone. The tiny bit of frosting that was in the bore in the first place is still there, which is fine; it doesn't detract as far as I'm concerned.

The grips are repaired originals; the grips it came with when I bought it were rough and basically like someone had tried to hewn grips out of a 2x4; blocky everywhere. I bought a set of aftermarket replacements which were just as bad.

They also replaced the striker assembly with a "newer" one in the S/42 or later WWII Mauser variant; it's a lot better at being a striker. They did send back the matching original one with it for presentation purposes. Since I originally had this done so I could take it out and shoot it, I'll leave the newer unit in. I'll have to swap out grip panels with the repros before I take it out and shoot it, but that's easy enough.

Very happy with it overall!

That's beautiful.

How much did that run you, if you don't mind me asking?

I have a 1918 that I want cleaned up.

Check your PMs

That looks fantastic.

I recently acquired a WWII bring back to went to the SIL that is now mine.

Sadly, it was stored in the holster on the southern Atlantic coast..

Not a rare, desireable model or anything, but I do want to get it fully shootable, even if the original barrel, is not accurate.

Dammit!  That hurts.

Why did I click on this thread?

I just sent him a message about a pre-war FN P35 that needs some love.

FIFY.

thor  340 got hurt.

fudge. his work was top notch. wealth of knowledge