I was looking at a DWM Commercial Luger and the safty lever moves freely back and forth with no resistence at all and it doesn't snap into place like it does with my other two lugers. Any idea what the problem is or is it a problem? Should it snap into place?
Your comments are appreciated,
Joe

Joe,

It should be retained in the position you set it into.

There could be excessive wear in a couple of places.

The lever itself is heat treated, and really can't be easily adjusted. The work is costly if you have an experienced Luger gunsmith do it. Try it yourself, and you will likely snap the lever.

Unless it's a particular bargain, I'd pass on it.

There was a similar posting over at one of the Luger forums recently... Was that you?

Marc

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Marc

Marc, It was me on the Luger Forum. I appreciate you input. It just doesn't have the snap that the other two Lugers I have when you set lever on safety and fire positions. It just moves from one to the other with no resistance and no snap. I will pass on it!
Your help is appreciated,
Joe

It may only be the safety lever retaining pin missing.

The pin is visable by either field stripping the pistol or taking the left grip pannel off.

The pin is about 1/16"d. It is visable inside the frame of the stripped pistol on the left side wall just in front of and below the 'ear'.
It enters at a forward facing angle and when doing so intersects the safety lever shaft in a cut out.

That cut out is carefully machined so as to give the safety lever some tension against the frame when the pin is in place.

You can see the pin (or if it's missing) with the left grip off and check the pivot point of the safety lever in the frame. You'll either see the head of the pin,,or and empty hole.

The safety will work/function w/o the pin in place, but will have no tension to snap and hold the lever into the SAFE or FIRE positions.

If the pin is missing,,the safety lever and the safety bar itself are simply lifted from their cut outs in the fame with the left grip off.

To install,,place the safety bar and the safety lever in place,,,,push the pin into place while pressing the safety lever flat against the frame at its mid point (pivot point). The flexing there is almost nothing so don't expect alot of pressure needed to reinstall.

Remove the pin from the top with a small punch pushing it straight through and out the bottom.
Pin installs easily from the bottom inside of the frame. Tap into place till flush with the safety lever pivot point.

Non-tapered, straight dimentioned pin,,nothing special,,just the right diameter to allow smooth pivot and that tiny amt of tension for the 'click' position operation.

If the pin is present and the safety lever is linked to the safety bar OK, but no snap tension to the lever,,the bottom end of the safety lever may be bent outwards slightly.
They can be bent ever so slightly & carefully a few .000" w/o any heat to give it the tension they need.

If bent way out of spec, I'd heat the lower tip red and bent hot,,protecting the pivot and upper portions from excess heat. The lower arm is thin and will heat extremely fast so it can be worked and allowed to cool before the rest of the part gets too hot.
There is a small pin shaped lug on the back of the arm that powers the safety bar in a slot. As long as they are engaged, the safety will work. No need for heat treating the lug for what little use they may see in our lives.

You are just looking to gain a touch of outward spring tension to the safety arm against the retaining pin,,nothing more.


added..
I took one of mine apart and measured the retaining pin on what is probably not lab quality caliper!:
.096" d
.515" long
chamfered ends