Luger Firing Pins: Swiss - German comparison

[mikerock]

The two firing pins on the left are German manufactured, the one on the extreme left made in 1937, the other of an unknown date. The firing pin on the right is a Swiss pin made in 1940.

The protrusion on the pin, I think it is the sear, is different on the two pistols. The german pins will not allow the toggle on my swiss luger go into battery. I have not tried putting the Swiss pin in a german luger but i would suspect it may lead to slam fires.

Any ideas on why the design difference on what was essentially identical pistols?

 

[lavoltiges]

weight gain for the German version??

ease of machining for Swiss ??

 

[gewehr76]

Swiss is 30 caliber 7.65x21 while German is 9x19.

 

[lavoltiges]

there is also a 9-para

 

[Desert_Fox]

there is also a 9-para

9mm Parabellum (Latin: "For War") is the same as 9x19mm, and 9mm Luger.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

ease of machining for Swiss ??

That might be it. The Swiss pin lacks the "scallops" out front, and the wee tab at what I suspect is the sear is much shorter. Must be easier to machine that flush with the base rather than having a tail sticking out.

IIRC, the Swiss manufactured Lugers, while lovely pistols, are somewhat simplified for less-expensive manufacture. This is likely one very teeny aspect of that. Check out what they did on the safety lever:

Swiss:

German:

No checkering, less of a defined shelf for the thumb or finger to grab. Ditto on the smooth mag release. No scallop on the top of the sideplate. Still a beautiful thing. Just a bit simpler to cut costs.

 

[Shooting Centre]

Swiss Lugers were based on the pattern 1900, then 1906 lugers. They have grip safeties etc so not much in the way of part commonality. The 1906/29 model shown was the last model done and was simplified. However in my opinion the previous models 1900 and 1906 were beautifully finished and better than most German lugers I have seen.