Luger/similar design question

[ASH556]

So my wife and I went and saw Captain America this weekend and looking at the Luger in that movie vs Captain America's 1911, a thought occurred to me:

What are the advantages/disadvantages in the fixed/exposed barrel of the Luger design (Also Walther P38 and several popular 22 pistols (Buckmark, Woodsman, Smith 41)) VS the moving barrel and slide covered barrel of the 1911 (and most other semi-auto pistols) design. Now, I know there are some hybrids as well that have a fixed barrel, but still the slide covers the barrel (Sig P210, Bersa 380 come to mind)

Thanks for your thoughts and input!

[TOrrock]

The barrels on both the P-38 and the P.08 do move, although they do not use the Browning tilting cam action.

The P.08's barrel, toggle, basically the "upper receiver" move rearward for a short distance and then the toggle link engages, extracting the spent case and then moving forward to strip a round out of the magazine and into the chamber.

The P-38 introduced the falling block locking system that Beretta adopted post war and that the M92 series (USGI M9) uses. The barrel does move back slightly and then the locking block falls.

Both systems keep the barrel in line, which may theoretically increase accuracy potential.

Practically speaking they don't really offer anything over the Browning locking system, although the P-38/Beretta falling block does allow for a very smooth slide, and makes it easier to pull the slide back for some people.

If you'd like to see the internals of the P.08 and what makes it tick, Click on this. (http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=82868)

*Edited to add..... .22lr pistols are straight blow back, so the barrel doesn't move, only the bolt/slide under spring tension.

[okie john]

The Luger grew out of the Borchardt designs of the late 19th century, the dawn of repeating firearms design. A lot of people worked on the problem, and they tried a lot of things that in retrospect weren’t such good ideas. The ideas of Luger, the Mausers, Browning, Colt, Winchester, and others lasted. Lots of others fell by the wayside.

One big problem was where to put the recoil spring. Luger, Mauser, Borchardt and others put it aft in the grip. Astra pistols put it around the barrel and Browning put it under the barrel, both of which free up space further aft for the lockwork. In the end, Browning’s design became immortal for reasons that have virtually nothing to do with where the recoil spring ended up.


Okie John