[Guest]

Greetings Gunboard Forum,

Indeed there is a great deal of knowledge and information on this site so I hope you can help me. I am about to purchase 1918 Erfurt Luger from a friend. The serial number on the bottom of the 3-1/8" barrel is 9786. It looks in awesome condition leading me to think it has been re-blued ( Not sure). The serial numbers on all parts match with the execption of the magazine.

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Although I am a great admirer of the German Luger, I am relatively new to understanding its history. I was looking for help with the following questions:

1. This gun looks very clean....Has this gun been refinished? How can I tell?

2. If it has been refinished, what does it do to the value?

3. The markings on the this Luger are unfamiliar to me. Can anyone one provide an interpretation of the marking on the pictures below?


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4. The trigger, safety, and magazine release all are bronze. This does not seem right for a military issued firearm. Can anyone add any insight here?

5. Was this particular firearm targeted for any part of the army?

6. And the question everyone wants to know....... what would be a fair price to pay?


I appreciate any feedback/history people can give me on this firearm.


Datamover2004

 

[Edward Tinker]

Hello XXX AGS?

Welcome to the forum. Please go to your profile and inclue your real name, that is part of membership to this forum.

Your Luger was first made in 1918 by the gov't arsenal of Erfurt, then was turned over to the police sometime in the Weimar era (see grip strap markings), then after 1933 a sear safety was added during the nazi era (see piece of metal trigger on left or do a search on this forum).

The gripstrap marking stands for this police unit;

L = Landjagerei (rural constalbury)
O = Osnabruck (city in germany)


The "bronze" color is called strawing and is correct. Closer, larger and clearer pictures would have to be seen to decide if it is reblued. If an aresenal reblue during the 30's, this is acceptable for a weimar era police gun.

Are there other items that come with it, i.e. holster, tool, etc magazine? Does the magazine match?

Value can be from $500 for a shooter luger to up to $1100 for one like this, all depends on orginality, condition, if all numbers match etc. If it is a reblue, then the value is around $500.

Also, is that a "starburst" C or G on the right of the receiver?

Ed

 

[donmaus]

Datamover2004,

This was originally a military pistol that was trasferred to the police during the Weimar era. It has a sear safety that was mandated for Prussian police Lugers in 1933. I can't tell from the photos whether it had a magazine safety mandated by the same orders. Hopefully, someone will post a photo illustrating both of these safeties.

The mark on the grip strap is for the Landjägerei (rural police) in the Osnabrück Administrative District of the Prussian province of Hannover, weapon no. 136. The Landjägerei were rearmed with Lugers (previously had Dreyse and M1914 Mauser handguns) in 1929, largely with new production guns. Yours is one of the few (actually, I don't recall any at the moment) Imperial Lugers with Landjägerei markings. Whether this means that it was assigned to them before 1929, I don't know.

The gun certainly looks refinished to me but others are more knowledgable about this and your other questions. A very interesting pistol!

 

[Luke]

The gun has been reblued. I agree with Ed; $500 is about tops in my book.

Luke

 

[Policeluger]

With SOG selling thier DDG imports for $695, $500 would be on the low side, quick sale price. I know of several folks who would pay real good bucks for the police sear safety alone should the gun be parted out.

 

[Olefogey]

If I'm not mistaken, this Luger started life as an artillery and has been rebarreled. The rear sight notch in front of the chamber is evident in the top of the receiver photo!!

Dave

 

[George]

I may be wrong, but the cut out on the front of the slide is for an Artillery Luger rear site? If so, and the date is correct of 1918, this must have started it's life as a DWM not Erfurt Artillery Luger.

If this is the case, I am amazed that this Luger has the last two digits that match the serial number. Must have taken someone a long time or have access to a ton of spare parts.

George

 

[keoki7]

Dave, beg to differ; many Erfurts post 1914 had the LP08 cut yet Erfurt made no LP08s after 1914. It's just a n Erfurt P08.

As Luke states, the gun has been reblued. The heavy buffing of the unit mark bespeaks post war (WWII) work. $500 to $600 probably.

 

[Guest]

Profile updated.... Thanks for the feedback.

The right side of the receiver has a "starburst" C as well as 4 other markings. What is the purpose of these marking? What do they signify?

Andy (Datamover2004)

 

[Edward Tinker]

Hey Andy

The markings on the right are proof and acceptance. A Starburst C would be a police acceptance marking, the others either proofs or acceptance by either the army or factory.

Ed

 

[Guest]

The current owner just indicated to me that the gun was re-blued in the past 20 years....

I am trying to consider what to do. The gun looks great, I still need to fire it. From a collector perspective, I understand that a re-blue diminishes its value. Is there demand in the marketplace for a lugaer with these characteristics? Will collectors shy away for this gun in the future?

Andy

 

[Edward Tinker]

If its a reblue, the collector value is dimished considerably to totally. Only if a model is rare(r) than it keeps a higher reblue value, than an "average" model. I wouldn't pay over $600 for it, and closer to $500. It will rise in value, but not like a non-reblued pistol.

You can find a collector piece for $700-$900 that will rise as the years go on, much quicker than this pistol.

As a shooter, the $500 luger is available, although their price keeps going up to. Patience and time will get you better deals.

Ed

 

[Heinz]

Andy, this pistol has interesting markings. Being an Erfurt it has full proof and acceptance markings, with acceptance marrks on virtually every part. The RC over the crown on the final proof indicates something did not quite measure up but was minor so it recieved a Revision Commision [RC] acceptance mark. Also the police markings include the Landjaeger Osnabruck mark on the grip. The price I would think is governed by the barrel condition. If it has a very good to excellent bore I think I would consider up to $900 a fair price. Recently a refinished Simson luger was posted for sale for over a $1000 and I thhought it a fair price. My 1915 DWM I paid over $900 for several years ago and it was a reblued police with a matching holster and a very good+ to excellent barrel and I have no regrets. It is my personal shooter. You can view pictures of it on this forum under Weimar reissues of Imperial pistols.

 

[Policeluger]

Andy, be careful. With respect you are sort of comparing Luger apples and oranges. What a 1912 DWM will bring, compared to an 1915 Erfurt, compared to a refinished Simson police (its mine I believe), as compared to the gun you are loking at...all is going to confuse you. Judge the Luger you are looking at, not perhaps to other Lugers, but on its own merit. Hoping I am helping here, and yes your gun, in question will go up in value, but so will a gallon of gas. I do not see where you have posted its selling price...tell us, it might help in giving advise.

 

[Guest]

You guys have been great in increasing my knowledge and stimulating my interest in Lugers. There is alot to learn - much more than I thought prior to coming to this site.

The seller is looking to dump the gun to purchase a .44 or .50 caliber pistol. His asking price is $500. Based on everyones comments --- I am thinking GREEN light. Even though it has been re-blued, this gun looks and feels great...... maybe thats most important to me right now.

Andy

 

[Heinz]

Andy, Police luger made important points that I did not make as clearly. But in any case at your price I would go for it.

 

[Edward Tinker]

I would also go for it,

Ed

 

[Policeluger]

Run, don't walk....

 

[pipeman45]

If you don't want it at price, there are some around here that would!

 

[Guest]

Bought today! Thanks for the guidance.

All this excitement has me now longing for another piece of history.....maybe a P38.


Andy