[Wrightswife]

My husband inherited an amazing Luger Pistol. We've racked our brains trying to figure out specifics, region, worth, etc., to no avail. We took it to a gun shop and even they were not able to pin down specifics, had some great thoughts, info and suggestions though.
Serial number is 4646 and appears all parts match. Mag does not and from what I gathered, could possibly be German police issued mag.
**This is the original grip and the chrome/nickel finish is also original. My great grandfather-in-law also provided the customs report that lists specifics of every detail when he brought it back to US after war.
Any help offered is greatly appreciated!
Michelle

 

[Jim_ish]

Nice holster, do the grips say Franzite and Chicago IL on the inside?

The magazine base is a replacement, probably changed when the new grips were installed. The finish is not factory original, notice how the stamps are washed out? This often happens during the refinishing process.

Jim

 

[03man]

Welcome.
Please post a picture of the customs report.
The grips, mag base are replacements made in Chicago, well after WWII. You can read the name of the company on the emblem in the grip, Franzite.
The chrome or nickel plating is not original.

 

[Wrightswife]

Thanks for the responses! Not the answers I hoped for but the quick responses are greatly appreciated.
I am not truly convinced it's been modified though it was a thought of mine, as well as the gun store I took it to.
I will post the customs report as soon as I can find it. We got a ton of things along with the Luger that we are still sorting through.
Thanks again!!

 

[mrerick]

Congratulations on your family heirloom.

If you look at the picture showing the closeup of the front of the frame and the barrell/receiver, you'll see that the frame looks a little short, and the receiver is forward of the frame about 2mm or so. It's very possible that the front of the frame was shaved down, and the serial number altered. The letter which is normally a suffix on the serial number has been almost ground and polished away under the numeric digits. Changing the serial number on a firearm is not legal in the USA, so keep any documentation that demonstrates what it's number was when it was brought into the USA.

The magazine is a Haenel Schmeisser manufactured milled magazine from the 1941-42 period, with the base (which is normally numbered and aluminum) replaced. If the base is properly fixed to the magazine, it should be a reliable functioning magazine.

With any markings removed from the receiver chamber area and the center toggle, it's hard to say who made this Luger. It is probably from the inter-war Weimar era and could be a "sneak" or Mauser made Luger. A 1936 Mauser would be my guess.

As Jim mentioned, the grips are replacements.

Without question, this Luger did not leave the factory this way. The rounded edges, renumbering and erasing of the center toggle, and almost complete removal of the proof marks on the right side of the receiver are all evidence of the rework, as well as the plating. No Lugers were plated by the factory for government contracts.

It looks like your Luger may be missing it's small "L" shaped spring that retains the locking block above and front of the trigger guard. It's not safe to fire without this part in place. The locking block may easily fall out when you disassemble the Luger.

We make a useful FAQ document available. Just follow the FAQ link

http://luger.gunboards.com/showthre...ked-Questions-the-Luger-FAQ&highlight=faq+pdf

This would be considered a "shooter" Luger, and because of the plating, renumbering and mark removal would probably be at the lower end of shooters in value. Perhaps $650 to $700.

The plating looks like decent work, and could have been done after capture and/or post war in Europe before your relative returned here.

 

[AL]

Did it start out as a Krieghoff

 

[Wrightswife]

Thank you so much for the info. It is definitely more than what we started with.

 

[Wrightswife]

AL,
No, it didn't really start as any named Luger. I asked for some help to identify given it wasn't definitive based on markings. Still not 100% but with help from everyone, at least I have an idea.

 

[Wrightswife]

The gun shop called us and gave us a contact who apparently has a vault of Lugers and relics from WWI and WWII. I'll let everyone know what he says (and maybe ask for more help with anything we buy while there). Thanks again everyone!

 

[03man]

If you will field strip it and take pictures (close up) of the bottom of the receiver and the inside of the front area of the frame and post them; we can probably confirm the mfg. ID.

So far it appears to be a DWM luger made about 1929, based on the proofing marks and the serial number and suffix letter.
In this range, neither the top of the chamber nor the toggle were marked on some lugers produced by DWM, you will often find them referred to as "sneaks" which they are not and are more correctly identified as "no toggle mark" or as being from the "Riff contract".
Search on "Riff contract luger" for more info - and do read the FAQ.

As I said before, it is not in original condition for sure.

 

[WLyon]

Having captured lugers chromed was a fairly common GI practice. Overseas they could be done quite cheaply. But rest assured this luger never left any factory with a chrome finish and the repro grips. As a family heirloom it is beyond value. As a collectible luger not very much. Enjoy it for what it is and pass it down in the family. Bill

 

[Pete E.]

Al,

Not looking like a Krieghoff Luger :

1. Wrong shape to the frame "ears".
2. Suffix letter under the SN's on the frame front. HK did not do that with their military contract guns.
3. Although this gun has many eagle stampings, they are the wrong shape for the LwA stamps on a HK Luger.
4. 2-digits on the bottom edge of the TD lever and the trigger side plate. HK did not do that with their Lugers.
5. Wrong shape to the receiver "notch". Not the typical HK shape.
6. Other details...

 

[AL]

Al,

Not looking like a Krieghoff Luger :....

Thanks...i only saw this from my phone...couldnt see right side proofs well....the only thing i did see well was the pic of the toggle knob....from what i remember from reading one of the reference books is
that the inside of Krieghoff toggle knobs have a slight chamfer to them......
which is why i said that.....
Thanks for the input...always trying to learn
al

 

[holster collector]

Although the luger and magazine have been considerably redone after manufacture, the holster and tool look original/unaltered and in good condition.

 

[Wrightswife]

Found it! German paperwork authorizing shipment to US and shipping confirmation included with Luger

Finally found the customs info I mentioned, showing the Luger and mag s/n.
I also have additional pics to post as requested. My hubbie took it apart and I snapped more photos. We did find some markings that we never saw before.

 

[Wrightswife]

Pics from field stripping per request

03man,
We did the field stripping. Here are the additional photos as requested. Amazing what you see!

While apart, I took pictures of each piece, front and back, so let me know if anything is missing or not visible.

Thanks again for everyone's help. Definitely learned a lot!

 

[Wrightswife]

Sorry, here are more pics from field stripping...

 

[03man]

Thanks for going to the trouble to take the pictures, the third one in the last group is a "tell", the small "N" definitely identifies
the frame as from DWM mfg.

I also asked for the bottom of the receiver at the lug area, which is where the barrel meets the receiver; should be some markings there also.

Good you found the papers, but they say nothing as to the condition of the luger at the time.

The magazine catch is marked with an eagle/6; which indicates that part(and only that part) was mfg. and inspected at Simson - hence is a replacement part. Not unusual to find replacement parts in a 1929/30 mfg. luger that was used through WWII.

Nothing here to change my opinion that it is a DWM luger made about 1929/30, and chrome or nickel plated after capture.

 

[Pete E.]

Magazine release looks like it has the E/6 stamping from the Simson Lugers.