[lugienewbie]

I got online last Saturday to send a copy of my C&R for the 1918 DWM I just bought when noticed a steaming new GB posting of a G date. Since I had one on my bucket list, I looked it over and checked my Mauser Parabellum book. It looked authentic and original. I watched my hand as it moved the cursor and clicked on "Buy Now $1500". I swear it had a mind of its own.

The gun arrived yesterday evening and I checked it over this morning. Number 7239d is all matching including the magazine. Proofs are DE63/S92. I think the magazine is DE63 proofed. The grips are not numbered. The barrel and breech face look unfired. The bluing and finish are beautiful and probably 98% with proper halos, very slight high point wear and almost no handling marks. The straw is better than 90%. The gun does have a couple of issues - there is a small dent in the right grip panel and there is some light pitting on the left side of the barrel and side plate. The seller said it was improperly stored in a safe for 20 years. I've heard that before, but judging from the strong musty smell when I opened it, I tend to believe him. I have several questions:

1) Do you think the finish is original? It looks too good, but I'm not very familiar with the G dates.
2) What is the impact of the pitting to the value of the gun?
3) The pitting is very light. Should I go over it with some Bronze wool and oil or just leave it alone?

 

[holster collector]

Looks excellent and I don't see "red" active rust so bronze wool seems inappropriate. It probably needs a light, overall coating of preservative grease and sprayed oil for inner metal surfaces.

 

[merrick]

I know very little about these pistols, the finish looks almost to good to me. The pitted areas I would think should have a different look. I hope I am wrong and look forward to the experts responses.

merrick

 

[norme]

Hi Brad, The finish looks original to me, as does the matching number magazine. $1,500.00 is a real steal.
Regards, Norm

 

[mouser]

Nice gun. Good buy.

 

[luger1177]

Just bought one of these with those proofs. One of the harder G dates to find. It looks great to me with a matching mag what a bonus. I have used very fine OOOO steel wool with oil for imperfections/ rust. Just take it slow and light pressure on the areas you want to work on, you don't want to take any finish off.. Chances are the bad areas may return in the future. You probably will want to invest in some bore stores, these will help with bad areas coming back. Also, a stable storage environment free of humidity will be very advisable.. Nice G Date Luger!!

 

[bayoned]

Good gun, good price.

 

[alvin]

Which seller is this... Still have the link to the GB advertisement? Could you post that? Asking because he may have other under value priced stuffs cheaply listed as well, I'd like to see.. Thanks

 

[luger1177]

Link to auction.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=495669014

 

[luger1177]

G Date

After looking at the auction pictures, be careful with the barrel. Some of the pitting looks deep. Take it slow and easy if using the steel wool and oil. You still got a hell of a deal on that one. Some of the damage should clean up. I don't think you will be able to get it all. Best, Bob

 

[03man]

I looked at the auction pictures too, looks refinished and re-strawed to me.

No way it has that much original finish, with that much fine pitting scattered around, JMHO.

Some of the holes are slightly washed out too, from polishing before re-blue, again JMHO.
They did a pretty darn good job of preserving most corners and markings, so it was in decent shape all along.

Not to say it is bad, looks nice; but if I'm correct it was not a screaming deal, but just about what it should be or a little higher.

 

[ac4142]

in my opinion the rust was taken off by bronze wool and the pits cold blued. other than that the finish looks original. gun is well worth $1500.

 

[luger1177]

Look at the ears you can still see the machine marks. I think the pictures do not enhance the condition of the pistol. There looks like slight haloing around the numbers on the barrel underside. Not hard to believe it could have got in this condition setting in a safe for a long period of time. Really kind of hard to tell for sure without having the pistol in hand though.

 

[lugienewbie]

The seller did not have any other lugers. I posted some other stuff he had for sale see Mauser 98's and German Daggers posting.

 

[lugienewbie]

Here is the sellers contact info (I could not get it to copy with my phone). He was very professional and prompt about communications and shipping. He also said if there was anything I did not like about the gun I could return it. I would buy from him again.

Contact info: [email protected]

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for all the feedback. Super helpful. I'm going to take a look at the pitting with a magnifying glass. I've noticed on other guns that cold bluing has a different color next to the original bluing. Either way, I'm still quite pleased with the gun and will keep it.

 

[luger1177]

These are quite easy to field strip if you have not done that already. Youtube has some good videos on field stripping. This may help you better evaluate the pistol. Finding G dates with matching magazines is not easy. Best, Bob

 

[4 Scale]

It is hard to tell from pictures, but I have to say I am with Don on this, to my eye it looks re-blued. I don't see the high point/holster wear I would expect to see and the shine is too reflective. Also the grip straps look perfect; even on VG to E pistols those show finish loss. That there is pitting in some places , but perfect grip straps, seems to me definitive evidence of re-blue as the grip straps typically show the most finish degradation. One of the grip screws has a worn slot, and there is some wear on the grips. There is some corrosion on the safety lever and right side of the trigger. That evidence of wear/corrosion doesn't seem to match the overall finish. I am also suspicious of the numbers stamped on the magazine; very subjective but they just don't seem quite right. That said, if it is a re-blue/force match it is well done. So well done that I would need to see the pistol in person to be sure. Even if a well done re-blue/force match magazine, it is worth nearly what you paid. If I'm wrong, and I could be, you got a +$3,000 pistol at less than half price.

In any event it is a very good-looking pistol and you should indeed be pleased with your find and I agree it's a keeper.

 

[ac4142]

i believe the finish is original. one reason is picture # 14. they didn't remove those rust spots that surely would leave deep pits too.

 

[alvin]

It looks original to me. $3000 or not is another story, but the finish is original.

2015 is a special year. God knows why. Lots of deals on market this year. Not only Lugers.

 

[lugienewbie]

I took the G date to my local gunshop. The owner looked it over carefully and pronounced it original finish. I asked him how he knew and he said 1) halos (which I knew), 2) opaqueness in spots, 3) no blue in the pits, 4) lack of refinishing marks in general, 5) no cold blue smell. He said he would value it in the range of $2500. Not bad for an impulse buy.