[Guest]

Hello, I am new to the group. Some of the guys in rec.guns thought I should share some photos of my first Luger purchase. I bought it from a friend of mine a few weeks ago. It has been identified as a VOPO rework by several of the newsgroup folks but I was wondering if anyone here has any further information.



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I have higher resolution images if anyone would like to receive them.

Regards,
Steve Gordon

 

[Edward Tinker]

Steve, as you can see it is a byf (Mauser made it), I couldn't see the date stamp and you didn't say or give us much "written" information ~~grinning~~ But it was made right at WW2 the eagle 655 on the right is the proof and acceptance markings, from the WW2 time period.

To many collectors the "VOPO" which approx is volkspolizei, folks police was WW2 and before weapons reissued to the police/detectives, etc., and were generally reworked, thus to many collectors the value has been dropped. I personally feel that VOPO guns will go up in value, never as much as WW2 guns, but up in value and collectability. However, many people will call the Russian import VOPO guns and they have a different history, having been captured and then stored by the Russians, so it is just something to remember.

Under the barrel, I couldn't make out the words, but essentially it appears to be the import marking?

Ed

 

[Pancho]

Am I missing something?
I don't see a VoPo marking on this pistol.

 

[Guest]

The original photos, higher resolution, really help with identification. I did not add too much in the original post as I did not want to sway anyone's opinion as to the history of the weapon.

Anyway, The markings indicate byf (Mauser) 41 (1941), serial number is 5925, with 25 on all the visible parts, and the barrel is marked with SSME Plant City Fl. above a crown and a capital N. There are three proof or inspector marks on the right hand side, two include the number 655. It has black plastic grips with a blank circular spot on them. Following is a quote from Dwight Gruber who was kind enough to take a look at the pictures:

"Excellent pictures, and what they show absolutely identifies your Luger. The particular Crown/N on your pistol is the 1950 East German Suhl nitro proof, indicating that it has been rebarrelled. The grips are indeed plastic, the "bullseye" is characteristic of grips applied to Lugers refurbished and used by the East German Volks Polizei (VoPo).

The witness mark is a strong, single strike applied after the rebarrel. This is the first example of a VoPo witness mark reported to me, and I thank you very much for the picture.

And the following from old hoodoo who did the same:

"You are right, it is a rework but an "official" one. You have what is called a VOPO rework. Its a East german police rework. A new barrel was put on at the time of the rework. I think this was done in the fifties. It has been rumored only about 2000 were done although I think there were variations. All nazi markings were retained and the reworks were done carefully enough to maintain the matching numbers. Its a legitimate variation that will have increased collectors interest as time goes by. The grips are the most distinctive part of the rework with the large circle in the panel--standard VOPO.


So back to my ramblings, if I have this right it was built by Mauser in 1941 captured by the Russians and reworked around 1950 for the East German police. It arrived in the US through SSME in Plant City and changed hands a few times until it found a home with me.

Dwight suggested that I upload some pictures here as folks would be interested. Anyone with differing opinions or additional information?

Regards,
Steve Gordon

 

[Doubs]

Steve, the most telling feature that ID's your Luger as an EG VOPO rework is the C/N barrel proof. The refinish and VOPO grips could have been done by anyone but it's unlikely that the barrel was changed by anyone other than the East Germans. All I've seen have had a date stamp below the C/N and I don't see one on yours although the picture may not show it if it's there. The date will be something on the order of "653", indicating June of 1953. Not all EG reworks are marked up with shields in a starburst and such so yours is likely a genuine EG rework of a 1941 Mauser-production Luger. The sideplate appears to be a replacement but other parts appear to be original. IMO, in time these guns will increase in value and have their own place in collections as a variation. Many have already been parted out or otherwise messed with so the numbers of original EG reworks is decreasing. I have a 1917 Erfurt EG rework with original barrel and two matching mags. I'll be hanging on to it.

 

[Guest]

I appreciate the comments. I will be hanging on to this one as well, I I do plan to do some shooting with it!

Regards,
Steve Gordon