Posted: 9/28/2024 7:02:21 PM EDT
| I know nothing about Lugers but my local store had this in the used section. Paid $1500. Can anyone tell me what I bought?Luger |
| I am no Luger expert, but I think you have a WWI Luger that was given the arsenal re-work at the end of the war to cut the barrel to 4 inches as required by the Versailles treaty. That's why some of the parts have the original serial numbers "X"'ed out and then re-stamped to match the other parts. During the re-work all the parts weren't kept with the original frames so many WWI Lugers ended up as Franken guns. U.S. soldier bring backs obviously didn't have this happen to them so in the U.S. most WWI Lugers are still all original parts. |
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I believe what you have is a hodgepodge of parts Luger. In my non-expert opinion... The "41" above the chamber is from a Mauser-made Luger manufactured in either 1941 or 1942 The "DWM" on the toggle is pre-WW2, when DWM made Lugers, prior to being taken over by Mauser in 1930. By 1934, no more "DWM" parts were left to build Lugers. The correct marking on the linkage should be "S/42" or "byf" for a "41" chamber mark. BTW, the "S/42" and "byf" were both Mauser's WW2 codes, not the year of manufacture. Remarkably, the 06 serial number does match the takedown lever. The receiver test fire proof is the correct eagle, and it should be holding a swastika in its talons The receiver acceptance marks of "655" under a stick eagle are correct I don't think the barrel was cut, I think it's a "USA" made barrel used to replace the original. The original barrel would have the serial number stamped underneath, just in front of the frame, which would also have the receiver number. The barrel is also too smooth compared to DWM and Mauser-made barrels that typically have the machining marks circling the barrel The original receiver number, 8734, was x'd at some point and assigned a new number, 5406 The side plate, which has a different original number than the receiver, was also x'd and assigned 06 The takedown lever is an 06 serial number I think it's just a shooter, OP. To me, $1500 was too much for so many mismatched and replaced parts, but if it makes you happy, then so be it. |
USAF-retired, GOA, FPC
