This weekend.   Got a pretty good deal (sub $700) on a Finnish m23 Luger.   The price side of the deal comes out of the fact that there's a couple of unmatched numbers, like most Finnish 9mm Lugers, this one had been re-barreled at the Tika plant..  

Oh, and the finish on the thing is abysmal -- although not rusted or pitted or anything.

This is one of the late 80s era imports you may have remembered seeing in shotgun news.   (They were selling for less than $400 if you can believe that).  Its not one of the more recent batches.  

Anyway, at some point, apparently dissatisfied with the wear-through to the bluing on the gun, someone (perhaps even one of the Finns.... ) dipped the gun in a park tank -- without stripping off the bluing.   Well, the park didn't stick to the black oxide, just to the bare steel.   So this thing has both park and blueing.    Its actually a dark black park, so it doesn't look as bad as it could -- especially when oiled up.   But its pretty lame.   The upper receiver, just above the chamber is a nice polish blue.   The sides of the receiver are rougher, dull, park.

I don't like it this way.   Now, my theory is that when I'm ready to do the safe queen thing, I'll spend the money on a $3000 top grade collectible.   This gun is not one of those, and it never will be.  The mag doesn't match, the locking bolt, mag release, and safety bar are not the same serial number as the rest, and while the barrel is great with strong rifling, its noticeably newer and nicer than the rest of the gun, which suggests this Luger spent much of its life as a 7.63 caliber and was rebarreled by the Finns at Tika some time between the 40s and 60s, or maybe even when the Finns made the export contract that got these things over here in the 80s.    

I'm taking it to the range this week, but after that I'm going to have to decide what I want to do with it.   The finish is so buggered that  the collector value will never be what people see for really nice examples of the Finnish contract guns.   The metal is in good condition, no pitting and just a little scratching.   Its got so much more potential.... alas.  

Odds are that it will be my winter project and I'll end up firing up the crock pot again.  

How's the finish?

Sounds like you definitely need to refinnish that. Unless of course you feel that you've finnished making changes to the gun.

Quoted: How's the finish?

Doesn't matter. It is Finnish.



Hah! I'll be here all night.

I bought one of those a few months ago in 7.65mm. Thanks for helping me identify it, it has "M23" on the barrel.

Mine is very accurate!

Quoted: How's the finish?

(((( RIMSHOT ))))

Quoted: Quoted: How's the finish? (((( RIMSHOT ))))

He's here all week.   Try the veal!

C'mon, no pics?  

WWOP

My M23 is in mch better shape, but the finish is gone at the bottom of the handgrip. I can't figure out how they did that.

Quoted: C'mon, no pics?

w00t!

Post pics... It's always nice to know that a pretty rare piece of Finnish military history, founds a good home

Quoted: w00t! Post pics... It's always nice to know that a pretty rare piece of Finnish military history, founds a good home

I'll do a whole "before and after" spread if I wind up refinishing it.  

'tis a shame someone buggered the thing.  I'd love to have one with the original blue, even if its worn a bit.   Oh well, I'll

You'll enjoy knowing that I bought this bad boy after having just gotten back from the range where I spent a long and satisfying shooting session with my M39 rifle!    (Now if I could only find a REAL bayonet for it... but I hear they're rarer than hens teeth!)