1900 German Luger American Eagle DWM value?

[Malvin]

Serial number is 9502. Number is hard to read on frame but does match 9502 on barrel. Pull on bottom of mag is plastic but mag appears to be same age as pistol. Friend wants to sell it to me and I am trying to decide what to offer. I have never owned a Luger. Could this be a "test Luger for the Army"? First photo appears to have blue worn on barrel but is actually glare from the light. Help! New Member

[Edward Tinker]

Malvin, welcome to the forum!

We would need further information to help

NO on the test luger aspect, serial number is about 2k too high

A 1900 in so-so shape can be worth $1000 and I have sold a few for around $1300-$1500 that were decent but not pristine- people might tell you more, but I have sold what I could sell them for and I marketed them for a while.

We need to know, is it matching? trigger, rear of toggle, take down lever?
Is it marked with an eagle over the chamber? marked germany on it?

Ed

[Ron Wood]

That looks to be a fairly decent example if the finish is original. It is relatively early but the serial number is too high to be a US Test piece. It should have GERMANY stamped on the front of the frame under the serial number…if it does not then that indicates it was removed (possibly to make it appear to be a test piece?) and that may be why the serial number on the frame is weak. The plastic pull on the magazine is an aftermarket item, probably installed because the original wood base was damaged. Without having gun in hand value estimation is difficult but if the GERMANY is present, all serial numbers match and the finish is original you are looking at a ballpark price of around $2500 plus or minus.

[Malvin]

It does have the American Eagle on the top of the frame and DWM on the toggle. Does not have Germany stamped on frame. I can't answer the questions about the rear of toggle, trigger, or take down lever. When I saw the gun I could not see numbers on the trigger, toggle, or take down lever. Thanks for your response. Other sites indicate much higher value but I want to be realistic and not over shoot the moon when I make an offer. From the pictures how would you rate condition and what about the plastic pull on the mag? Thanks

[Ron Wood]

Lacking the GERMANY stamp is clear indication that the gun has been refinished and the value plummets. Something around the $1000 or a bit less range as Ed suggests is pretty much realistic top dollar.

[Edward Tinker]

Number is hard to read on frame but does match 9502 on barrel.

this made me think it is decent but well worn...

[sheepherder]

I bought an all-matching (except mag) 1900AE about a year or two ago. Mine is ~70% blue remaining; hard to really gauge as some has gone to patina. Mine had a broken firing pin spring guide, an easy fix. I paid ~$1800 IIRC...From a reputable online dealer who is a member here...

Your grips don't look right to me...Smooth??? I think all 1900AE's should be checkered, but I'm often wrong...

I would check the mainspring before offering, one blade breaks often. (Flat 2-blade mainspring). Also check the firing pin spring guide, they do have several reports of breakage in the database here.

How's the bore? IMHO, not all that important, but collectors are anal.

You might want to look at the toggle lock claw. Even experienced Luger owners sometimes forget how to rack the 1900 toggle; the claw can break easily.

[Malvin]

The grips are checkered. I have not looked at the bore but I will before trying to purchase. I am not familiar with the toggle claw but will try to see it. Will the toggle operate and close in battery when one flat spring is broken? So I will understand, if an AE Luger has a serial number of 9502 it absolutely has to have GERMANY stamped on the frame under the serial number? What is the last serial number of an AE before the word GERMANY was added? Do you have to take a Luger apart to see numbers on the take down lever, toggle, and trigger? Is there a schematic available on the site ? Thanks again for all the responses. I have not made an offer yet and I am reluctant to because of all the inconsistencies.

[Ron Wood]

All AE Lugers were marked GERMANY from the beginning except for the roughly 2000 pieces in the approximate 6000 to 8000 serial number range, of which 1000 were the Test Trial guns. The first production AE was serial number 2002. So yes, if a AE Luger has a serial number of 9502 it absolutely has to have the GERMANY stamp.

[Malvin]

Trying to decide what to offer is not as much fun as I thought it would be.

[alvin]

For gun in this shape,,, the general finish is likely being original. But could have replaced parts, so it's balanced -- through years of usage, finish worn, parts could break. That's not based on the picture, just based on general observation. So, a guess. But for this one, there is a little bit hint, since magazine bottom was already replaced. It could have other replaced parts on it, so need to be checked.

If I remembered right, frame, barrel, toggle, side plate, trigger, and take-down lever are numbered outside, you don't have to disassemble it to see those numbers. But grip panels and grip safety are numbered inside, you have to take the grip panels off to see them.

if you're looking for a matching gun, and it's matching, then it does not hurt to make an offer. But don't make an offer based on "Test Eagle" assumption, that would cost you.

==
[edit] trigger number is under side plate.

[DavidJayUden]

More photos please, and be sure to include the numbers on the front of the frame.
dju

[Malvin]

I have not purchased the pistol so I cannot provide more pics at this time. The number on the front of the frame is 9520 and it matches the barrel number. It appears someone in the past ground the name GERMANY off to make the gun appear as a US Army test pistol. You can see whats left of the N and the Y and the number is hard to make out.

[Lugerdoc]

Malvin, It sounds as though this M1900AE may be a mismatched parts gun. I've purchased a few like that in the past couple of years for the parts, as low as $600. I do have perfect new unmarked repro wood mag bottoms in stock @$35 + $3 S&H. Tom

[CptCurl]

Malvin,

If you want to see a 1900AE fully dissected, look here:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=26591

Curl

[Malvin]

I looked at the bore and it is not too good. No pitting but worn down. I still have not made an offer. The owner thinks it is much more valuable than it is.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by Malvin

I looked at the bore and it is not too good. No pitting but worn down. I still have not made an offer. The owner thinks it is much more valuable than it is.

Thomas,

It would be necessary to actually try out the gun to judge the ability of the barrel to shoot consistently. It would not be unusual for a Luger barrel that appears shot out to perform well.

It is also not unusual for the uninformed to place an inappropriately high selling price on a Luger. Often education does not make a dent in this, so be prepared to walk away from this offer after encountering a stone wall--a too-high price that will not budge.