I bought my first Luger.. What did I get?

Clark · 02-21-2013, 04:51 PM

I think the magazine is a cheap aftermarket.
The toggle hold back only works when I push up on the bottom of the magazine.

I cannot figure out the date of manufacture.

DavidJayUden · 02-21-2013, 05:27 PM

The magazine is probably a Mec-Gar, and while not expensive, they are very good and ideal for shooting.
The date should be, or should have been, over the chamber. If you can provide the full serial number and the little letter beneath it, then some of our whiz-kids with all the books can tell you an approx. date of mfg. Close up photos of the top, right side, and numbers in front of the trigger guard would help.
Nice looking gun, and welcome aboard.
dju

alanint · 02-21-2013, 05:49 PM

Looks more like a Triple K mag, which is of lower quality than a Mec-Gar. Your gun is a WW1 DWM, which appears to have had the chamber date ground off. MUCH better close up photos of ALL markings are required to give you a better idea of what you have. The finish appears original, but your grips are replacements.

Clark · 02-21-2013, 07:00 PM

Thanks for the replies.

This is every marking I can find without taking it apart.

alanint · 02-21-2013, 07:41 PM

Scratch the original finish comment. Your gun is a shooter with a ground off production date. It looks mostly matching on the outside. The serial number appears to be 6374 with no letter suffix.
Its worth about $500-$600 if it shoots reliably.

Curly1 · 02-21-2013, 11:39 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Hopefully you talked them down on the price tag.

Clark · 02-22-2013, 12:29 AM

No, I paid full ask price for the Luger plus tax. I have bought a dozen non Luger guns in the last month, and I have not got anyone down a nickel at pawn shops or gun stores.
I can still get them down 20% at gun shows.

I went back the next day to buy another Luger today that I had seen yesterday, but it was gone already.

The rate that guns are now selling is incredible.

They have some other Lugers.
Or maybe I can wait until Saturday and see what is at the gunshow.

Edward Tinker · 02-22-2013, 01:20 AM

I would want to look close at all the guns

A mauser is possible to be in 30 luger, but VERY unlikely

Don M · 02-22-2013, 02:07 PM

Based on the acceptance stamps on the right side of the receiver, the gun was manufactured in 1917 or 1918.

Clark · 02-28-2013, 09:36 PM

I bought a magazine.
Unlike that one that came with my Luger last week, this one works.

They said it was Mec-Gar, but it does not say "Mec-Gar" on it.

All the other Mec-Gar magazines I own that are for 1911 or whatever... they say "Mec-Gar" on the side.

Does Mec-Gar make unmarked magazines?

alanint · 02-28-2013, 09:39 PM

No. These are some other manufacturer. Perhaps Triple K.

tuica · 03-21-2013, 03:56 PM

To my very inexperieced "Lugervision", it looks like sections of this have been reblued, and some parts have that rough later war finish. Experten - what say ye? Cheers.

alanint · 03-21-2013, 04:42 PM

Check posts above.

Clark · 03-21-2013, 06:07 PM

Since I became a Luger owner a month ago, I have learned about magazines.
The original mag would not feed nor hold open.
An old German mag from Ebay showed that the post office delivered, but I did not get.
I got a magazine with wood rounds, new, that feeds mail order.
Then mail order I got (3) new Mec-Gar magazines that feed AND hold open. Those were not easy to find.

Lugerdoc · 03-22-2013, 12:24 PM

The mag in your photo is definatly a Triple K. The early MG PO8 mags were unmarked, but the current production is marked and difficult to find. Tom

02-21-2013, 04:51 PM	#1
Clark User Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I bought my first Luger.. What did I get? I think the magazine is a cheap aftermarket. The toggle hold back only works when I push up on the bottom of the magazine. I cannot figure out the date of manufacture. Attached Thumbnails

02-21-2013, 07:00 PM	#4
Clark User Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the replies. This is every marking I can find without taking it apart. Attached Thumbnails

02-21-2013, 11:39 PM	#6
Curly1 User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,242 Thanks: 117 Thanked 714 Times in 371 Posts	Welcome to the forum. Hopefully you talked them down on the price tag. __________________ Laugh hard and often. Gary

02-22-2013, 12:29 AM	#7
Clark User Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	No, I paid full ask price for the Luger plus tax. I have bought a dozen non Luger guns in the last month, and I have not got anyone down a nickel at pawn shops or gun stores. I can still get them down 20% at gun shows. I went back the next day to buy another Luger today that I had seen yesterday, but it was gone already. The rate that guns are now selling is incredible. They have some other Lugers. Or maybe I can wait until Saturday and see what is at the gunshow. Attached Thumbnails

02-22-2013, 01:20 AM	#8
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,935 Thanks: 2,034 Thanked 4,533 Times in 2,093 Posts	I would want to look close at all the guns A mauser is possible to be in 30 luger, but VERY unlikely __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

02-21-2013, 05:27 PM	#2
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	The magazine is probably a Mec-Gar, and while not expensive, they are very good and ideal for shooting. The date should be, or should have been, over the chamber. If you can provide the full serial number and the little letter beneath it, then some of our whiz-kids with all the books can tell you an approx. date of mfg. Close up photos of the top, right side, and numbers in front of the trigger guard would help. Nice looking gun, and welcome aboard. dju

02-21-2013, 05:49 PM	#3
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	Looks more like a Triple K mag, which is of lower quality than a Mec-Gar. Your gun is a WW1 DWM, which appears to have had the chamber date ground off. MUCH better close up photos of ALL markings are required to give you a better idea of what you have. The finish appears original, but your grips are replacements.

02-21-2013, 07:41 PM	#5
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	Scratch the original finish comment. Your gun is a shooter with a ground off production date. It looks mostly matching on the outside. The serial number appears to be 6374 with no letter suffix. Its worth about $500-$600 if it shoots reliably.

02-22-2013, 02:07 PM	#9
Don M Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,429 Thanks: 67 Thanked 292 Times in 191 Posts	Based on the acceptance stamps on the right side of the receiver, the gun was manufactured in 1917 or 1918. __________________ Regards, Don [email protected] Author of History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings 1900-1936 http://www.historywritinsteel.com

02-28-2013, 09:36 PM	#10
Clark User Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I bought a magazine. Unlike that one that came with my Luger last week, this one works. They said it was Mec-Gar, but it does not say "Mec-Gar" on it. All the other Mec-Gar magazines I own that are for 1911 or whatever... they say "Mec-Gar" on the side. Does Mec-Gar make unmarked magazines? Attached Thumbnails

02-28-2013, 09:39 PM	#11
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	No. These are some other manufacturer. Perhaps Triple K.

03-21-2013, 03:56 PM	#12
tuica User Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 25 Thanks: 8 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	To my very inexperieced "Lugervision", it looks like sections of this have been reblued, and some parts have that rough later war finish. Experten - what say ye? Cheers.

03-21-2013, 04:42 PM	#13
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	Check posts above.

03-21-2013, 06:07 PM	#14
Clark User Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Since I became a Luger owner a month ago, I have learned about magazines. The original mag would not feed nor hold open. An old German mag from Ebay showed that the post office delivered, but I did not get. I got a magazine with wood rounds, new, that feeds mail order. Then mail order I got (3) new Mec-Gar magazines that feed AND hold open. Those were not easy to find.

03-22-2013, 12:24 PM	#15
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	The mag in your photo is definatly a Triple K. The early MG PO8 mags were unmarked, but the current production is marked and difficult to find. Tom __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 [email protected]