Where to ask question...

[rexmerdinus]

Hey guys. *NG here! I've been looking through the forum and am daunted by the amount of information and variations on Lugers that are out there. I'm wondering if there is an appropriate forum to ask the question I'm sure you get all the time, namely "I've got this old Luger my Grand-Pappy brought back from the war, what can you tell me about it?" Is that kind of question even something you guys do? Thanks!

Jason

[alanint]

Welcome to the forum, Jason!

This is as good a place to start as any. If you know in general what type of Luger you have, (i.e. Swiss, P08, Commercial, etc.) you might want to post in those forums as well. It is probably better to leave it here in General Questions to start.

[Edward Tinker]

Jason, welcome to the forum. Pretty easy going group here, pretty family language oriented

You can post here, in the new collectors area, etc. But since you started here, I'd leave it.

See How to ID a Luger in the new collectors area so you give us the proper info. Good clear pictures, front, both sides, close ups of any outside markings and then throw in some words. Sometimes it is hard to tell what date or marking and if you say, 1918, DWM or 40 / 42 we will know what you mean

Ed

[rexmerdinus]

OK, well here goes nothing. I'm looking for any available info on the origin/history/value of this Luger. It belongs to an older lady who has asked me to sell it for her on Gunbroker.com, so I want to post enough information and a reasonable enough starting/expected price not to get laughed out of town The only thing that doesn't match are the mags, of which there is one wooden base, one aluminum base, and one black plastic (presumably modern!). The photo files are huge, so I put them on a shutterfly page:

https://luger251.shutterfly.com/pictures/8

Thanks for your expertise!

[Edward Tinker]

Rex, looks good by photos, but words help a lot, such as, all matching, including interior parts etc.

Looks like very nice 1938 Mauser although is that a line below the serial number on the left?



It is doubtful you will need to put a reserve on it, if you include a good description and good pictures like these. Ensure you say it's all matching...

You could also sell it here, will let others guess a value, although looking on line like Simpsons LTD you can find high retail prices.

[mcg]

Guys, why the interesting color on the extractor? I've been led to believe they were blue as the finish on the other small parts.
Is this just an imperfection in the process?
Thanks,
Mark

[Edward Tinker]

You see this on Mausers from this era

[alanint]

Also, one of your magazines looks like a WW1 Naval issue, (the one with the concentric circles on the base). Worth a lot on its own. Do not sell it as part of this deal but offer it separately.

[rexmerdinus]

OK, so when you say Mauser, does that also mean it is a military weapon, as opposed to a civilian (commercial?) one? Also, what do the proof marks indicate?

It is in fact all matching, including the wood grips and all interior parts. I see what you're referring to in the photos about a line below the serial number. I went back and checked, and that is just some oil that sucked up some dust.

Just for fun I took it to C*b*l*s Gun Library to see what they'd offer. They said $950.00. I left without another word.

Still, though, can someone give me a ballpark so I can tell the current owner what she might expect to get? I'll understand if you don't want to speak up because you're interested in placing a bid on it! Thanks again for all y'all's help!

[Edward Tinker]

If dated its army or police or navy

This is a made for the army police

The acceptance markings on the right, are just acceptance w a final proof mark on the right

I'd say it is worth $1700 to $2000 if all original. Sell it with one aluminum mag w it, sell the other two separately.

[alanint]

Just so there is no confusion. There is no indication this gun ever saw police service. It is an Army issue pistol manufactured by the Nazis just prior to WW2. It is in exceptional, original condition and $2,000 would be the least I would ask for it. Keep the aluminum bottomed magazine with the pistol and sell the other two separately. Of the other two magazines, the plastic bottomed one with the two roll-pin construction is a modern reproduction, worth maybe $30-$40. The Wood bottomed magazine looks like a WW1 Navy issue and would be worth $300+ to the right buyer.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by rexmerdinus

Still, though, can someone give me a ballpark so I can tell the current owner what she might expect to get?

You didn't post your location, but if you (or her) are selling on GB, you will likely run into interstate transactions. GB charges the seller, shipping is another cost, and FFL fees enter into it as well. Depending on what you decide and where/how it is shipped, I would figure about $75-$100 for the above costs.

There may also be local/state restrictions on the origin of this Luger. The lady may have to have notarized statements, any documents on how it was obtained, who owned it, was it licensed, etc. She may even have to surrender it to the local authorities for a time. In my state, it can't just appear out of the blue. It has to have a 'paper trail' (registered history).

If you're looking for a figure to give her for YOU to buy it, I would use Cabela's figure. It's what she would get if she took it down there herself - and don't be surprised if she does just that. And sells it to them. (It happens all too frequently).

If you go for the larger selling price, let her know it can be a while before it sells. Not every collector is on GB daily, and not every one is looking for this particular variation.

Helping an old lady with an unregistered war souvenir can be a time consuming and frustrating hassle. All too often, another "friend" will just happen by and offer to buy it from her with no questions asked. At a low price.

Just my $.02...

Oh, another thought...The actual serial number is important. It should include the suffix letter under the frame number. There may even be issues with the serial number if it is a legitimate number. Others can explain the yearly issuance of serial numbers and suffixes, but there may be other Lugers with the same number. It's important to accurately describe the year, manufacturer, suffix, and any other identifying markings.

[rexmerdinus]

I'm in Maine. I have a collector in PA who may be interested. I'm an FFL, as is he, so I've got that avenue covered! I've actually got an ATF compliance investigator coming to do an audit next week, so I'll ask him a rhetorical question about the whole import paper trail thing.

She was told by another gun dealer that it was probably worth "thousands of dollars," so when I told her I'd put it up for sale with a minimum bid of 1500 she was surprised and thought it should be higher than that. I'll break the news and see how she wants to proceed. Thanks for your help!

[alanint]

If there is no handgun registry in Maine, leave the nice ATF man alone, unless he is a close friend and you are somehow curious. You can only make your life more complicated. Simply log it into your bound book and back out when it is sold.

Here in Fla. any gun that appears out of nowhere, (i.e. a vet's closet) needs NOTHING done as far as a paper trail, registry, what have you. It can be bought and sold among individuals with NO documentation being turned into the Feds. The only time a papertrail would be created is if it is sold through or transfered with an FFL.

[guns3545]

Jason,

Well you have a nice 1938 production Model P.08, made for the German Armed forces by Mauser in their Oberndorf Factory.. It appears appears to be standard issue and all external numbers appear to match. You say the internal numbers match and that is good. The magazine is later 1940/41 production and not original to the gun. That's too bad.

The magazine that would have been issued with the gun had a folded metal, blued body with an aluminum bottom, serial numbered to the gun and with the same Stick Eagle 63 acceptance proof as shown on the right side of the receiver.

It appears to be in nice condition and should demand a fairly good price.

Unfortunately, you do not mention veteran bring back papers which could increase the value but as is, you have a $2000 gun, plus or minus. And of course whatever you can get for the other two non-period correct magazines.

I don't know who told her that it could be worth thousands of dollars unless there was concrete evidence that someone famous carried it or alternatively that it was captured in a battle and the GI received the Medal of Honor, and all this documentation went with the gun. But, I do not see anything indicated that this would be the case. So the gun has to stand on its own merits.

Now, FYI, I am a collector, not a dealer, and so comment from that perspective. Any price that I quote would be a price that I might pay. By contrast, at the high end of the scale, a really nice 1938 P.08 with holster, two matching magazines and takedown tool, i.e. a complete rig may go for $3500 to $4000.

Hope this helps.

John

[rexmerdinus]

Thanks, it does help! No there is no handgun registry in Maine or my original home state of PA. The gun dealer who told her that is just a small step above me ( a kitchen-table gun dealer), in a town of 700 people, and he told her that that weapon simply would not sell in a town of this size, which is most likely true, which is why she was referred to me, since I do some gunbroker stuff now and again. I think the notion that it was worth thousands came from the legends we've all heard, about grandpa's old Luger being some rare piece and selling at auction for $10k+, or Junior finding it under the bed and pawning it to buy weed, only to find out later that it was worth enough to buy a house, which is of course totally un-prove-able because it is gone like the wind.

I'd love to buy it from her myself, but I don't have that kind of extra cash lying around. Maybe I can talk my dad into buying it, so I get it in 30 years!

Thanks for the info!

[Frank]

John, I believe the magazine should be inspection marked Stick Eagle over 83

[guns3545]

Originally Posted by Frank

John, I believe the magazine should be inspection marked Stick Eagle over 83

Frank,

Could be. My 1938, SE83 SE63 has SE83 proofed magazines.

Most of the m- block was SE63 SE63 so Krimer was still around.

I did not look closely at the receiver proofs but the first could be SE83. My eyes are not that good.

Frankly, I could accept SE63 or SE83 but the probabilties if the first proof is SE 83 would be SE83 on the mags as you say.

John

[Frank]

John, my magazine data shows inspector 83 started in the G-Block of 1938 and continued almost solid to about 3000o in 1939. After that it was mixed with 63 Medium until 8000o.

Nice chatting with you!!