First Post, and an Open Ended Question

[sheepherder]

Oh boy. That is not good news.

I'll let someone else elaborate on that.

The interrupted thread is interesting. Don't see those very often. This 'style' of barrel has been discussed here several times, with different opinions as to what threads on the barrel.

You could likely find a machinist who can make you a replica of a Luger front sight band & blade to thread on your barrel, but it might be easier & cheaper to just buy another barrel and have it installed.

What did the seller tell you the threaded muzzle was for???

[David-NY]

When I bought the gun I anticipated replacing the barrel - so it's not actually bad news. After I left the shop I found myself wondering what that interrupted threading was actually for and whether it has any independent collector value -- it is definitely not some billy bob hack job. Unless there is some collector value that attaches to it, my plan is still just to replace the barrel and make a good shooter of it. To answer your question, the seller speculated that it was for attaching a suppressor - but the seller was just an FFL who had picked this up from a guy at a show a while back. Certainly the interruption of the threads indicates that the idea was to allow for quick attachment . . .

[sheepherder]

Or it could be for a sub-caliber insert. Not all were made by Erma - some may have attached differently.

If the thread is Metric, it may be an original German accessory. Not necessarily military, but something for civilian use. Suppressors are legal in several European countries, I'm told.

[David-NY]

Yes, I have a friend who has a non-Erma sub-caliber insert. (It was I who told him what it was.)

Here are the essential details - there is an Erfurt frame that matches all of the parts except for the slide, barrel, and magazine. Then the slide and barrel are matching and have a G date code. (To clarify, the breechblock and extractor match the frame.) The slide appears to have been refinished - the proof marks were a little dished out from a quickie buff job. However, the frame and its related parts appear to have their original finish. The import is that someone took the original Erfurt gun (complete) and then fitted this new barrel slide assembly, but otherwise used all of the original parts.

There are no import marks on the gun. The seller had the impression that it was a WWII bring back. I did not see any Third Reich proof marks, but I was not looking close. And like I said, the proof marks on the side of the slide were not 100% clear.

What I am wondering is whether this is some sort of factory rework that was put together for (presumably) a silencer. Did a GI come into possession of it and bring it back sans silencer?

I searched for posts discussing threaded barrels and didn't really find much that was helpful . . .

[David-NY]

I'll measure the threads when I can pick up the gun. I am betting they are metric.

[Diver6106]

Another option is that the gun was modified to a movie prop. It could have a cap screwed on with a very small hole to balance the blast and then fire blanks. With the hole small enough that the blanks would just cycle the toggle, but not look too odd for the movies or stress the action. HOWEVER, I would expect such a solution to have regular threads, no need for an 'interrupted set.' Alternately, is there a movie/ TV show that shows very quick placement of a (false) silencer on the front for a scene?

[Diver6106]

Does your front site and ring look like this? This looks like it has 'interrupted threads' for the silencer.
http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-...ssination.html

[David-NY]

I downloaded the picture and zoomed in as much as I could and it looks like it is the same - but there is only so much you can see in that picture. The ring to the rear of the interrupted threads has a "high" area on the top of the ring that looks like the same "high" area you can see on this picture when you zoom in.

The seller had a couple accessories that I am thinking about buying - so if I head down there again in the next couple days I will take some good quality pictures of the muzzle threads and post them.

[David-NY]

Originally Posted by Scorpius

Congrats on your first luger. Emphasis on first :-) they are addictive. It's the thrill of the hunt

Yup. I just adopted a second - renumbered 1908 DWM with a good bore, a worn finish, and (appropriately) no lug. Needs new grips - which I am about to post about separately. The price was right and I couldn't resist. Two shooter/project grade guns will give me plenty to work on.

[mrerick]

We have a member here, Gerald Tomak (G.T.) that replaces barrels, and can probably help you with your first Luger.

Let me know if I can help you with a pair or reproduction wood grips.

Marc

[David-NY]

At this point I'm planning to change the barrel myself - I have done this before with other guns, I have 9mm go and no-go gauges, and I am getting a proper action wrench. I am looking for a good condition takeoff though, preferably in a 100 mm length that will be consistent with the original configuration of the gun.

Now as for reproduction grips - the question i wanted to post is whether there is anyone who is making reproduction wood grips using highly figured (e.g. Turkish) walnut - or alternatively, whether there is anyone I could ship nice blanks to and have them cut. Any ideas?

[4 Scale]

Hugh Clark (do a search for his contact info) enjoys an excellent reputation for grip work. He worked on a grip for me and i was highly pleased. I don't know if he does the work you are interested in.

[David-NY]

I got back in town and was pleasantly surprised to see that my purchase authorization had come. I haven't had much time to research this (this week is busy) but I did take a few pictures. Bottom line - it seems unlikely that this barrel modification was performed by a factor or an armorer:


But I am still curious to figure out what I can. The extension and barrel match each other ('276) and this shows the 3 proof marks on the right side of the extension (which show obvious signs of refinishing):


There is one proof on the right side of the barrel, which has almost been obliterated by someone with a buffing wheel:


Bottom side:


And of course that crazy muzzle:



Note apparent index line on top:


Finally here are the proof marks visible on the front of the frame. Unlike the extension and barrel, the frame does not look refinished (except that some idiot put cold blue on the gun):



BTW am I correct that this suffix is "p"?

[David-NY]

Also BTW - the headspacing is on - it closes on a "go" but not a "no-go." I was going to put a few rounds through it the next time I can get an hour or so free.

[David-NY]

OK the extension and barrel are from a G date Mauser with W154 and S92 stamps - not too hard to figure that part out. I say the mod isn't original because there are no proof marks from after the refinish - that makes me think that someone stateside turned down and threaded the barrel, and then buffed and blued it and the extension. Although I suppose it's possible that the threading was an original wartime mod and someone just decided to reblue it at some point in the future -- it just seems unlikely.

What I'm more interested in is the rest of the gun. All of the remaining parts appear to match. The number "13" is stamped several places, like the back side of the trigger plate. Is this a 1913 Erfurt? How could you tell what year it is from?

[Edward Tinker]

Originally Posted by David-NY

..

What I'm more interested in is the rest of the gun. All of the remaining parts appear to match. The number "13" is stamped several places, like the back side of the trigger plate. Is this a 1913 Erfurt? How could you tell what year it is from?

no

numbers on the rear 'can be' related to the sn of some years (See FAQ)

Otherwise, they are just numbers or last two of the serial number

Looking very close you can sometimes tell what manufacturer made it / i.e DWM, Mauser, Kreighoff, while Erfurt and Simson parts are acceptance stamped (not proofed in most cases)

[cirelaw]

Great discussion but one thing occured to me after reading findings as follows, If you have a luger with multible serial numbers on frame and barrel with multimatching parts which one is controlling in record keeping and the Feds happy? Eric

[DavidJayUden]

I'd say that the number in front of the trigger guard is the one for the bound books. That lower receiver is what constitutes the "gun" in the case of the Luger.
dju

[alanint]

My main question is whether there is a "stop" designed into the interrupted threads? In other words, would anything placed and turned on it stop, or can you continue to turn until you can remove whatever was placed on there?
If there is no "stop" designed into the threads, I very much doubt it was designed for a suppressor.

[cirelaw]

One More`` Are all grip screws alike except for the Erfurt proof 'interchangeable' Eric~