strange luger

12-14-2001, 06:39 AM

I think I sort of know what this is but maybe someone can

give me a little more info. I bought a luger six months ago at the Tulsa gun show for $325. It has 100% blue but is a reblue because there is some light pitting under the blue in several places on the pistol. The SN is 1616q and all the parts are marked 16. The grips are walnut and look brand new. On the left side of the chamber is a very light small crown over the SN. On the top of the chamber is (1916). On the right of the chamber is (crown over B with small BG over that)to the left is (crown over W) to the left is (crown over R). On the toggle is (42) and on the left side of the toggle is a small waffenaut. The bore is perfect however when I went home and tried to chamber a round it stuck halfway in the chamber. After looking closely with a magnifing glass I noticed 2 burrs on the face of the chamber, one at 3 and one at 9 o'clock. I used a small file on them and the pistol function perfectly now. It is import marked (9mm Germany SAV GA). Any info about this gun and why the burrs were there would be welcome.

Regards,

Sherrick

Dok · 12-14-2001, 09:43 AM

Welcome to the Luger Forum, Sherrick. Congratulations on your Luger purchase. It sounds like you got a great deal. The condition sounds superb for $325. Your pistol has been reworked. The stamps sound almost like Erfurt proofs (see our technical info section under Markings) but the toggle is definitely wrong for the period. What you have is a Mauser toggle (indicated by the "42") when a DWM or Erfurt toggle would have been correct. Can't say exactly how the burrs got there, but your fix seems appropriate. Your piece has no collector value, but it sounds like a really nice piece and you should not be concerned about firing it if it appears to be mechanically sound, and at $325 you got a steal.

Dok (Webmaster)

12-14-2001, 10:33 AM

I think it is an East German rework. I am trying to

figure out if the new toggle was put on at the end of

WWII or by the East Germans in the 80's.

Sherrick

John Sabato · 12-14-2001, 01:10 PM

Since the bore is perfect, it may be one of the new East German barrels and the chamber burrs may have been left by the chambering reamer... Your fix is appropriate...

Chances are that the toggle replacement was also part of the rework by an E. German Armorer..

Regardless, it sound like you got one heck of a deal on a great shooter!

-John

Dok · 12-14-2001, 01:31 PM

is that they typically used plastic grips in their reworks, and as yours are walnut (and almost new) I would say some caring person had a hand in it. Tell me... is there any strawing? Gold colored small parts.. .that would prove it's not EG.

12-14-2001, 02:31 PM

There is no gold colored parts. What is strawing?

Regards,

Sherrick

Dok · 12-14-2001, 03:19 PM

That's what the gold coloring is called, because it looks like straw. All Lugers had their small parts (trigger, safety lever, extractor, takedown lever etc) strawed until mid 1937. After that all parts were blued. All your parts are blued (another indicator of a rework as the original pistol would have been strawed), but had they been strawed it would have been a sign that someone other than the EG did it, as they certainly would NOT have.

Kyrie · 12-14-2001, 07:40 PM

Hi Doc!

Circa 1986 - 1987 there was a small number of Ã¢??commercial qualityÃ¢?Â East German rework Lugers imported into the US. These pistols had a very high polished salt blue, new grips, and new barrels marked with the East German commercial C/N proof. These pistols were made up of used parts, all carefully renumbered to the frame in the proper military manner and style. For the most parts the chamber dates were removed, but most pistols retained their WWI and II acceptance markings. I suspect, in about a hundred years, Luger collectors will regard these as a rare and highly sought after variation.

Best,

Kyrie

12-14-2001, 08:54 PM

I think mine is one of those however it does not have the C/N proof.

Dok, thanks for the heads up on the straw term.

I didn't know that.

Regards,

Sherrick

Dok · 12-15-2001, 09:43 AM

you'll learn a lot about Lugers here...

Dok · 12-15-2001, 09:45 AM

Please read the Forum Decorum document found at the top of the General Information page... it's required reading...

Welcome on board

12-14-2001, 06:39 AM	#1
Sherrick Guest Posts: n/a	strange luger I think I sort of know what this is but maybe someone can give me a little more info. I bought a luger six months ago at the Tulsa gun show for $325. It has 100% blue but is a reblue because there is some light pitting under the blue in several places on the pistol. The SN is 1616q and all the parts are marked 16. The grips are walnut and look brand new. On the left side of the chamber is a very light small crown over the SN. On the top of the chamber is (1916). On the right of the chamber is (crown over B with small BG over that)to the left is (crown over W) to the left is (crown over R). On the toggle is (42) and on the left side of the toggle is a small waffenaut. The bore is perfect however when I went home and tried to chamber a round it stuck halfway in the chamber. After looking closely with a magnifing glass I noticed 2 burrs on the face of the chamber, one at 3 and one at 9 o'clock. I used a small file on them and the pistol function perfectly now. It is import marked (9mm Germany SAV GA). Any info about this gun and why the burrs were there would be welcome. Regards, Sherrick

12-14-2001, 09:43 AM	#2
Dok RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bermuda (Eat Your Heart Out) Posts: 1,626 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: strange luger Welcome to the Luger Forum, Sherrick. Congratulations on your Luger purchase. It sounds like you got a great deal. The condition sounds superb for $325. Your pistol has been reworked. The stamps sound almost like Erfurt proofs (see our technical info section under Markings) but the toggle is definitely wrong for the period. What you have is a Mauser toggle (indicated by the "42") when a DWM or Erfurt toggle would have been correct. Can't say exactly how the burrs got there, but your fix seems appropriate. Your piece has no collector value, but it sounds like a really nice piece and you should not be concerned about firing it if it appears to be mechanically sound, and at $325 you got a steal. Dok (Webmaster)

12-14-2001, 10:33 AM	#3
Sherrick Guest Posts: n/a	Re: strange luger I think it is an East German rework. I am trying to figure out if the new toggle was put on at the end of WWII or by the East Germans in the 80's. Sherrick

12-14-2001, 01:10 PM	#4
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,154 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,306 Times in 1,097 Posts	Probably an E. German rework... but that's okay Since the bore is perfect, it may be one of the new East German barrels and the chamber burrs may have been left by the chambering reamer... Your fix is appropriate... Chances are that the toggle replacement was also part of the rework by an E. German Armorer.. Regardless, it sound like you got one heck of a deal on a great shooter! -John

12-14-2001, 01:31 PM	#5
Dok RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bermuda (Eat Your Heart Out) Posts: 1,626 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	What makes me think it's not an E. G. rework... is that they typically used plastic grips in their reworks, and as yours are walnut (and almost new) I would say some caring person had a hand in it. Tell me... is there any strawing? Gold colored small parts.. .that would prove it's not EG.

12-14-2001, 02:31 PM	#6
Sherrick Guest Posts: n/a	Re: What makes me think it's not an E. G. rework... There is no gold colored parts. What is strawing? Regards, Sherrick

12-14-2001, 03:19 PM	#7
Dok RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bermuda (Eat Your Heart Out) Posts: 1,626 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: What makes me think it's not an E. G. rework... That's what the gold coloring is called, because it looks like straw. All Lugers had their small parts (trigger, safety lever, extractor, takedown lever etc) strawed until mid 1937. After that all parts were blued. All your parts are blued (another indicator of a rework as the original pistol would have been strawed), but had they been strawed it would have been a sign that someone other than the EG did it, as they certainly would NOT have.

12-14-2001, 07:40 PM	#8
Kyrie User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 757 Thanks: 0 Thanked 212 Times in 101 Posts	Re: What makes me think it's not an E. G. rework... Hi Doc! Circa 1986 - 1987 there was a small number of Ã¢??commercial qualityÃ¢?Â East German rework Lugers imported into the US. These pistols had a very high polished salt blue, new grips, and new barrels marked with the East German commercial C/N proof. These pistols were made up of used parts, all carefully renumbered to the frame in the proper military manner and style. For the most parts the chamber dates were removed, but most pistols retained their WWI and II acceptance markings. I suspect, in about a hundred years, Luger collectors will regard these as a rare and highly sought after variation. Best, Kyrie

12-14-2001, 08:54 PM	#9
Sherrick Guest Posts: n/a	Re: What makes me think it's not an E. G. rework... I think mine is one of those however it does not have the C/N proof. Dok, thanks for the heads up on the straw term. I didn't know that. Regards, Sherrick

12-15-2001, 09:43 AM	#10
Dok RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bermuda (Eat Your Heart Out) Posts: 1,626 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Well stick around.... you'll learn a lot about Lugers here...

12-15-2001, 09:45 AM	#11
Dok RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bermuda (Eat Your Heart Out) Posts: 1,626 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Oh... BTW... Please read the Forum Decorum document found at the top of the General Information page... it's required reading... Welcome on board