1918 dwm

[stanchambe]

Good Day!

I am interested to know the value of a souvenir my father left me when he passed away. He was a WWII vet in the 102nd Infantry Division and acquired the luger in France somewhere around 1944.

It appears to me to be in very good condition.

The Serial number on the bottom under the barrel is 3536.
There is no letter prefix or suffix.

[alanint]

Stan,

You have a 1918 DWM. Many more photos are needed before anybody will venture a guess at value. Is it all matching, including internals, grips? Is the finish truly original? Does the magazine match?

Close up photos of all markings, all major views of the gun, etc. are needed.

[stanchambe]

Would anyone be able to assist me now? I can provide further information and photos but your best guess at a value would be appreciated. Thanks

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by stanchambe

Would anyone be able to assist me now? I can provide further information and photos but your best guess at a value would be appreciated. Thanks

Why do you want to know?
It should be "invaluable" to you since it has such a strong family connection! JMHO.

No one can answer your question from one picture and no description.

[Geo99]

Stan -
Here is why no one can venture a guess without more information - there are too many variables with these guns. For example, I guarantee that your Luger is worth between $500 and $3000. Not much help, right?

- Geo

[DavidJayUden]

If you want a ballpark estimate without providing more info, go to Simpsons, Ltd. website and search "1918 DWM" Lugers, and you will have some idea.
dju

[Major Tom]

I live near Simpsons LTD. Everything in that store is grossly over priced.

[RShaw]

Stan,
You can go to Legacy Collectibles to see the wide variation in prices...
The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's- see "Sticky" at the top of this New Collectors Forum) page 19 lists the parts which should show all or part of the serial number. Page 58 shows a labeled parts diagram. The numbers on some serial numbered parts are not visible from the outside... if your gun is "all matching" then the value increases at least 50%.
Same reasons as mentioned here above; more photos are needed to assess condition and to clearly see serial numbers and markings

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by Major Tom

I live near Simpsons LTD. Everything in that store is grossly over priced.

Yes, we'd call that full retail pricing. It is needed to support a brick and mortar sales facility, with staff, and expertise. It is a reputable operation, and the bit extra one pays is a trade-off--opposed to chasing around looking for a pistol, and dealing with possibly unknown sellers. Simpson's stands behind what they sell, and I've heard that they will entertain reasonable offers. This is different from a collector-to-collector transaction, which will indeed likely cost less.

[stanchambe]

A luger expert came to our area and I showed him the gun today. He said he would give me $700 for it, but since I had the original certificate from the commander, it would be worth $800. The magazine clip does not match, but because it was in Normandy, it may be worth a little more. I went to a local firearms dealer who said he would only pay about $400 for it since there are so many similar lugers in the market.

[Ron Wood]

Both the "luger expert" and the local dealer are low balling you. Without more and better photos it is impossible to say by how much, but from the one lousy photo I would not be surprised if the value of your gun is closer to $1000 than $400.
Ron

[Pistol]

Stan,

If you provide more photos the experts here can give you a good estimate.

[Savage11]

Is the request for value based on insuring the family heirloom? My guns are covered via my homeowners insurace. I wonder if there are better ways to insure my guns?

[John Sabato]

Originally Posted by stanchambe

A luger expert came to our area and I showed him the gun today. He said he would give me $700 for it, but since I had the original certificate from the commander, it would be worth $800. The magazine clip does not match, but because it was in Normandy, it may be worth a little more. I went to a local firearms dealer who said he would only pay about $400 for it since there are so many similar lugers in the market.

As to the local gun dealer who only offered you $400.00, just ask him to show even one Luger in today's market that is available for anywhere near that price. He won't be able to do it.

If you are actually considering selling this gun, my advice is DON'T

You should consider this gun a family heirloom. It is part of your dad's history... he fought for our freedom, and brought home this war trophy...and can you imagine telling your own child, or your grandchildren about it years from now about him leaving this legacy to you, and they ask where is it now, and you tell them you sold it! --- how will you feel then? What lesson would you be teaching them about honoring their ancestry? Think hard about the answer because Once it is gone, it is gone forever.

The Luger that my Dad brought back, (He was 9th Infantry Division), and left to me when he passed, is a mismatched shooter class gun, ...but it will always be priceless to me, and my heritage.

[stanchambe]

John, that is so well said. I only went to those "experts" at the prompting of my wife. It remains priceless to me if not to anyone else in my family. To be fair, the local arms dealer told me to put the luger, authentication, and his medals and photos in a shadow box for my personal admiration.

Thanks everyone who replied to this topic.

Stan

[Norme]

Hi Stan,
I've been re-reading this thread and one thing puzzles me, what was a 1918 Luger doing in Normandy in 1944? It's unlikely to have been carried by a front line German soldier. I can see from your photo that it's not a police conversion. What is the date on the bring-back certificate?
Regards, Norm

[Ron Wood]

Norm
I have a 1912 DWM that was captured at Bastogne
Ron

[HerrKaiser]

Were the older Lugers, non property marked, essentially personal sidearms purchased by officers, WW1 soldier sneaks without a property date, just sat in inventory without a property mark, other?

[mrerick]

Stan, you're probably being "played" by the Luger "expert".

When I do valuations, one of my rules is that I am never the one to make the offer.

Functioning mismatched and refinished parts Lugers are worth more than $700 today. Bring back certificates may add $50-$75 to the value of a Luger, and if legitimate provide provenance.

As previously mentioned, we need to see detailed in focus and well illuminated photos taken in natural soft light to see the details that will help answer your question. The Luger FAQ mentioned has quite a bit of reference information and detail you may find helpful.

As I see you have not been back in a week, perhaps you've got other priorities or lost interest?

-- - - - -

Quintin, few officers were interested in carrying anything as bulky and heavy as a Luger. Most of them purchased smaller pocket pistols like the Mauser M1914, M1934 or the Walther PP or PPK series.

[HerrKaiser]

As I recall, the most favored sidearm by German Troops was the Hi-Power from the captured FN plant, yes? Just throwing out ideas as to why older Lugers, without property marks, were captured in late WW2.