What Do I Have ?

Ron Wood · 03-22-2004, 11:07 PM

BUG proofs are the Crown/B, Crown/U and Crown/G proofs found on early Lugers. The Crown/B is a firing proof that preceeded the Crown/N nitro proof. The Crown/U is "Untersuchung" or inspection proof. The Crown/G is "Gezogen" which indicates that the barrel is rifled.

In my opinion you would be crazy to fire this Luger. You have a 100 year-old artifact in terrific condition. That laminated mainspring served the purpose in its day, but it was fragile enough to prompt a change to a coil spring in 1906. Setting the value/monetary considerations aside, if you break the mainspring it can be replaced (somewhat expensive and hard to find, but possible), but if you break one of the serial numbered structural items such as one of the toggle links or the breech block, you will have removed an intact, matched early Luger forever from the ever diminishing surviving examples.

You are very fortunate to have this fine example. Congratulations.

03-22-2004, 11:07 PM	#17
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,051 Thanks: 1,123 Thanked 5,287 Times in 1,728 Posts	BUG proofs are the Crown/B, Crown/U and Crown/G proofs found on early Lugers. The Crown/B is a firing proof that preceeded the Crown/N nitro proof. The Crown/U is "Untersuchung" or inspection proof. The Crown/G is "Gezogen" which indicates that the barrel is rifled. In my opinion you would be crazy to fire this Luger. You have a 100 year-old artifact in terrific condition. That laminated mainspring served the purpose in its day, but it was fragile enough to prompt a change to a coil spring in 1906. Setting the value/monetary considerations aside, if you break the mainspring it can be replaced (somewhat expensive and hard to find, but possible), but if you break one of the serial numbered structural items such as one of the toggle links or the breech block, you will have removed an intact, matched early Luger forever from the ever diminishing surviving examples. You are very fortunate to have this fine example. Congratulations. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction