Jason,

I'm relatively new here too, but I think you have a great looking rig. Perhaps a little high on the price but not outrageously so. We've all paid too much at one time or another. Enjoy your luger!

I wouldn't hesitate for a second to shoot it after a thorough cleaning, inspection, oiling. One of my shooters is a mismatched 41 byf. Barrel is just so-so, but it shoots great. I shoot all of mine at least once. Even a 1937 Krieghoff, although the seller almost had a heart attack.

A couple of areas people miss: Get a small push pin remove and clean under the extractor. These can be tight and difficult to get out and in. See the vids here:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/search/luger/

Another area is the firing pin. Remove and swab out the breech core that holds the FP. Amazing what you'll find in there. Also the spring cavity in the FP. Use a brush on the barrel bore from the back.

The byf's were the last of the German military lugers and very well made. Have fun.

FN

Well, I personally think it would be foolish to shoot it. Folks can say it is a remote possibility to break a numbered part, but I did it on a breachblock on a shooter, a perfectly nice, tight, good breachblock.

This is a 2 matching magazine, army byf, not common and worth the $3000-$4000

I personally can't or don't want to risk that much money; PLUS you are risking losing 1 more very collectable piece, when there are thousands of lugers out there for $600-$800 that will shoot just fine...

He breaks the breechblock and he has just shot about $2000 off the value.

You want a shooter, then buy a shooter, don't jeopardize a 2mm rig...


Ed

Thanks for the input Ed I've made up my mind not to shoot it maybe I can find a reasonably priced shooter sometime but for now I'll just admire this 1. I'm trying to get some better pics so everybody can see it's original we'll see how that goes, Thanks again!

Jason,
I looks to me you have a very nice original 1941 byf. The two matching magazines and its history makes it very special indeed. It is something to enjoy as there are not a lot of rigs like yours out there. Congratulations on a great pickup !

Tom

Thanks Tom!!! I got some better picture thanks to Marc's advise.:thumbsup: Now maybe the haters will stop hatin! JK I think these will be the last pics I take i don't think I'll get any better than these here. I also took a grip off to show guys who don't know (Sieger) what a real original BYF grip looks like! Let me know what you guys think...Thanks again everybody

Attached is a picture of your guns right trigger guard ( on left) and another byf41 in the center for comparison

Your gun shows obvious signs of rounding of edges from the over use of a buffing wheel. It covers most of the upper trigger guard and extends into the grip area and also has widened the take down hole.

I don't really pay much attention to grips, but we did identify after market grips being produced about a year ago that look just like yours, they came cut short and poorly cut for the safety lever.

I hope you did not pay too much for your gun.

Best of luck and thanks for posting

Vern

I do not see what you are talking about. Wouldnt the tooling marks around the safety have been removed in the process of a reblue not to mention the white? (and on the right side just opposite of the safety) I think I'm done trying to prove to you that this gun is original :banghead:because no matter what there will always be skeptics and frankly I'm beginnig to regret making this thread

Regarding tooling marks, the ones in out of the way places get less buffing action than on the flat surfaces. If you ever spend time over a buffing wheel you will understand.
Regarding the originality of the gun, I think that you have a fine Luger there. This forum is populated by advanced collecters who out of necessity seek out problems. And good thing that they do because there are some real pros out there on both side of the guns.
Anyway, welcome and enjoy.
dju

I think the back of the grip looks good with the D mark and the 655 stamp. The left grip appears to be missing a sliver of wood under the safety, which Jason, is not uncommon on luger grips.

Grips
 

Vern:

Thanks for the close-up of the grip. This is not an original grip!!!

Sieger

How do you figure?

Hi Jason, Welcome to "The Luger Forum"! I know you must think that your welcome so far has been far from friendly, but you should understand that sharing knowledge and experience, and critiquing guns is what this forum is all about. That said, I think your gun, including grips, is all original, and the "softening" observed is merely the result of soft photos. Best regards, Norm

I too am interested to learn what identifies the grip as non-original.
dju

Grips
 

Hi:

The grips of a Luger are just as precise of an execution as the rest of the pistol. An original set, or a set newly produced by Nil-Grips of Germany, will completely wrap around the base of the safety, tightly; whereas, a cheap reproduction will fit sloppily here, sometimes even ignoring a proper fit, altogether (see photo above). For a proper set, see the Luger in the opening page of this board

Where I can usually spot a fake is around the base of the safety lever. On an original set, the fit here is almost air tight. In fact, its so tight that it often will chip there, yeilding the "million dollar chip" often seen on a well used Luger.

I hope this short explanation was helpful to all.

Sieger

So instead of asking "hey is your grip chipped right underneath the safety?" You automatically assume its a repo? I'm taking that as a compliment so thank you! Its obvious my gun is sooooo nice certain people conclude that it has to have been redone... I thought in the previous photos it was evident that there was a chipped grip. This was my fault and here are a couple clearer photos. I hope these pictures are helpful to all.

Hi Jason, Welcome to "The Luger Forum"! I know you must think that your welcome so far has been far from friendly, but you should understand that sharing knowledge and experience, and critiquing guns is what this forum is all about. Norm has said it well..

Jason,Take what information you get here and use it to help you understand your new pistol. Don't get your back up and become emotional. Many of the guys here who are taking the time and trouble to analize your pistol are very experienced and knowledgable.They have seen hundreds if not thousands. Not just yours.
None of us are infallible but hear what they have to say and try your best to provide the needed information. After all..you came to ask for opinions.
I know its almost impossible to value a gun without a "hands on" veiwing but please feel free to reply with your opinons. THANKS

Jerry Burney

SEIGER:

In your post above, you are able to describe exactly how to spot a fake pair of Luger grips based on fit! I take it that grips that do not fit a Luger per your description are fakes! Does this hold true even though they may have a matching serial number stamped on the reverse side of each grip?

I also see where you were able describe what an air tight fit is and that that this so called air tight fit will often chip the grip, yielding the “million dollar chip” often seen on well used Lugers! Did you think this stuff up or did someone tell you this?

I have seen Lugers that the wood grip fit is not 100% as wood shrinks, yet they are original. I have also seen next to mint Lugers with a chip out of the corner by the safety that appear to be hardly fired.

I was always under the believe that the chip was due to the fact that the wood towards the end of the grip were thin, yet the problem is that the wood grip sticks to the safety lever/frame and is broken when left grip is lifted as it is stuck and not at all due to your air tight fit theory.

George

PS: Jason, you have a very nice 1941 byf Mauser Luger and it looks 100% original finish to me. I don’t own a byf Luger with two matching magazines. Your Luger is very desirable!

Mauser George
 

Dear Mauser George:

Let me answer you respectfully.

To each his own!

Believe it or not, professional opinions often differ.

If you feel the Luger in question is 100% correct, feel free to buy one just like it in the future, but don't expect everyone with almost 40 years of experience to agree with you.

From the photos presented here, I have great doubts regarding the correctness of the grips shown. This, however, is my opinion, which, quite obviously, you do not share.

By the way, there are some other elements of the grips that make me doubt their correctness, but I'll not share these here, for fear of causing hard feelings, or stepping on someone else's feet.

Happy trails to you

Sieger

George, THANK YOU for your reply. I have a feeling that just because I am a new to the world of Lugers some people must think that I'm totally new to guns in general. I have been around enough to tell the difference between an original finish on a gun to a re-finished gun. I may not know everything there is to know about Lugers (my reason for joining the forum) but I can't believe some of the responses I've gotten. It's nice to know thar there are legitiment members out there and that my joining wasn't a total waste of time.