It is one earlier Luger of the XIII Army Corps which was not added with the hold open. It seems that only parts of the Lugers of the Württemberg Army Corps got the hold open. I tried to fix this since years. Thanks for sharing!
Our holster with the 127 infantry regiment unit mark was also part of the XIII. Army Corps and nothing speaks against the possibility that Luger and holster were together since 1915.
Holster marker was J.M. ECKART in ULM who made most holsters for the XIII. Army Corps.

Klaus,

You are welcome for the sharing though that goes both ways.

Everyone is great with the information.

Was the 13th Corp both a WWII and WWI organization? I found some references to WWII.

Hi,

Your pistol definitely has an ejector. It's visible on the right side of the receiver.

Are you talking about the lack of a hold open (visible inside on the top of the frame next to the magazine well)? Klaus addressed that above.

The unit marking was a WW-I and Weimar era (only) practice. Not done in WW-II.

Your pistol was never a commercial. It was military proofed. Closeups of these marks would be helpful. Front right of the receiver. Very early on, the parts number marking was done in the commercial style until the Germans standardized it.

As to shooting this pistol, I personally would never do it. You have a collectable pistol that is a rare and representative part of history. Breaking it would be tragic.

In the same light, be very conservative when cleaning it.

Never store it inside the holster. This leads to corrosion and finish damage.

I keep mine in silicone impregnated socks or "Bore Store" pouches. Helps repel moisture.

I think the combination with the holster adds to value of a historic rig.

Definitely consider having Gerald restore the magazine and Hugh look after your grip.

Other than that, just keep it properly lubricated and safely in storage so that it can be shared with future generations.

Marc

Marc,

Sorry for the confusion, its been quite a roller coaster ride emotionally. I don't often go with gut feeling so buying this one without in depth research was unsettling and I am not being very lucid about how I am presenting things.

The question on the ejector was if its a numbered item and if its worth getting out to fine out? I don't want to screw it up of course. So leaving that alone.

If I can get the light I will try to get the proof pictures today. My wife has a better close up feature on her camera and that should help. I do see them ok but pretty faint and not sure how they will photograph.

Got it on the WWI ID.

The good news about Alaska is we have low humidity and it seems to have done fine in the holster but will separate them now.

Gerald and Hugh are on the list but am going to take a bit of time to settle out. Nervous about loosing things in shipping. I know I can insure it and FedEx it, but obviously can't replace the grips. Clip has no id numbers on it so assume that can be replaced in worst case. Once I settle down I will be ok.

I know most people would probably chuckle at what I have into this, but for us its a significant amount and to have made a mistake would be hard to deal with.

Shooting it is off the table for now and probably permanently the way my mind is settling out on that subject.

The only planned cleaning will be the barrel. Hoppes 9 to clean it ? Light gun oil and leave it at that?

The rest looks like its fine as is.

And again thank you. All the information and advice I can get is huge help in dealing this correctly.

Bad overcast and wind let alone snow and winter so these are the best I can do for now.

Attachment 30958

I can get more pictures with outside light at some point but it will be a month or so before we have light that is not at a 20 degree angle

Your EJECTOR (on right side of the receiver) will not be numbered. But the EXTRACTOR (in the breech block) should have the last 2 digits of the serial marked internally. TH

You don't need to wait a month to take photos. Just experiment with indoor light, you will find something that works. That's the beauty of digital photography. Shoot it, check it, dump it.
Based on that one right side shot I do want more photos.
dju

I can do that, just an overall coverage or specific areas?

And does that photo get the proof markings clearly enough? That is max for close even with the macro setting.

I cleaned the barrel yesterday. Pretty stunning on how clean it came and with not much work. I do not see any copper fouling at all. Lands may be somewhat worn but not familiar enough with that subject to know for sure. They are clear for sure.

YHow hard is that to get out? Looks like a small pin to drift over but don't want to assume

It does say "Geladen" on the side when you lift it up.

My advise, for what it is worth, assume that the extractor matches (almost a certainty) and don't mess with it.

Ron, Shame on you! Discouraging a Luger owner from knocking every pin out of the lady like that!

It's actually one of the easiest pins to take out. The extractor is held in by this pin..a little hook on the bottom and the pin slides thru it to capture the extractor. I recently took apart a very beautiful Krieghoff to authenticate it for matching numbers and with a small diameter brass rod it's pin just pushed out with a slight hand pressure. I was fascinated by the craftsmanship of the Krieghoff pin even..so beautifully made..rounded over so nicely on one end. The Germans in this period of gun making were true artists.

At any rate it's stupidly simple and if you have any eye hand coordination skills at all just do it. The spring behind the extractor is under some pressure but not enough to launch parts. Just sort of pushes into place, line it up and slip the pin back together. I always take pins out of a Luger from right to left unless it is obvious they have been peened over or some other indicator like a flat and a round end..push on the flat end. .

Or if you have no eye hand coordination skills Take Ron's not that bad advice! and don't mess with it. On my Friends Krieghoff it was an absolute necessity for authentication.

I have to respectfully disagree with this statement. I was installing a "new" extractor with a new extractor spring to a breachblock that I purchased last week. I was having a bit of problem since the new extractor spring is a little longer until it takes it's set, and it is difficult to get the pin in correctly. I have done this procedure many times before without any drama. Anyway, the extractor popped out, and at least I found it, but the new extractor spring is at a place unknown to mankind. I heard where I though it landed, but after extensive searching....I gave up. I would have been much more upset if I had lost the extractor also.

Richard..You are right of course..any spring under compression can squirt out and be lost.

I am a technician/mechanic and have launched parts with the best of them.

Will see how adventurous I am feeling. Towel to contain it should do ok, better at home than work where its harder to setup a soft trap.

Between pictures and a shooting session this weekend (range opens for the first time in a month and we are having warm weather) its probably going to be a bit. Have to see how the new to me Model of 1917 Remington does at the range (does not match even close to the Luger but mostly)

Proof marks on barrel under magnifying glass look like the

3, 2 and 4 symbols from this post

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=27872

Barrel has an 8,82 behind the serial number and just in front of the index mark

A bit off center and to the right on top of the barrel is the 4 proof sumbol again. again.

Yessir! For a real challenge, try field stripping one of the Erma Luger-wannabes! There is a trick involving the toggle to minimize the pressure, but still there's a chance you'll be on your hands and knees for a while. The soft "tent" around the work area would help quite a bit, I'd think. If a spring does escape, however, I've had success at finding springs and their guide rods post-launch with the use of a magnet. I recommend one of those right angle/setup magnets, the kind that's quite potent and has an on/off switch. The switch rotates magnets within the body; when they are lined up to "off", they cancel each other out and most ferrous material stuck to it just drops off.

I know what you are saying concerning the Erma Lugers, as I own two of them. My hands just don't work as good as they once did(along with everything else!!) and small pins and small springs vanish into thin air, I guess. I never purchase just one extractor spring, as I know two or three would be much smarter given my "talent".

Here are more pictures with macro and better light

Attachment 31028

Attachment 31029

Attachment 31030

Attachment 31031

And a few more

Attachment 31032

Attachment 31033

Attachment 31034

Klaus,

I don't know if it came across right, but thank you very much for the information. Had no idea and it all tracks well.

Expected just a holster with the gun and to have that connection seems amazing.

Really puts it in perspective.