When the luger is field stripped it is a line that runs across the barrel and the receiver. It is a short stamped line to show correct position of barrel in receiver. Many times with a new barrel added this is uneven or even missing on the barrel. Yes they were originally strawed. The strawing is a heat process but you need to know how. Bill

Thanks, there is no line, only ser# below crown N. I've been reading about how to straw on some threads here and there, I'm debating whether to give it a go myself or give the parts over to someone else. Seems if I make a muck of it I can start over and try again as long as I go easy on the ser#.

The witness mark is on the under side of the barrel/receiver forward of the lug. Can only be seen when the frame and barrel/receiver are separated. Would show a picture but camera is down right now. Bill

witness
 

heres one glad I could help

It's there, on the lug and not the barrel. My mistake. Tiny line mark.

Yip!! That's it, same on my others.

If there is no extension of the witness mark to the barrel my guess is barrel has been replaced. From your pictures of the barrel serial number the 5 looks possibly overstruck? I'm afraid this luger has had quite a bit of messing with? Should make an excellent shooter if it was priced accordingly. Bill

I mis-typed earlier, the line mark I could see at the base of the barrel, that was before I dissasemble it. The only thing I can see wrong is the four parts that are are normally strawed are blued. Why they were blued I haven't a clue because the rest of the pistol is arsenal original as compared to the wear and patina of my other lugers, this one is almost identical.



http://i48.tinypic.com/34o321v.jpg

I think parts of it were reblued. The lettering on the underside of the barrel is pretty faint looking to me.

Many folks will talk about a gun like this as being refurbished or arsenal redone. This is always possible, but the strawed parts would be strawed and there would be markings showing it was refurbed. A later barrel would be marked by the arsenal or maker marking (such as an eagle 6) - the suffix WOULD be the same for the barrel and the frame. But that suffix looks too low to me?

It is possible that a previous owner had a luger or two that were post 1937 and thought that they should be blued and thus had them blued, and /or that they were steel colored and thus they tried to fix them.

What we are seeing is a commercial luger that went into police service. The unit marking book for WW1 army, I have up for sale written by Jeff Noll. For Police unit markings, either Don's book or ours....


Ed

Now is when I wish a few of you fellows lived next door. Hard to get the right photos are the right angle to show what it is in actuality.

Don's book arrived day before yesterday and I plan to get your police book end of the month. Your WWI unit marking book is now on my shopping list.

Thanks for your observation.......... I want to get the parts that were blued back to straw. I have read and re-read the thread here about the procedure. I would like to try strawing but I'm going to leave it to someone who has done it before and does do it as a sideline. Does any member here do this type of work?

Thor does restores but I dont know where hes at on workload shoot em a pm

Thanks!!!!!

Which one?

Thor is his handle spelled just like that you might try his aol account if you cant find this one

Thor's Luger Clinic http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/
Ted Green (Thor Yaller Boots)
725 Western Hills Dr SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124
505-891-3883 Email thor340@aol.com

Thanks again......................

Ted has always been my hero!! Eric!

top of the rivet holding the sear safety should be "in the white" when installed originally, not blued. Toggle axle pins, grip screws, sear bar spring, should be fire blued. Bottom of the frame rails, in the witness mark picture, should be in the white also.

Wow...Much info just on this post for a neu Lugermann. Thanks!

That straw may have just darkened with age. I have seen this hapen before. A good outside in the shade pic would help. John

Wish that was true but the parts are blued except the extractor. Ted is going to correct the flaw once I get those parts to him. For it's price, it's worth it. Barrel is almost mint, bright and shiny with some groove wear.