New to the Board - Trying to get some info on a Simson & Co. Luger
 

Hi - I'm trying to help my brother-in-law get some information on his luger. This is one of those WWII hand me downs and this is not my area of expertise. He is trying to figure out some history about this gun, what it's worth, should he use this at the range?

Any help would be great.

Sorry, it took me a bit to resize my pics.

Welcome David,

I would be glad to help you (see my signature block below).

Tell me serial number; markings on the right, any markings on the grip strap, pictures if you can provide them, and if all matching?


weimar_lugers@verizon.net

Ed

David, the first picture made me think it had been reblued, the other pictures told me no.

Its a very nice blank chamber Simson, made in about 1928 or 1929; in very nice shape. It has a police magazine in it.

Only 12,000 simson's were ever made by a jewish owned company before being taken over by the 3rd reich.

If it is all numbered, including internal parts (last two of the sn); I would not take it shooting, as it is probably worth $2,500-$3000 now and if you took it shooting and broke a numbered part, it would devalue it 2/3rds.


Ed

Thanks for the assist.

Should my brother-in-law take it to a gunsmith and have it looked over and really cleaned out. Is there anything he should do to take care of it?

Also, what do you mean by "blank chamber Simson"?

IMO, don't send it to gunsmith for cleaning. Keep it as-is. Ed wrote a book on Simson, if I remembered right, some of those have 1925 or 1926 on chamber. Those are super rare. This one is rare as well.

I'd like to know the markings on the right (such as eagle 6 (E6) E6 E6 proof eagle)

There are 3 or 4 variations (depending on how youn look at it);

1. Dated, either 1925 or 1926
2. Blank chamber (all the rest); to include Simson toggles and S toggles

Also, the stock lug picture, is that two eagle 6's or two eagle 33's?

Ed

The right side has 3 E6's and a proof eagle, then another proof eagle on the barrel. The stock lug has 2 E6's.

There do not appear to be any E33's; there are E6's stamped on pretty much every individual component.

Wowser! That is a real beauty!

Those markings are what I'd expect (although eagle 33's) would not be unexpected.

I have these in my data base close to his:

6402 e6 E6 E6 E6 E Simson & Co Suhl
6449 E6 E33 E6 E Simson & Co Suhl
6488 Simson & Co Suhl
6492 6492 (matching mag) Simson & Co Suhl
6542 E6 E6 E6 E Simson & Co Suhl
6601 Simson & Co Suhl

Is there an encircled "AK" under the toggle link?

I assume slience impling no.

So, what's encircled "AK"? A toggle supplier for Simson? Charging battery, will post a pix soon

Alvin, in our book we show the AK, not sure what it stands for. I assumed A Krieghoff (well I wanted to beleive that), so it must be a sub-contractor.


Ed

Albrecht Kindt (Also known as AKAH), probably the reseller at one point in time? Just an idea.

I would still believe in manufacturing subcontrator theory. There is a reason -- there is an another stamp sitting next to encircled A.K, most likely being an inspector mark of that toggle maker.

Alvin, which serial number is this one on? (4004 I think?)


Ed

421a

ah, I know 421a :)

Was RW, then mine, then RW and then yours :)

Its a very nice one.

Yeah, the world is small. There many gun collectors, but the world is very small when we talk about a particular type of C&R :)

I can only find the number 5....no AK.

When there is no AK, a single "5" makes lots of sense to me.

When I look at the symbol on the right of AK closely, there are actually two symbols.

The one on the top is "4", I would assume this one being a Simson inspection mark (same theory applies to "5").

The one under "4" looks like a crown. It's proabaly AK's inspection mark.

So, when there is no AK, there is no crown. Only a single "5".

Does AK always go with a crown? I don't know.