Info on DWM 1918 PLEASE!
 

Hello,first post here. I have had this Luger a few years bought from a fellow that didnt want his wife to get it in his divorce. Story goes that his father brought this and a Drilling home from WW2.
I have collected all types of German militaria for the last 30+ years but this is my only Luger. I know very little about the minute details on these so I will look forward to ANY and ALL info you learned fellows will share on this gun. I have been reading here for a while and you guys know your stuff!!
As you can see the serial is 3310 "I ". When does that narrow the production date to? All numbers match except for the mag and the left grip(this grip is WW2 marked inside,perhaps replaced during that time?)Bore is only fair/good with some darkness and pitting. Finish has allways seemed a bit too good and I wondered what you fellows thought on that. I have shot the pistol and it functions fine,with some sensitivity to the ammo fed it. A few jams on the round going into the chamber.
Curious on the value to see if I did OK at $650 about 6 years ago?Please feel free to give all info good or bad and I will be happy to ad more pics if needed! THANKS! Kevin.

rest of the pics,enjoy!!

Nice pistol! Ya stole it. Finish looks good to me.

Jerry Burney

Hi Kevin, Your pistol has been adapted for police use, it has a sear safety added. The finish looks O.K. to me too. Regards, Norm

1918 Military. Put into police service during the Weimar era. Sear and magazine safety added. The mag safety which didn't function well as designed, was partially clipped off as most were.

Hi Mike! I'm kind of new here, and not terribly knowledgeable about Lugers...The Old Fuds here have helped me enormously, enough so that I know where to look for the sear safety in the OP's pics...but could you tell me which pic shows the clipped off mag safety??? Thanks!!! :thumbup:

There is a gun show next weekend; I'd like to be able to spot a deal... :D

Wow! Thanks guys.Great info,police use huh? What a story this is telling,First WW1 then used by police between the wars,then used during WW2 as witnessed by its capture and the WW2 grip plate! THIS is why I love collecting pieces of history,what a joy to see the story unfold!

What else can you fella's tell about this Luger? Do you think this saw use in the great war? What is the remaining evidence of the mag safety??

Post,

Photo, ummmm, no. 6. the Trigger group. The slot out of the grip is the first sign. Then that little plate you see on, but above the frame shows where it was clipped off.

Mike and FNorm, I never noticed that before about the grip!:eek: Interesting thing is that is the WW2 marked grip(marked with a eagle stamp) do you think this means the mag safety was in use when this grip was installed or just slotted to fit flush after it was clipped off?

Anything is possible with lugers, it seems. Chronologically, I'd guess the mag safety was clipped off, then sometime later the grip replaced. The replacement would have to have the slot too, to fit. But I'm just guessing.

How about a pic of that area with the grip removed?

FN

FNorm -

That's the mag safety??? This is the slot you mean??? I don't see any little plate, except the sear safety...

(Note: I checked the FAQ...It would appear that there were originally pics in the FAQ showing the mag safety, but they no longer appear)

Post,

Now look at the front edge of the grip top where it meets the side plate. See anything different?

FN

Yes...It has more wood at the "point" than most Lugers on GB... :thumbup:

Somewhere, recently, I saw/read a long discussion on the mag safety with pics. Was it here?
Anyway, I can't find it now...

That cut in the frame was for the back part of the spring...I think, then there's a hole drilled through just behind the trigger, and the grip slotted too.

Here are the pics showing the WW2 grip removed. Showing the remains of the mag safety spring and the inside of the grip. I dont have an unaltered grip to compare mine against so you guys will have to show me one or tell if the grip has indeed been altered for this mag safety.

I also show the tiny eagle mark on the inner grip,very hard to see but I believe the number under the bird to be "655". Who made this grip and how old is it? Does the "E" mean anything to you guys??

I am still curious about the value of this Luger(hear alot of talk here of "collector grade" and "shooter grade" Lugers,what catagory does mine fall in?) and to what time period the "I" suffix narrows the production of this gun?? THANKS and keep the highly informative info comming!! :thumbup: Kevin.

Postino
The clipped magazine safety is visible in the image you posted.

From Still's Weimar Lugers

Hello, Mr. Ron Wood!

Love to hear your general comments on this Luger and on the inner side of the left grip pics I posted above.

Been reading your posts and you seem to be very knowledgable! How long have you been in the Luger game?

THANKS MFC! They did'nt clip off much did they?

Thanks, Kevin,

Best pics I've seen yet of the mag safety internals. I understand more now too.
You have one with a lot of history. I'd say collecter. But then I shoot everything in my meager collection at least once.

Now! Lets do the same breakdown on toggle locks. I still don't understand them...

FN

Thanks to Mike, Ron, and Norm for the pics & explanation! :thumbup:

Hi Kevin, Your i block I918 was manufactured in the summer of 1918 so it did not see much WWI service (hostilities ended Nov 11).
i figure your gun at the low end of "collector grade". Regards, Norm

Norme, Thanks for addressing my questions!

FNorm, Thanks again,glad you liked the pics. Yea,I cant help but to shoot every gun I own,seems cruel not to let these guns do what they were built to do....like not letting a champion horse run!

Toggle locks??Oh krap! Have any idea's on my WW2 grip markings? or about a $$ replacement value on this Luger?...

Kevin,
The original grips (1918) were numbered to the gun with the last two digits. I don't remember exactly but I think that the E/655 showed up around 1940-41. So I think the grips were cut to fit over an already clipped mag safety. The E stamped on the grip is an inspectors mark. You will also find initials or numbers randomly stamped on other parts of the gun. They were applied at different stages of production.

MFC,

Yes,my other grip plate is numbered to the gun. I believe "655" was a mauser proof, guess this grip was made by them...guessing the original on this side must have been damaged and replaced by this one during WW2.

Kevin.

I would definately say this is a collector luger. One would really need to see it in person to give an accurate appraisal. You took excellent pictures but pictures are sometimes hard to read as far as originality. It's hard to tell on the grip. It is a Mauser grip. Could have been put on anywhere after the 1930's. Very nice luger. Now you need a 1918 holster. You need to obtain a copy of Jan Still's new book " Central Power Pistols". Excellent book with very nice pictures and much info. Welcome to the Forum. Be aware that lugers are contagious and one cannot live with one. Bill

Can anyone who owns a non-altered magazine safety pistol post a photo? I've seen a number of removed and clipped mag safeties, but never an intact one...

heers68,
I really can't add much to what the other guys have posted. I have been collecting for 52 years.

alanint,
Not the best photo of an intact mag safety, but here it is:

So mag safety lugers also had a plunger? under the sideplate, which when depressed, (i.e. no magazine holding it out) prevented the trigger from moving back? Where these plungers also removed along with clipping the actuator bar?

You are correct about the functioning of the plunger. The magazine safeties were usually deactivated by completely removing them. But if they were left on the gun, generally only the tab that went behind the trigger was removed. I have seen examples where the safety was removed and the little slot on the side of the frame was welded up and refinished.

Great Luger in nice condition!
I bet you wear a mask when you stole it, I mean, bought it...
Congratulations!
Douglas