Odd 1938 Mauser Luger?
 

Dear Experts:

Can anyone make heads or tails of the origin of this Luger on Gunbroker:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=167597149

It purports to be a .30 caliber 1938 Mauser, and it has unusual markings (besides being nickeled!).


Thanks,
Jeff

Now that is a sharp looking Luger!!! If it had the white Franzite grips, it would be excellent!!!

Bookmarked!!! If it doesn't go much higher, I may snatch that up myself!!!

Thanx for the heads-up!!! :thumbup:

BTW: Where did you see that it is 30 cal??? :confused:

The barrel is marked "ca. 7.65"
The markings are odd, starting with the single eagle on the right receiver to the two large eagles on the barrel and what appears to be a hand engraved caliber marking

If this gun has 1938 on the chamber (not shown in the photos), then it is a real "Mixmaster". Luger frames weren't marked P08 until 1941. Regards

What about the lazy C/n and lone e/s. Looks to be a police issue gun.

jerry

Thanks! I missed that! :thumbup:

It has the comma rather than the American period...maybe a European re-barrel???

They even plated the takedown lever spring...that's dedication!!! ;)

Hmmm...Safety lever doesn't look like it's been used much since being plated...

White ivory grips w/Swastika medallions...I recall seeing a pic of something like that here...or linked here...those would look great on this nickel Luger!!!

Definately a gunshow table crowd getter!!! I can see arguments & maybe fistfights breaking out over this piece!!! :D

The E/J and E/N on the barrel are 1940 rework proofs. This is an odd one for sure. This is the best nickel plating I have seen on any Luger, very well done.

+ 1

Here's a couple pics, in case you're at work and can't connect...

Jeff -

Are you going to bid on this??? If you are, I'll hold off...otherwise, I'll be on it like a duck on a June bug... :D

I have a set of black bakelite Russian grips that will look *great* on this booger... :thumbup:

Oh, and I requested pics of chamber & toggle... ;)

The Crown/U is a Mauser Oberndorf commercial proof. This thing is really an enigma of parts and proofs. All of the marks indicate that it is a Mauser Commercial rework. I would be curious if it has a Banner toggle.

Postino

Please go ahead and bid--I'm not going to. I was just curious about it's origin!

Jeff

I will do just that! I've long been a fan of the SS Lugers, but have been put off by the comments in the magazines of the day on the metallurgy...

I have some experience with hard [industrial] chrome plating; decorative [3-layer] chrome plating; and nickel plating. It's interesting that he actually alludes to one common problem with nickel plating - the plating not adhering.

It doesn't appear to have been over-buffed; the ear recesses were left unbuffed; edges look crisp; markings look clear. I would expect it to be tight in some areas, but maybe not...

I'm waiting to hear a response to my request for more pics...If I don't get any response, or if it's questionable, then I'll pass...

I have set a ceiling for my bid, and it's not hard to guess what it is, but there may be others out there (or even in here) who would like to add this to their...accumulation...so we shall see what we shall see... :D

Nice cooperation. Collectors should not compete with each other to pump the price up, take turns, everyone will eventually get what they want at lower cost.

This Mauser appears to have originated as a military pistol, but reworked (factory?) for some reason, commercialized with E/N proofs and rebarrelled to 30 luger. Must have been some special order item...and in the midst of wartime!

Oh, boy! It sure is a special order item!!!

The seller sent me a pic of the top view...Nice big one; the toggle stamping is especially interesting... :thumbup:

Yep, you just don't see old world workmanship like that anymore!!! :thumbsup:

I wonder if *all* the numbered pieces are CNC cut???

Now I'm really in a quandary...Raise my ceiling, or lower it??? It's really beautiful work, of its kind...

Too bad he didn't cut a skull & bones in the chamber... :(

Please Wait.... where did CNC come from.... although dressed in silver color, the toggle marking still looks correct, period correct matching 1938 s/n 5088k publish in book well. CNC is not dirt cheap, supposed being used in more serious application, if rational.

Can ceiling on gunbroker.com be lowered after bidding?

Toggle markings have been cut, not stamped...could be from a pantograph...but not 1942 technology...

But it is nice work...

Good point. Now the question is -- Are "1938" and "S/42" supposed to be cut, not stamped before bluing? Those markings do not have ridges nor distoration on the guns that I've met.

Here is a comparison with my S/42 toggle...Notice end of letters/slash are rounded, from rotating cutting tool...and where the cuts intersect, it is a nice clean edge, not rounded like a stamp...

Font is different as well...The "11" looks cut also...

Very nice work...CNC initial $$$ is considerable, but with practice, very quick & easy...Something like this could be done in a few minutes...During a regular run of engraving...

Postie -- Buy a copy of "Third Reich Lugers" from me. There are many styles of S/42. At a fraction cost of a Luger, you see hundreds of them.

Man, my books do not sell well. Listed guns are almost all gone.

Here's a photo of the toggle on my 1938 S/42. Regards

I wonder if some of the unusual proof marks could also be CNC?

Jeff

One must not lose sight of the fact that this luger is nickled which is like a spear in the heart and puts it squarley in the shooter category. It might be useful to explore removal of the nickle finish, which can be done.

Well, I figured this would go off at ~$850...I was wrong... :(

Current Bid $980.00 No Reserve! Started at $550.00
Quantity 1 # of bids 15 Bid History
Time left Auction has Ended

... :roflmao: ...

(I got knocked out of the bidding pretty early)

Why would anyone bother to do that and then plate it? I agree its not right but that just seems crazy. c

Postie
Thanks for the info
That luger is kinda scary. Since the stampings where done on a CNC machine,do you think the toggle was made on one as well? That would open up a big can of worms!!!!

Bob

Just a WAG, but there are blank Luger toggles out there (I got one from someone here), and "force matching" by CNC with a script like Norme's as a model wouldn't be all that hard...or take too long...and could be carried in & out in a pants pocket... :)

IOW, an easy lunchbox job... :D

(A Vickers Ltd toggle would be even easier) :eek:

Astonished. $980 !!

But, the only effective way to bring the market price down is to pour tons of cheaper ones into it. Sell your collection, asking $500 per piece. I bet people will all come to you. Otherwise, void.

Sell your collection, asking $500 per piece.


Alvin
Let me know when you decide to do that!

Bob

Bob -- Will 9x19 Luger caliber count? Or must be a toggle gun.... I do have a few modern non C&R guns to dump, fires same ammo and works much better than Luger.

I'll take a Yugoslav Type 57, if you have one... :thumbup:

Tokarev? I don't have Yugo Tokarev. Do have two Chinese Type 54 7,62x25 made in 1960s. Most likely being Viet-bringback, no paper though.

I like the extended grip and extra capacity mag. ;)

I am interested in Yugo Toka as well. But it's not classified as C&R, so it's illegal in Papua New Guinea. If it's legal in NY, you should be able to get one easily. Many instances are floating on the market. Yugo guns are high quality in general.

What are you doing in New Guinea??? :confused:

First you're in Malta, then Massachusetts, now New Guinea???

Post some pics...I've never been there... :)

Find an open air market... :D

Relax Rich, our friend Alvin is not scouting Port Moresby for Broomhandles, he just likes the flag. Regards, Norm

I have never been in Malta. It's Madagascar, the biggest island in the world. And surprisingly, Guinea, New Guinea, Papua New Guinea, Equatorial Guinea are not same place. What's the meaning of "Guinea" and why it's so popular deserve some research... but that's off topic.

Back to topic. $980 was impressive. Obviously, people was very encouraged. Now, here is another one. If this is realized, I have to agree -- the market is hot. Please impress me.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=167937460

I'll bet no bids...starting price [$2100] is too high... :(

I don't like this one...too polished...too bright...too decorative...the other was more industrial...

I heard that historically more than 50% commercial Lugers were sold to the United States. People here were (and are) very fancy on Lugers. That may explain even a chromed one could go almost $1k today, and better refurbished Nagant 1895 at $100 no one wants it :) Volume is just one factor and people's interest is a bigger one.