Luger Dummies, where to find ?
 

What I mean, is dummy Lugers, reproductions that have the EXACT form and size of a Luger, to put in vintage holsters to keep their shape. There are at least two sources of wooden magazines for that purpose, which are a good idea to keep in holsters.
At the Louisville show a few years ago, I found a plastic dummy Luger, perfect shape and extremely detailed. It had some mold flashing that I removed and filed smooth, but otherwise it was ideal
Since then I have seen some other plastic dummies, 'bought one and returned it, that are noticeably smaller, like the plastic shrunk after it was taken from the mold.
Another "dummy", oddly, is a high-quality (pot) metal airsoft Luger by a Taiwanese company called WE, that shoots plastic BBs, the gun costing around $100. Amazing thing, is that not only is it is an exact repro, exact size and shape, but its action is extremely similar to a Luger. It's even made of parts similar and field strips like a P08, not that it matters when used as a holster stuffer.
I still like the plastic dummy better, and even though it is so light, I think that makes it a better stuffer. Anyone know of a source of exact dummy Lugers ? ,or have one to sell ?
I could use a total of four more ...

Plastic dummies were recently on eBay..

They are the undersized ones, I believe, like I mentioned. I bought one and returned it, noticeably smaller in every dimension, like overall shrinkage.

I also have seen metal Luger copies by Denix, which are even more expensive than the airsoft WE P08.

I wondered..Looked good in the photo's!

The solid aluminum dummies I have seen were made decades ago and are getting to be collectibles themselves... I wouldn't hold out hope on finding one that is cheap. Do some research on sand molds and make some out of aluminum cans.

You can use the plastic one or the airsoft gun that you have as the model.

They don't have to be pretty, just have to be the right shape. Even some mold imperfections shouldn't matter much if their only purpose is to keep a holster from losing it's shape.

I am offended! Dummy indeed :D

i have seen several different sizes of the metal ones, the war year ones made for the military are full size? The one or two I have, I am pretty sure are slightly smaller?

hmmm, anyone know of a way to copy a luger, the old way of sand molding and then hot lead or whatever would work, but unless some kind of injection plastic molding I imagine it would get too expensive?

So, if we could copy a real one, then inject mold it (I think that is the term) so it was either hollow (saving money) or solid hard rubber or plastic where it was the right size. I would imagine that like many of these, the end has to be 'red or orange' so it is obvious it is not a real gun.

Have you checked with the large police supply houses that carry the Blue Training guns?

BTW, a large number of those aluminum, pot metal full size replicas, painted black, came out of the MGM auction in the 1970s. They were used to arm extras who were in the background in movie scenes. I once owned a Colt SAA replica that came out of the MGM auction.

I looked, I thought it slightly smaller, I have a half size, very toy looking one and this one (note, there is a real luger under it) - I think these life like ones are going for around $50 on the collector market...

These three photos are of the airsoft WE Luger. They also make Navy and Art'y versions. VERY much like the originals. There is a silver version, 'seen photos, but not in the hand, so it might be just silver paint. One photo shows a customized WE airsoft, steel-wooled, and "aged" to look real. Notice the threads inside the muzzle, 'gives it away as an airsoft.
There are brown plastic grips that look lot like wood, made by WE, but some users have routed out the backside of wood Luger grips to fit as well.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ps749d9747.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ps4877fd00.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ps65e76d2a.jpg

'Seems like there would be considerable interest in getting some of these, among the collectors on the board who have fine holsters to preserve.

You can get a Luger Blue Gun from these people:

http://www.bluegunstore.com/?page_id...roducts_id=134

I don't know if it's accurately sized, but these are typically used for training and holster making. It looks like the copy has DDR grips on it... $40 each... I have no interest in the company.

Marc

I have been considered a Luger dummy for years, and yes, I do seem to be shrinking. :)

Ron, you would like the WE airsoft Luger, it is chamber dated 1915, each part is numbered 15, (although there is no frame serial #) and it is quite rare to not have a toggle stamp, so it could be engraved SPANDAU.

The Bluegun Lugers, .... thank you Marc, that seems ideal ... their website says they are made of blue plastic, and have an optional black finish .... No phone number there, so I might ask of anyone, what is the black finish ? re. paint, dye, or is the whole gun molded in black plastic for that option ? For some reason, I'd prefer the black, but not if it were likely to shed or rub off.

This gentlemen makes wood luger dummies. korona45@yahoo.com

Alx, I own a few of the Blue Guns in other models (1911; Beretta 92F) for my training classes. They are solid molded, and almost exact replicas in the right size. I'm not sure how they would make them black.

There is no price difference between blue and black, so it's unlikely a separate process step is involved (like painting). My guess (only) is that they mold black plastic. It would be best to ask them through their online form...

If you get a Luger from them, let me know how it works out...

Marc

I will ask of them, about the black "finish" Blue Guns ....
and I'd be really curious about the wood Lugers ...

I have a half dozen of the wooden pistols Kris Antzak made for me..I like them a lot but I can't say if he is making any more? You would have to check. He also makes those great wooden luger magazine fillers.

korona45@yahoo.com
__________________

Thanks Bill!

OK thanks ... and as for the wood magazines, I have recently bought some that were over-sized, and were too tight a fit; stretching the leather on a hundred-year-old holster and pulling the stitches seems more harmful than good. Besides being a bit too large in cross-section, their round bases were placed way too far back, to close to the flat spine, and would not seat into the notch of the pocket. They would just deform the pccket and stretch the leather and seams. After sending them back, I then bought five wooden mags from another source, and four were correct in size ( cross-section ) but one was a bit small. However all of them had over-sized bases, placed again too far back toward the rear flat spine, and they were overall shorter than a real magazine with a bullet in it, as well as having a top profile that was not at all equal to a real magazine.
The whole point of a wood magazine, I believe, is to replicate a real magazine and keep the entire leather pocket in the habit of holding a full magazine so the leather does not crush or collapse.
Anyway, I removed the oversized round bases, and put some smaller bases on, made from 1/2" oak dowel cut to 1-7/8" length. The half-inch dowel is a bit smaller than the real thing, but better to use than oversize, since the pockets' notches will not be subject to deformation as long as the base fits into them and the magazine bottoms out, touching the bottom of the pocket. (Dowels at the local hardware stores run in fractional inch sizes rather than metric, and I did not want to go thru the steps to mill down oversized oak dowels.
Also 'had to move the magazine bases forward by enlarging the round seat of the bases, relocating the bases forward, then filling the space behind with wood and putty to restore the shape. Then I filed (belt-sanded) some of those orange plastic 9mm practice rounds and glued/pinned them (23 gauge trim finish pins air-nailed ) to the top of the magazines to replicate the shape and length of a loaded magazine.
I noticed that my WWI holsters had such snug mag pockets that even the follower button had made a small expression in the leather where it showed a full magazine had long ago been kept for enough time to imprint its shape. I then found some stainless steel screws with heads the diameter of the mag follower button and located it where it would be on a loaded magazine. 'Had to file the head a little flatter after it was put in the wood, but now the customized wood magazine fits the pocket nearly perfect, fills it without stretching any more, and touches the bottom of the pocket with the fake plastic round-nose bullet, while the base rests in the notch.
'Quite alot of messing about with a simple wood magazine, and they are sort of ugly, but that is what it took to make a useful substitute out of the wood mags I bought, without just starting over from scratch. The basic wood shape was already a good start.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...psc1f8c87f.jpg

3-D printing!

That will work fine Dwight... but little has been said about the COST of 3D printing... it ain't cheap!

Alx, An admirable job and if it suits your tastes so much the better. I keep about 50 wooden inserts here and occasionally place one in a clients holster as a courtesy if the pocket is squishy. While I am working a holster on my bench I almost always slip one in to keep from flexing the mag pouch un necessarily.

Mag pouches vary so much you often see problems with the way it was originally made show up in split seams or out of shape notches, bent over tops etc. I have seen many a holster that would not take an original magazine. Tool pouches can be the same way.

In the shop I probably see at least a half dozen Luger holsters a week. In putting wooden inserts in and out some fit, some don't and some fit better than others. The end pulls RARELY fit either front or back..they fit one way and you turn the mag around and it doesn't fit. They can be especially weird on double mag pouches.

I think Dwight's idea is a good one..Depending of course on how much each copy on a 3-D printer is!

WE Lugers.??
 

What is the link to WE Lugers..?...I would be interested in getting a Navy or Artillery model for a display......many years ago I picked up one of the japanese metal artillery lugers.......looked good....and I put it in a display for my older son.......after his divorce....he couldnt find it anymore....and we think his ex gave it to one of her relatives or just dumped it.........anyway....Im interested in getting another similar one if possible.....this time for MY display.....any help is appreciated.....Thanks.....Hans Fischer

http://www.airsoftmegastore.com/1548...0390338tm.aspx

The red tip might be screwed in, or just pressed on, 'seen them both ways. Either way, they will detatch and leave the gun looking very realistic. WE also makes grip panels of a better-looking brown plastic.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ps9083c4e5.jpg

http://www.airsplat.com/Items/GP-WE-LUGER-P08.htm

http://www.shortyusa.com/airsoft.htm...&searchstring=

http://www.airsoftgi.com/product_inf...oducts_id=3151

http://www.airsoftmegastore.com/4554...IUM-Model.aspx

http://www.evike.com/product_info.php?products_id=3682

These are some sources for the WE popguns. There may be an airsoft gun dealer store in your area, that might have them on hand. Prob. less $ to buy them online.

A problem with old leather is that many of the holsters have shrunk a little over time, so even when the magazine or gun substitute is of the right size, the holster may have problems fitting them.

I have a couple of holsters here that cannot close correctly with a gun / magazine in place.

What about the luger BB guns they make today? Will they work?

If you mean the plastic 6mm "BB"s then that is what the WE airsoft Lugers shoot.
If there are any Luger copies that fire metal BBs, I don't know of them.

As of holsters that have shrunk too far to close around the gun, maybe just stuffing them carefully with clean cotton rags would hold them from collapsing further, since you would not be keeping them as functional vintage holsters, but for their historical value alone.

Replica Lugers......
 

Hey Guys ....thanks for all the help.....I looked at all the pages and it seems that ....AIRSOFT GI has just about the Best prices.....they have an Artillery Luger that Im going to have to get.......(thats what i gave my son)......it would make for a nice display in my Library and i wont have to worry about leaving a "real luger" laying out........so Thanks again.........this just proves that The Luger Forum is THE BEST....Danke...Hans Fischer