New Luger owner
 

Hi all

I recently picked up a DWM Luger from 1914 looks to be in good to very good condition all numbers match
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psqyut3eob.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psfbft5wpg.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psfbxbcecb.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...pssqpxzpz9.jpg

I've learned it may have been reblued and may be a russian capture. Can you guys confirm?

Gary

1914 Luger
 

Hi,

It appears to be reblued as parts normally strawed(tigger, safety and locking bolt) are now blued. Russian captured pistols usually have some defacing of Nazi proofs and yours appear to be original.

Aldo35

Probably need closer photos to be certain, especially the side plate, front numbers, etc, but at first glance if seems to have repro. grips and yes, the small parts have been blued. Not a hard fix if you want to fix it, but of course it will never be original again.
dju

Hi

I didn't have enough time for detailed pics I was doing the paperwork for the background check at the time. When I pick it up on the 20th I'll do some more detailed closeups. Still Can't believe I managed to find a Luger WOW

Gary

If you paid a collectible price for this I would return it. The bluing on several small parts takes it out of the collectible status. If you paid a shooter price good deal, should make a good shooter. I do not think it was a Russian capture luger. Welcome to the Forum. Bill

Thank you sir

its was a shooter price I wanted something I could take to the range every once and a while.

Gary

As mentioned above, if you wish to straw the appropriate pieces of your Luger as it was originally, that can be done fairly easy. If not, no harm, no foul. Let us know how it shoots. Avoid +P, +P+, and NATO ammo for fear of breaking parts. Stick with WWB, PMC, etc. std velocity 115-124gr FMJ ammo and you should be fine.

I bought a box of WWB 115 FMJ for the first range trip. if I was to have the strawing done any idea what it may cost?

Gary

Wah! Gary, don't pay for that! the parts are easily enough removed and prepped, and it's toaster oven technology! Simple how-to somewhere in the FAQ. It's the easiest spiff-up to do, give it a try!

As David stated above, it is not rocket science, UNLESS you have no mechanical skills or desire to do it. I have done it a couple of times, and if it doesn't turn out good the first time, you just do it again. The straw color is produced by heating bare prepped metal to a certain temp. There is a good sticky on it.

Picked it up today and it looks pretty good. These numbers all look ok
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psgbw0r3cy.jpg
But is the one on the far right in this pic original?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...pspbtx0akf.jpg

Gary

The etched number on the ear toggle link is not original and the X over the other numbers, along with the black finish suggest a Russian captured gun. It will never be a collectable piece, at least not in this crowd, but it should be a very fun shooter.
dju

Sadly it was reblued and outrageously marked with an electric pen on the rear toggle by the Russians.
Anyway can surely be quite a good shooter.

Sergio

Is there anyway to tell if the holster that came with it is real or a reproduction?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...pslpbcsou7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps84qavwuj.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...pshq9ursoa.jpg

Gary

Hello Gary
IMHO that looks like a original holster for a Portuguese contract luger.
Definitely has value.
Here is a link to a luger web page that shows the different versions of this holster.
http://www.landofborchardt.com/holsters.html#port
Hope this helps.:thumbup:
Bob

Thanks Bob that does help

Gary

Would seem to imply that the pistol spent time in Portugal but of course it could have been in a dozen or more holsters in 101 years :)

Gary

Gary, Your holster with the added pin punch holder next to the cleaning rod pouch, is what most folks call the M1906 Brazilian type. TH

I didn't see what you paid for the gun and holster, but the holster may have saved the deal for you.
Gentlemen, what are these holsters bringing today?
dju

Range report
 

Took it to the range today. 115 grain FMJ did pretty good
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...pslgotijf1.jpg

Though i did get quite a few stovepipe jams.

Gary

Nice groupings, I bet that Luger can shoot even better than that.

Sergio

:thumbup:

I bet I'm guilty of all of those :thumbup:

Gary

Gary

Enjoy shooting your Luger, and shoot safe, that's what really matters.


Sergio

Etched on numbers.?
 

..OK...got a question......lets just suppose./hope...... sometime in the near future....i run up on a russian capture like this.....and seeing it has the X on it and questions about the blueing....if I wanted to have it refinished........could the ..etched on number.....be taken off without too much trouble..?......Thanks for opinions......Danke....Hans Fischer

No, and then you would have a Luger worth even less than an RC.
As it would then be a "refinished" again Luger, don't even think about it, just buy one that looks the way you want it to in the beginning!:surr:

Hans,

Unfortunately Don is right, it would be even worse.
When I was collecting Mausers K98K (yes, I made also that mistake in life!) my first rifle was a "russian capture" with an excellent bore, BUT had that flipping serial number badly scribbled on the barrel, just something I could not stand, and in several other cases I saw the original swastikas badly erased !(but this is not the right term)

Sergio

Hey guys

I was sitting oiling my Luger and found a number at the base of the barrel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psozf1xhwi.jpg

is this a unit number?

Gary

Nope. The 8,82 means 8.82mm which is the bore diameter measured land to land and indicates that the gun is chambered for 9mm Parabellum (Luger) ammunition.

Have fun with this gun. You really should start off with a shooter! I mean, what's the point of collecting guns if you don't have one you can shoo? That sucker looks like it had a checkered history, which will be fun to figure out. The Russian's are always accused of messing them up, but there are plenty of American bring backs in just as bad shape. That nasty scribble on the toggle could have come from a local pawnshop, too.

I'm not any expert, but it clearly was captured and abused by somebody. But, the gun is 100 years old, so I'm not really surprised you had some stovepipe jams. There are several good reasons for that that, not the least that you may need to take it apart and lubricate the thing properly.

I have a 1917 artillery that I absolutely love to shoot. I keep it well greased and oiled. That main spring is almost 100 years old and it's a little rusty, but it seems to work great. I totally agree, there is no good reason to use military grade ammo (+P) or high powered stuff (hollow point self-defense rounds). Just good old target rounds - full metal jacket (FMJ) are fine. I ran 50 rounds through mine and never had a malfunction. It's smooth and just feels so right in my grip. You have to get used to the sights going away with every shot, but when they come back, that gun is usually right on target, ready to go again.

A lot of the problems with some--automatic guns aren't in the mechanisms or ammo, it's in the magazines. You may want to buy some after market magazines for shooting practice. The springs just get old and the magazine tubes get corroded. It only takes a little bit of corrosion to ruin the smooth action of advancing rounds into the chamber, to mess it all up. (While I haven't hand any problems with my Luger, I have seen this happen with cheap magazines in other modern semi-autos, so I'm must saying. It's also the best advice my retired police captain mentor gave me.)

Your gun should be fine, if it's all original matched parts. That's how they were designed, built, and tested. Problems with the gun don't generally crop up with the original parts. Ammo can be on source of problems, the wrong magazine is the other. Just my opinion and limited experience.

Keep sharing your experience. I loved your target photo. I'll post one, next time I'm out. My problem isn't accuracy, it's just being about to see anything 50 yards away. That's all about my age and vision, not the weapon.

Obvious Fixes
 

Recently, I shot my 1906 Navy and experienced failures to go fully back into battery. I was using Magtech 115 grain target ammo, which felt a tad soft. I broke the pistol down and fully lubricated everything, switched to Blazer 115 grain, and she cycled like a champ after that.

The moral of my story is that different ammo and a little lubrication may be all that is needed. YMMV.

The stovepipes are most likely related to how you are supporting the Luger as you shoot. Work on giving it good solid support (grip and upper arms) and you might clear up the issue. The timing of a Luger's mechanism during firing is critical, and a soft or not well supported grip can affect this.

If this doesn't help, get a new magazine. Try a MecGar or find a good milled (FXO / Haenel Schmeisser) magazine.

If that doesn't work, consider replacing the recoil spring. Get one of the Wolff spring sets with three different strengths.

Finally, don't put any money into refinishing or changing the appearance of your Luger .You won't improve it's collect-ability, and will never get the money you sink into it back.

You have a good choice for a first Luger already. A solid shooter is a good way to get started. After that, all bets are off...

Marc

I've seen this chart before, and have been wondering ever since if it is for right-handed shooters?

welcome to the club :)

I am proud when I can get all the shots on the back of the range :p

I am nearly 100% positive that it is for a right handed shooter. My brain/memory allows for a percentage of error!!

When I broke it down for cleaning I noticed there was little evidence of oiling on the rails and maybe a little on the toggle link. So maybe that and my not holding correctly add to the stovepipes

Gary

Gary

Out of experience I can tell you that a "stovepipe" generally may be caused by:
a loose grip, loose or damaged ejector, worn extractor, load too light for the recoil spring, (or spring far too heavy for the load), worn extractor or with a tension too light.

My 2 cents


Sergio