Should I "Plink" with my inherited Luger?
 

Hello everyone. I am 16 and enjoy the shooting sports a great deal. I usually spend a weekend at the range shooting for recreational purposes and informal competition. However I recently have pondered taking one of my WWI Lugers to the range with me and using it each weekend. I have shot it before and I must say it had an excellent feel to it. I also have an Artillery Luger from WWI with the wooden stock and leather holster and belt. I do not plan on shooting it because it is rusted and the grips are in poor condtion. I DO want to shoot the normal sized Luger. However, it is a family thing that was passed down. My grandfather seems to act like I should shoot it, being that is what a gun is used for. But I want to know if I could seriously affect the guns condition by shooting it about 1,500 rounds a year? Please thanks for all of the advice, thats how I learn more :) .

Hi Burke,

Short answer: yes, you can seriously affect the gun's condition and value. Having said that, there is a way to do the shooting you wish to do and minimize the downside risk.

Simply REPLACE the extractor, ejector, firing pin and carrier with aftermarket parts and keep the originals available for re-installation when your desire to shoot the old warhorse has subsided. You may also wish to replace the main spring and, of course, use a new magazine.And, of course, take care of the cleaning. NEVER use corrosive ammo.

Good shootin' and glad to have someone on the forum who is young. I believe our membership's average age is deceased.

Tom A.

Hey Tom,

Deceased or decreased...??? :D

Burke,

Howdy, glad to see a young collector.

Check out this link about broken parts while shooting for an idea about shooting. I suggest putting on a set of aftermarket grips as well, being -very careful- about taking off the left-hand grip.

Actually, depending on its condition, the Artillery may be a better candidate for shooting. Unless it is rusted enough to be dangerous, the rust may reduce its collector value enough to consider shooting it.

Lugers are terrific to shoot, and shooting an LP-08 is a real hoot, particularly with a stock. I have one Luger I reserve for shooting, somewhat more than you plan on.

Your Lugers sound interesting, what are all the details? Does the stock match your Aartillery?

--Dwight

Yes Dwight, all the equipment for the lugers has matching serial numbers, including the stock. Also the artillery luger's rear sight is canted to the left when raised. I suspect that the normal luger has been reblued, although when is unknown to me. Thanks for the replies, keem em coming. <img border="0" alt="[blabla]" title="" src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" />

Burke,
perhaps you can post some pics of your guns and folks can give you a better idea as to shooting them or not.

Sounds like an all matching Artillery including the stock might be a canidate for Thor.

He can make most guns look like they just came out of the factory.

Burke, I'd have you WW2 luger checked by a gunsmith in your area to see if it is in fact in collectable &/or shooting condition. Also if you can find a spare toggle assy (more easily switched than the individual parts) he can check it for headspacing, so that you can use the mismatched spare assy for shooting. You'd hate to blow out the matching breech block on a collectable gun. TH

Burke, Welcome to the Lugerforum... :) I think that you may be our youngest member... the last guy in his teens to join was Brandon... several years ago... he should be approaching 20 by now...

the rear sight on the Artillery Luger is supposed to be canted to the left as it is raised to compensate for the rifling twist...

Please do take some good photos of your guns and post them. The Artillery may not be as bad as you think it is... we can tell you a good bit about your guns from photographs.

Sorry guys but the most I am going to be able to get are scans of the guns. :( I really do not have a good digital camera.
Here we go:

Artillery Model:
It was used in WWI (to what extent I am not sure of). The takedown lever seems like it is a replacement part.
-1917 DWM
-Loose Grip
-Matching Stock and Holster
-8743 Part Numbers
-Has been shot once by me with stock attached
Extremly fun to shoot!
(Inside the holster it appears that Bat IV is printed on the inside flap)

Standard:
Again used in WWI but no idea how or what for.
-DWM 1915
-715 Numbers
ALL Parts appear to be orignal.

The scans are not accuarte in the least. It gives the appearance that the smaller model is worn to the extreme, which it is in fact not. It also really doesn't depict the rust very well on the Artillery Model.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/f636f970.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...f/f636f966.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...c/f636f960.jpg

Ok I'll try this:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...f/f636f966.jpg

Burke,

Please check your private messages by clicking on the My Profile link at the top of this page.

Thats awsome you got an artillary Luger!
But what is more awsome is im not the only 16 year old who can love and appreciate the Luger!

Hi Burke,
The scans came out pretty good. And your Artillery does'nt look too bad to me. In fact it looks pretty darn good. Way to go! And as Tom said, it's nice to have someone with a pulse on the forum. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Ron

Burke, please check your private messages.
DougT

Doug, I was just now able to get back with you. I never got your PM. Please look at yours. Thanks!

If these are collectable grade Lugers I'd really hold off on shooting them. From the Luger's point of view, nothing good can come out of a shooting session with one of these. Just get the Glock 17 (or whatever other handgun you have about you) and a bunch of ammo and blast away with it. These really aren't for that kind of shooting. The risk of breaking one of these old parts is just too great. And, there's no way to replace the "original part" once it's broken.

Burke, I sent you a new PM.
DougT

Burke: The first thing I would do for that artillery and probably the other one too is to spray them down inside and out with Ballistol. This is a natural oil that I prefer to use on old, original guns. It is harmless to all metals and finishes, and nourishes wood. The Ballistol is a decent lubricant, and evaporates over time, leaving a soft, waxy lubricating/protecting film on non-porous parts. Wood just absorbs it. It's also good for use with #0000 steel wool for removing rust. If you do this, take it very easy, and give the Ballistol several weeks to work on the rust before using the wool.

Hello Burke--are you out there?
DougT

Yeah, Doug T, I am out there. Just give me a PM and I will check it. I now frequent this site often.

Beautiful Lugers
 

Burke:

Your Lugers look nice!!!

What do the insides of the barrels look like?

The Luger is of strong design, but the design relies heavily on the proper tension and weight of its springs. Sometimes, these springs get out of spec with age.

After you have had them both checked out by someone that Smiths Lugers on a regular basis, I suggest that you shoot the living **** out of both of them!!!

You are suggesting a little more than 100 rounds per month. If you shoot the right power ammo, this shouldn't be a problem at all. If you handload, this should be an easy thing, otherwise, we can make some suggestions regarding the types and brands of ammo to shoot in them.

Enjoy one of the greatest shooting pleasures available to mankind. Shoot your Lugers!!!

Sieger

Now that's more like it! Thanks Sieger, this young man needed to hear the other side of the story. Proper working order (gun and magazine), ammo the gun likes and go for it! These things were made for real, for combat and should be enjoyed to the fullest. Besides that, they're very sweet to shoot. I shoot mine whenever I get the urge (which isn't often), but even if I go months at a time without shooting them--I know I can. They're made of steel, not rare exotic glass. Enjoy!
DougT