Hello, I'm not sure what I have.
 

I posted about this last week in the New Collectors Forum and finally picked my first Luger up a few days ago. Well, I'm not sure at all what I have. I took some quick pictures of all of the external markings. The serial number is 5043a on the frame, barrel, and receiver. All links on the toggle match, as well as the extractor, trigger, thumb safety lever, safety bar, locking bolt, and sear bar. The rear axle pin is marked 68 or 86 and the firing pin is marked 69. Everything else is unmarked. The breech is unmarked. The magazine is an fxo (with Eagle 37's) with 5043 electropenciled on the spine. There are no import marks on the pistol.

Here are the pictures!

Left side of the pistol. The trigger sideplate appears buffed over the serial. If you look at the first toggle link the same "Crown N" appears horizontally.

http://www.roninweb.net/mpelp/luger/01.jpg

The very boring top of my pistol.

http://www.roninweb.net/mpelp/luger/02.jpg

Is this the dreaded X?

http://www.roninweb.net/mpelp/luger/03.jpg

The locking bolt is stamped "43" on the bottom as well.

http://www.roninweb.net/mpelp/luger/04.jpg

The left side of the barrel.

http://www.roninweb.net/mpelp/luger/05.jpg

Rear of the toggle!

http://www.roninweb.net/mpelp/luger/06.jpg

And finally there are these two nice things on the right side of the receiver.

http://www.roninweb.net/mpelp/luger/07.jpg

Thanks in advance guys! I just want to see if this thing has a bit of a story to tell.

Gary,
It appears to be a Russian capture alphabet commercial Luger, with Army style numbering. And that is the dreaded X. At least it's mostly matching. Looks like a nice shooter and in decent condition.

Ron

Thanks. I'm guessing it was made sometime between 1920 and 1930, any hopes of narrowing that down? Also, who would've applied the set of military-style numbers and why? Any idea as to what the funky crowned marking on the right of the receiver is?

Well this sucks! It eats my NO-GO gauge. So much for shooting it.

Bummer. You can't shoot it and it isn't collectable. An expensive paperweight. Can you get your money back?

It looks like barrel, receiver and frame all have different subscripts, s, a and d but if you cant return it, check that first, Hugh might be able to take the barrel off, file a bit of the flange down, turn in the barrel one extra thread and rechamber to specs. He has done this before with excellent results. The big question if this avenue is selected is will the barrel come off easily? Hope this works out for you.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm going to try and get my money back, although I have my doubts. I really don't think it's worth putting any more money into. It has a nice bore and functions well. (Without firing of course.)

If you don't get your money back, I think it would still be worth sending it to Hugh Clark and have him turn the barrel back... it would still make a fine shooter.