1916 DWM Artillery Luger with British proofs
 

Is this right? Wouldn't a 1916 manufacture have a strawed trigger, et al?

And that barrel looks kind of odd too. Strange looking blue, compared to the rest of the pistol.

1916 British proof Luger

Steve... you gotta read the whole ad:

"Description: 1916 DWM Artillery Luger with British proofs and "superb refinish "

You are correct that The original finish would have included strawed small parts...

I know what a Bristish proof is but does a British proof make any difference on the collection value?

Thanks John. No wonder it's so cheap then...

Funny how I read "superb finish", not refinish.... Goes to show you really have to read closely when buying these things.

Steve71, if it's a design Luger, as they say, then the British proof marks should make it fairly valuable. It's my guess that if it wasn't refinished it would be worth a great deal more money.... The Brits never adopted or manufactured the Luger, only tested it.

British proofed Lugers are fairly common, some having been proofed as Vet bring-backs but also quite a few were proofed later in life as they moved through Great Britain on their way to the States. This latter group was in the hands of an American importer, maybe Interarms.

If anything, their value is diminished a bit in the US.

I would have to see some serious provenance documentation to support the "story" that it was some kind of design model of historical signifignace... otherwise, it is just selling hype... for a refinished pistol... to elevate the price to an unsuspecting buyer.

Yeah, that's the way it looked to me too.

Never buy the story, just the gun. ;-)

unless it's MY story, then it must be believable! :D

So what is the right thing to do on a "reblue" gun? You're right, I don't think the story matters. I presume a guy would just keep it for a shooter, but 2K for a shooter seems unwise. My guess is that it would be a good one for Thor to strip and do a "refinish" on. I'm just trying to think of options if a guy doesn't have that "perfect" gun. What do you guys think?

Steve

All depends.... if a "rarer" variation, i.e. I bought a Simson police from a LF member, and paid more for it, you simply don't see Simson Police lugers. An artillery or navy reblue, you simply don't see them as often as a 4 inch, so folks are willing to pay more for them. If refinished well, then that makes a difference too.

To me, I would rather have a rougher shape gun than a reblue, but then you kinda get tired of that rough shaped lugnut and I can see why folks would want it refinished! :)

Ed

Me? I'm passing.

As you say, it's a tad high for a shooter. Then add another $500 + for a refurb.... That's a $2,500 shooter. It would be a pretty shooter, but a shooter regardless.

Steve, might as well drop $2500 on a nice, clean arty eh? ;)

Ed,

I suspect you are right? Back to shopping :)

Steve

Exact-a-mundo!

It's shown up again, this time on GunBroker...

British proofed Artillary

It is still up on GunsAmerica....

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976590796.htm

$1995

I guess he is fishing with more than one rod.

The seller can't even commit to a name for his business. He's playing the field there too. "North-Dixie"? This guy would be one to shy away from. Not that he's not an honest dealer, But............


Ask my friend George Anderson if there's a North Dixie... and then duck.

:D

LOL Ron!! I live in North Carolina. Some of the people here even resent the word "North" in the name of their state.... :p