Well...Now I've done it...
 

Having just bought my new 1937 S/42 only a few weeks ago (and still haven't told the wife about the expenditure), I went out and bought ANOTHER Parabellum. I decided to hearken to the wise and infinitly more experienced sages here and buy a 2nd pistol to act as a shooter, and thus spare my original Luger.
I picked up a "mostly" matching 1917 DWM (all except trigger plate, locking bolt, and, naturally, the magazine) for under $700 off of GB. I will post additional pics after I recieve it (sent off the FFL info today).
I am not under any illusions as to what sort of shape a $700 Luger will bring these days, but it was said to be very mechanically sound. Depending on the BBL and piting, I am going to consider having a nice restoration done on it. If it's all pited and "icky", I think I'll give it a coat of Moly-Resin and consign it to field duty.
Here are some pics:


http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/2b.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/3b.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/5b.jpg

As it is already mis-matched, I think I'll replace the pitted trigger IF I deem it worth a restoration. Right now I'm just tickled as punch to get a 1917 DWM as a shooter for pretty cheap! This is the year and make I was initially searching for when I decided to get back into Lugers earlier this year.
Now comes the two hardest parts...The Waiting (ala T. Petty), and the Wife seeing the Credit Card Statement...(I don't know if that's ever been a song, but it'll be a new Country/Western hit after:

She shot him down dead,
for buying a Luger off the 'net.

Sorry...That's why I've never been a Country star, but now I have two Lugers. Anyone want to bet on if I can stop?

no, you're hooked :D I have found that although I get into trouble, admitting my luger infedility keeps me out of a lot more trouble than when she used to find out (usually by hearing me tell a friend on the phone about what I bought and she hears me ;))

Nice police holster BTW


Ed

The holster is marked:

(Between the loops)
Robert Larsen
Berlin

(and over on the side)
L.D. 62

I didn't know it was a Police holster. I knew it wasn't wartime, but that is interesting. I figured a shooter with any holster in good shape was worth the $675 I paid for it.
:cheers:

The holster has a good marking on it. Landj�¤gerei (Rural Police) D�¼sseldorf District weapon 62. Landj�¤gerei marked holsters are much less common than Schutzpolizei (Municipal Police) marked holsters.

My wife overheard a phone conversation with another forum member recently. She stuck her head in and asked, "How much did you pay for a @%*(%# pistol?" My response was, "Hon, it's worth twice what I paid for it." She mumbled something about having a Bay Window installed as she walked away. I'm thinkin' there's going to be a big hole in the living room wall soon.:rolleyes:

Ron

ahhh, you got this pistol fast. I asked the seller for pictures, figured if the holster was intact, the holster itself was worth $150-$200...

If you have the holster with you, can I see pictures of it? Appears to be a police holster with an army luger, tsk, tsk

I had previously bid on it, and not met the reserve when the auction ended. When he relisted it, he put a "Buy It Now" price of exactly what I had previously bid, so I took that as an omen to snap it up. I'm glad I didn't hesitate.

Here is a close up of the rear of the holster:
http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/8b.jpg

All these pics are the ones the seller sent me. As soon as I take possession, I will take some nice clear close ups and post them.

http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/6b.jpg

Still haven't recieved this Luger from the seller. Not his fault, the ridiculous shop I'm having it sent to here in town hadn't even sent the signed FFL to him as of yesterday when I called!!! The seller had notified me that he had recieved my cashiers check, but nothing from the FFL dealer, so I called and while I was on the phone, I could hear the guy rumaging through papers until he finally proclaimed "Oh yeah...Here it is. Sorry!"
Grrrrr! This is enough to make me consider getting a Curio & Relic license!
It must be Luger kharma coming back to me for angering so many here on this board with my previous posts.
Depending on its shape when I get it, I am thinking of having John Lawson up in Tacoma re-blue and re-straw it. I gather he has quite a reputation as a master pistolsmith in general, but has anybody here ever used, or seen his work with Lugers?

Next time I would take an addressed stamped envelope to the shop, ask for a copy of a signed FFL and then drop it in the mail yourself. If he's not agreeable to that, then leave him the envelope and ask him to mail it ASAP.

'I could hear the guy rumaging through papers until he finally proclaimed "Oh yeah...Here it is. Sorry!"

Doesn't stuff like this burn you up? How can anybody be that disorganized and stay in business? Like Mr. MOPAR (with his 383) says above, get the paper from the FFL and mail it yourself in the same envelope with the money order.

I always have a couple copies of my guys FFL handy and mail it with my payment. If you live in a state where a C&R is allowed to receive handguns it is definatly worth it and you get dealer discounts on purchases from Midway and Numerich to name a few, if you mail in a copy and register on their web as a dealer.

Finally got it. Here are some pics. It's pretty rough, at least in terms of remaining finish. There is some small pitting on the frame, and the trigger is shot (though I knew that going in, and it's not matching, so I don't care about replacing it). The grips are worn and missing the portion behind the safety. The barrel is very pitted inside, but has plenty of rifling left. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. You can follow my deliberations on the subject here:
My 1917 DWM P08 shooter...

http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/d8.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/d3.jpg

As I mentioned in another thread, I haven't decided if I am going to reblue it, moly-resin it, or just leave it alone.
I haven't gotten it out to the range yet, so that will be the deciding factor. If the pitted barrel is bad enough to adversly effect accuracy, I'm going to rebarrel it, but then I need to decide if it's 4" or 6" time...What a can of worms YOU guys have gotten me into...

The accuracy will surprise you... since the trigger doesn't match you can file down the sides so the pits don't show so bad and just cold blue it... A nice set of reproduction grips and you should be all set.

Your sideplate and takedown lever appear to be factory new replacements?

Good luck.

They sure aren't original, but with my limited knowledge of Lugers I couldn't tell you if they are reproductions, or actual German parts, or what. Neither is numbered, but you can clearly see the different finish.
I am very excited about this old piece. More so than my much nicer S/42 for some reason. Maybe it's the obvious history shown in the wear, versus the apparently seldom fired 1937 piece. I don't know, but I am quickly growing very fond of this tired puppy.

That tired old puppy has a whole bunch of fun left in it.

I wouldn't change a thing on it except to make if function, has a lot of character the way it is IMO, have fun with it whatever you decide to do.

By the time you have it restored and replaced the grips you will have enough money in it to have bought a nice matching piece to begin with. Don't waste your money, leave it strictly alone, and when you decide to part with it you will get your money back and probably more.

Ah! An astute observation, Herr Aaron, but one which belittles the fact that THEN I would have an almost as new pistol WHICH I could shoot WITHOUT the guilt of worrying about shooting that same said matching numbered, collectors piece. I was LAMBASTED in another thread for suggesting such a crime, and have come around to recognizing the sins of my (evil) ways. As such, is it not worth the money (I have read here that you can always get more) to restore such a piece to it's former glory? Even if it is "just a shooter"?
I don't know if I will, but I have a tendency to get sentimental about such things, and unfortunatly in this particular case, I can see the pro's to both sides of the coin, restore or not restore, and thus my dilema is further compounded...
As this baby is pretty rough, I doubt I will spend much on a re-bluing...unless I re-barrel it, which I have thought of (faux Navy???!!!)
I am going to the local GoonShow tomorrow, and am hoping to see a man about a wallaby...er, uh...see a man about possibly refinishing this pistol. I have asked for experiences and recommendations about John G. Lawsen's work here, and haven't heard anything pro or con, but he seems to carry a favorable reputation elsewhere on the net, and he's local, and told me he'd be at this show, so...off I go!
Regardless of what I decide to do with this P08, I am very glad it found its way to me, and am proud to act as coustodian of it until I hand it off to one of my still pre-school lads one day far in the future.

http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/d4.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/d1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/d5.jpg
Merry Christmas!!!:D

Zamo, those preschollers grow up, leave the house and you wonder where the heck they went. Mine is 25 now, almost 26...

And I already told him he gets a few rep pieces, the rest are being sold to ensure my happiness and everlife on the new frontier 40 years from now :D

AND, as an added bonus! Some of you folks showed a bit of interest in the Polizei holster it came with, and I promised more pics accordingly. Never let it be said I am anything but a man of my word (even when it sometimes gets me in trouble). Here are a few pictures. I haven't been able to make out the date, though you can see a 2 in the decade slot, and what looks like either a 3, a 5, a 6, or an 8 or 9 (ha! how's that for covering all the bases!) in the ones column. All that I can see is a rounded bottom, hence the great possibility of digits. The many rayed proof below that is slightly visible in certain light, and it looks like a cross strap on the front of the flap may be missing. There is a persons name written inside, but it is all but invisible to the naked eye, and I only found it after looking at the photos I took. William L. (somebody). See...?
http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/h5.jpg
Some cracking is apparent, but I'd say it's not bad, but I'm no expert.
http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/h4.jpg
Stitching looks very nice all over. Here you can see my dating dilema...There is a date there...somewhere...
http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/h3.jpg
Missing cross-strap?
http://home.comcast.net/~dbweb1903/g...1917dwm/h1.jpg
Can't tell if this is William the G.I. or William the gendarme. Though I'd put my money on the former. I doubt a disciplined Deutsches Polizeimann would scrawl his name on a piece of issue so haphazardly. Only Americans are so reckless, bold, and self centered. Yee Haw! :roflmao::cheers:

Zamo -

The name may become more visible under short wave ultra violet light.

Mauser720 - Ron