Inherited Luger -- from WWII
 

My father brought this back from WWII. I was wondering if it appears to have any collectible value ? and how much value ?

Thanks

I also have the case and belt.

Judging by the looks of the side plate, the pistol was buffed way too much before a reblue job. That pretty much puts it into just a shooter category even if all matching. The belt and holster a very nice addition.

I agree with Bob... unfortunately the refinish job dramatically lowered the value of your Dad's Luger to just a shooter. You can enjoy shooting it without worrying about the value...

The holster and the belt on the other hand seem to be in excellent condition.

welcome to the Luger forum.

You wouldn't happen to have any more photos of the belt/holster combo would you? It looks great from here!

What is a "reblue" job ? I am pretty sure my father didn't do anything with the gun after he returned from europe. It sat in his bottom dresser drawer for 60+ years.

A reblue is a re-polish of the metal surfaces, and then reapplication of the chemicals that turn the steel blue in order to reduce the tendency to rust.

If you look at the uneven lines on the sideplate of your Luger and compare them to other photos of the Luger sideplate, you can see that the sideplate on your Luger has been aggressively polished and "blurred" the straight lines made by machining... so much so that the last two digits of the serial number that should be on the exterior of the sideplate are almost invisible...

The other surfaces in your photos are too shiney to have been the original military finish for a P.08 made by Mauser... so this gun had to have been refinished. Perhaps it happened before you were old enough to even know the pistol existed in your household, but it did happen none-the-less.

Compare your photo of the left side with this other byf 41 Luger and see the crisp lines on the sideplate... this gun has the typical military type finish of the time... Yours has changed since being manufactured and issued to the German military.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/41sideplate.jpg

Joe, The holster you show is not for a Luger pistol. It is for a P-38. I am surprised that Went, Tac and John did not spot this little detail! Perhaps they were concentrating on your pistol...Went has no excuse though!
Jerry Burney

Here's another Mauser Luger. A 42 byf that Terry "tacfoley" asked me to post showing clearly defined edges and original salt blue finish.




http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/42_byf.jpg

Mr. TAC.. please check your EMAIL...

:)

I DID notice that the left belt loop on the P.38 holster looks like it has been repaired... but not by Jerry... when Jerry fixes one, you can't tell it has been fixed!

So holster is not for the Luger, there was another pistol. I know the luger was always kept in the holster shown. This is the other gun.

That is a French "MAB" made pistol... probably a .32 ACP or 7.65 Auto caliber...

This is a P.38 that the holster that you have is designed for... the Luger will also fit it comfortably, but if you look on the back of your holster, you should see a P38 stamped into the leather usually on the top right hand side...

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/p38_ac44_8i01.jpg

Both pistols are out of state at my sisters house so I can't see the other side until I go there in a couple weeks. I will take some photos myself.

I don't really know if my father relieve' somebody of the pistol, but I do know both came back with him from europe. The only thing he ever said was that the Luger came off a good man. My father never really talked about the 4 years he spent there. He always said he had no desire to go back.

What he did say was that he fought Rommel troops in N. Africa and ended the war in Como Italy. I think he called it "camp lucky strike"

Would the MAB have much value ?

I have relooked at the MAB and can faintly see 7.65mm on the bottom of the magazine.

As far as I know they are dependable pistols... just hard to get parts for...

Check gunbroker.com and auctionarms.com to see if anyone is selling anything like it to get an idea of value.

:D Hehe too busy admiring the belt, I don't see them very often at all. Having said that, i still had no idea it wasn't a P08 holster :p