DWM Luger? 1900ish?
 

I have this gun and am trying to find a fair price for it. It seems in very good condition. It is a 30 Luger.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._3041082_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs234...._4387289_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs214....5_455830_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs234...._2417630_n.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7670683_n.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6610498_n.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7833427_n.jpg

The story is this was bought when his great grandfather was in the war (which war he doesn't know) and it has been handed down since, so it is supposed to be over 100 years old. To me (I'm a gunsmith of modern pistols) it seems to be excellent made and in amazing condition. He would like find out more about the pistol, and I'd like to find out what a fair price is, as I wouldn't mind having it. I offered him $500 but he thought it might be worth a $1000, but I have no clue to the "real value."

Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Scott,

Your Luger is a 1920 DWM Commercial ( Alphabet DWM ) with a " r " suffix. It was made in 1926-28 ( a little help here guys! ). It is stamped Germany for export into the US. It is in nice shape, and an asking price of 1000.00 is not unreasonable. If you could talk him down some would be great!!

Mike:D

Thanks! How to you determine the date? I was told by someone else that the date indicated it is 1900-1903.

Loves2shoot, Mike is accurate about the date. It was made definitely later than 1920 and before 1926 or so. The 1900 model lugers look very different....peruse the Forum!

That's why I came here. There are so many variations that it is very confusing. I thought there might be some sort of chart to refer to manufacturers and serial numbers.

Are these pretty common?

PS. should a moderator move this to another era thread or can I? If so where should it go? Thanks again.

Yes there is a chart. Jan Still's "Weimar and Early Lugers" The R series was last 9 months or so of 1928. If they kept to a standard production rate, 4158r should have been late summer-fall of 1928.

Made in both 9mm, or 7.65 mm A difference of some $100-300. The 9 being the more desired.

Probably the most common Luger found in the USA.

FN

Excellent! 7.65mm (30 cal)

Any idea on where to find a value? It is a great piece of machinery. Much better built than most of today's production pistols.

Try: https://www.simpsonltd.com/index.php...fdfdbebfdb1f95

But these people are a bit high. Private sales, deduct 20-30% or so.

1920 commercial = alphabet series.

Here is a 1900 for comparison.

Longer thinner barrel.

No stock lug.

Grip safety.

"Dished" toggle knobs.

There are other differences, but these are the most obvious.

http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_in...fdfdbebfdb1f95

If all matching and I think it probably is worth the $1000, even tho it is 7.65mm

Its a very nice one...

Ed

Is it me, or does the barrel look slightly shorter than standard??

Hmmm... Possibly. I thought the barrel looked fatter than a 7.65, but maybe it's the over all proportions.

FN

It is all matching, my biggest concern initially was the excellent condition for a firearm of that vintage. It does not appear to be modified at all.

I really appreciate all the comments and help, it looks like you have a great forum here.

After checking this one out, I'm sure a few will find their way into my safe. :D

The suffix is a 'p' not 'r'. S#4158p was made late 1926.

By "standard", do you mean 9mm??? if so, yes, it is ~3/16" shorter than the 9mm.

If you are measuring the exposed portion of the barrel, that is from the receiver to the muzzle, the 7.65mm bbl is ~3.00"; the 9mm bbl is ~3 3/16". (This is with a scale & eyeball; not a verniers).

Holding my commercial Luger up to my monitor, the barrel looks right for a 7.65mm.

Closeup pics always look warped. :p

Your being a gunsmith on the newer stuff, you will appriciate the time and craftsmanship that went into making one of these. Definitely "fitted", not assembled. Keep a Luger handy for when a customer starts talking about craftsmanship and quality.
Welcome, and I agree with that $1000 figure. Your gun is exceptional in condition but of common model and less desirable caliber (read expensive to shoot).
dju

In Luger community, yes. In gun community, no. Local gun shops may carry one or two Lugers, most of them do not carry any Luger at all.

If it's not because of Internet, it's hard for me to believe so many Lugers survived, and in this excellent shape.

I've read that after the War, the ferry boat line between France and England had so many war-souvenir Lugers lying on the bottom that you could almost walk across them to England... :D

Probably an exaggeration...but from what I've read, the penalty for a British soldier caught bringing back a war-souvenir pistol was pretty severe...Most decided to chuck them overboard... :crying:

We have a Channel Islands member here...maybe we could coax him into telling some war stories...