battlefield dug luger
 

Hello everyone. I have my first Luger. It is intriguing to me because it is almost out of battery as if had misfired and the trigger is frozen to the rearmost position. It was dug from a field in Germany, exactly where I do not know. The bbl seems to be only 3.5 inches and it has the DMW? scroll on the top. The serial number is without prefix or suffix 113 stamped under the bbl and on the front of the frame. I do not believe it is a 9mm but more than likely the 7.65 caliber. I get the feeling that the person holding it was killed during battle and died firing it, possibly limp wristing the last shot thereby failing to eject. Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated regarding my first and only "Luger".

Can you post pictures?

I have made a photo album and have been able to load two photos so far. i am having trubs.

Interesting find, thanks for sharing :)
Looks like someone has tried to disemble it, takedown lever looks like it has taken a beating downwards and the sideplate looks out of place. Perhaps it the upper was placed out of battery at the same time..
I do not think it jammed this way during battle, it's not common for it to just get stuck in the rear posision without a case stuck at the chamber.
Perhaps you can post a photo of the extractor? It is found on top of the chamber and would indicate if there is a round inside the chamber or not.. The main spring is under tention.

Interesting.

Barrel measurement is properly muzzle to breechface, this looks like 4" to me. Almost assuredly 9mm.

You might want to find someone to x-ray it for you, it would be good to know if there are still live rounds in the magazine. This would also show the configuration ofthe internal parts, and explain the curious state of the action.

--Dwight

Thank you very much for your input. I find it a captivating curiosity. I don't think I did too bad for twenty five dollars.

Hi Kurt, Welcome to the Forum. Are you sure your gun is marked DWM? As I'm sure you know, there are no WW1 battlefields on German soil. If it was found in Germany it would be a WW2 relic. Regards, Norm

Yes Sir, thank you. It was late and I wrote the wrong letters down.

I do have a French revolver that my grandfather took from a German he killed. I don't know if it would be proper to display the photo here.

Sure show the revolver too and for $25 you have an interesting piece of history. Too bad you do not know where it was recovered.

using my handy dandy digital caliper, the bbl length from crown to stop is 3.841 which would leave just enough room for head and primer of a stuck case. the widest inside bbl diameter is .305

Hi,

It is not uncommon to find guns in this condition. It was the easiest way to render them useless after capture: Set them on fire.

The round in the chamber probably cooked off.

That Luger is pretty intact for a ground dug piece. Soak that puppy in Kroil for a month or two and you might actually be able to disassemble it.

I agree with Ron. It has more the aspect of a barn find than a ground dug.

I'm not doubting the story but admiring the condition.

Oh, you are probably correct. A history teacher at my old high school had it. He got it from a friend long ago and "thought" he had dug it up. The only thing for sure was that it was in Germany where it was found. So if you guys think it was a "barn" find you are probably correct. I have been astounded at the knowledge here. Kroil huh, I was wondering if I might be able to do something like that. Thank you all again.

I talked to a vet who had a Luger someplace where he was not supposed to.
Some MPs started hassling some guys ner him and he said he field stripped his and threw the pieces in different directions.

Wonder if some guy was fooling with this one, couldn't get it back together right, and tossed it in disgust.

Sometimes there were literally piles of these things.