What do I have here?
 

Hello Gentlemen,

I was just given this Luger last night. My Grandfather brought this back with him from WWII. Other than that, I don't know anything about it and I want to learn as much as possible.

Any comments would be apreciated, but I definitely would like to know the following.

Why the double date stamp? Was this originally built in 1914 and then rebuilt in 1920?



Thanks,

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...6/IMG_0608.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...6/IMG_0607.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...IMG_0604-1.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...IMG_0611-1.jpg

Any help at all?

HI MIke,

Welcome to the forum.

You have a 1914 DWM, from WWI, that was restamped during the Weimar era. The 1920 is actually a Reichswehr property stamp, not a re-date. We'd love to see more pics. Especially the acceptance marks on the rt side of the receiver.
FN

Mike, welcome to the forum.

not much more I can say, 1914 would have been at the beginning of WW1...

You are more than welcome to ask any questions; but searching around is fun and the FAQ has a lot of info in it too; http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=13121


ed

Thanks Ed,

I have been searching, but maybe I am not using the right words.

Any idea why the double date stamp?

yes, i do.

the first (oldest) is the date, then in 1920, a lot of weapons were being stolen and resold (rampant unemployment, etc in germany); so the Reichswehr came out with a decree that all military owned weapons (pistols, stocks, all kinds of items) were stamped 1920. So technically it is a property stamp and not a date.

BTW, that approx answer is in the FAQ, the link I gave you ;)
ed

Thanks, I did not see your link (using a Blackberry)

Its fine, just doing the mod thing of reminding and pointing people to the right place...


Ed

Welcome to the forum! Hey - If you were trying to redact the last 2 digits of the serial # in pic 3, those two digits show up on the small parts in the first 2 photos. Nice gun. Congratulations!

Clark

Hi Mike, and welcome to the forum.

I can't see the detail because it's not in focus, but your magazine is not contemporary to the pistol. The aluminum bottom magazines were introduced later, in the early 1930s through 1942, with the Russians/East Germans continuing them after WW-II.

You've got a nice looking Luger that looks to be in its original finish. Keep it that way! If you haven't cleaned and lubricated it, do it now and do it carefully. If you remove the grips, be particularly careful not to chip the left one near the safety lever.

If all the numbers on parts match (4 digits or the last 2 digits) consider not firing it, since breaking a part will considerably reduce it's historic value and interest to collectors - not that you're going to give up your Grandfather's Luger... Check to see if any of his papers can be found - if he received the normal authorization from his unit officer, you'll want to get his "bring back papers" that list this gun's serial number.

In this community, most members don't worry about making serial numbers known - in fact, this often helps some of the studies being done by collectors here.

DWM was the company that Georg Luger worked for when he developed the Parabellum Pistol. They made a good quality product, and your pistol has been part of three eras in Germany. With your Grandfather, you are literally holding history in your hand!

Marc

Thank you,

The number 48 is stamped on all of the parts that I have been able to find, so I have to believe it has all matching pieces.

I am going to clean it when I get back home and examine the grips to see if I can get them tighten up using the "O" ring method.

I don't plan on shooting it...

I know for a fact that it was brought back with him from WWII, along with some grenades, a Nazi Helmet and a K98(since stolen)

Why would the import stamp make this more unlikely?

Also,

The markings below, any ideas?



http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...6/IMG_0623.jpg

Can you tell me more about the 4 markings on the right side of the receiver. I looked at all the markings in the stickys but could not find anything to match?

Looks like the left grip has already been chipped?

Your Luger has an export stamping ["Germany"] on it, meaning it was intended to be sold outside Germany...Not likely a 'bringback' [war souvenir] would have this stamp...

Sometimes a small flat fiber washer will serve to tighten up the grip panel too. Regardless, don't rely on over-tightning to secure the grip panel.
dju

I recommend the use of an appropriately sized neoprene O-ring on the screw to help remove the looseness of old original grips that have shrunken with aging. These are usually available in any hardware store or "home depot" type place. The neoprene gently crushes when the screw is tightened and helps immobilize the grip.

I do not recommend shooting Lugers with the original grips. Whether wood or bakelite, they are 60 to 100+ years old and usually brittle and may crack from the recoil impulse... get yourself some repro grips just for shooting and keep the originals safe...

This pistol is a good example on how finely finished the 1914s were. Very smooth metal prep.

I know for a fact that it was brought back with him from WWII, along with some grenades, a Nazi Helmet and a K98(since stolen)

Why would the import stamp make this more unlikely?

Also,

The markings below, any ideas? They don't seem to match the DWM proof markings exactly?



http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...6/IMG_0623.jpg

If you know that for a fact, then just ignore my remark. :) Ed Tinker here on the Forum collects stories about 'bring backs'; if you have one about the war booty your granddad brought back, he would be interested... :thumbup: