Old Model
 

Just received Old Model S/N 17590. Finish is gone, mainspring has been substituted for a blacksmith's fabrication and firing pin, also a blacksmith's fabrication, is broken. All numbers matching including grips, which are very thinned with no checkering left (although its remnants can still be seen) and have been tinted black.

Other than this, the pistol is in great shape. I would appreciate your opinions. I would also appreciate your recomendations on (i) whether I could/should restore the grips (with an expert you could recommend) or try to find original used grips to substitute the originals, (ii) should I reblue?, (iii) what is the correct original thickness of the mainspring blades, (iv) can an original mainspring be found?, (v) can an original firing pin be found? and (vi) can an original used magazine with unmarked wooden bottom be found? I have already written to Mr. Heller for help.

Thanks and best regards,

stlll a nice one, thanks for posting

Pretty nice gun. I have an original mainspring for $100 unless you can find a better deal. Send me a private message if you are interested. Hugh Clark can work miracles with your grips. Probably should hold off on refinishing the gun...it looks fairly appropriate for its age and I doubt that a restoration would increase its value all that much. I bet Tom Heller will come up with an appropriate magazine...it should have a wooden base without any markings. Good luck.
Ron

Nice gun. You might also want to replace the missing Toggle Latch Catch

Tom Heller has had those for sale also.

i would not refinish it - grips yes or some other grips

Ed

Thanks to all! Ron: I may very well thankfuly accept your offer on the mainspring. I will be back to you. Alanint: Can you clarify/teach me what the Toggle Latch Catch is and where I can get one?

My pleasure.
If you look at photograph number eight that you posted, (full right side view of the gun), look just below the knurled, dished toggle handle. The toggle handle has a spring loaded latch, which should hook into a corresponding catch in the frame. That empty slot in your frame just below the toggle latch once held this catch. Yours is missing and needs to be replaced in order for the gun to be correct and complete.

Thanks! I will ask Tom Heller. Does anyone know of other possible sources in case Tom does not have one available?

Best regards,

thanks for posting- since the numbers are so close it shoudnt be reblued imho.
nice 01

Rugger,
First of all, congratulations for your Luger.
Well, the people said everything on the previous postos: get a new pair of grips (or have them sent to Hugh Clark), a correct magazine (wood bottom) and Ron's mainspring and DO NOT REFINISHED the gun. Its finish turned into an attractive (at least to me) gray patina, and any work on it won't improve its value. You'll see that it will lokks fine with the new/refurbished grips and new mag.

Douglas.

old main springs on eBay as well :

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EARLY-GERMAN...item256fbbfaa1

The main spring is a rare item.

Do 9m/m "fat barrel" and 7,65m/m "pencil barrel" share the same main spring? They are supposed to have different spring constants....

Restraw it and then antique the new straw back to about 40%. It will look right at that level. The grips can be recheckered.

No.. the straw and grip match the overall condition well. "Enhance" them would make this one unbalanced. Unless redo everything, it's better just replacing broken & missing parts to make it serviceable. The wrong left panel screw and magazine bottom are less important from functional point of view, probably can be left alone.

Nice patina. Keep it real.

I agree with the course of not taking action, except for replacing the blacksmithed parts with original and finding a toggle latch catch for it. One of my shooters is an '06 AE. It will never be a valuable collectible due to the replacement of the bbl. Its grips were not numbered, and because the right grip's checkering was incorrect and the left grip was, as yours, worn almost smooth, I felt compelled to swap out the right one for a crisper one from Hugh Clark, and freshen the left one. All has worked out OK so far, but still, in the back of my mind, I miss the smoothness of the grips the way they were. They had an indefinable charm for me, it turns out. Had the checkering been the proper number of lines per inch, I might have left them completely alone and shot/enjoyed it just that way, or plopped on an aftermarket pair.
If you work on the grip situation, I'd vote for another pair in addition to what's on it. To me, these display the honest wear the pistol has borne, and a display of such cannot be brought back, particularly if refreshed.
MHO
DP

Both parts of the 7.65mm laminated leaf spring are the same thickness. The front leaf on a 9mm spring (the longer one with the hook on the end) is 50% thicker than the rear spring, which is the same thickness as a 7.65mm spring.

ithaccartist:
I miss the smoothness of the grips the way they were. They had an indefinable charm for me, it turns out


David, I completely agree with this statement, a few years ago I purchased a 1906 AE that was well used and the grips were also very worn, even smooth in a few spots, the pistol had a certain charm that I just couldn't resist and I wouldn't change a thing on it.

Lon

Miguel, I do also have the toggle lock catch part in stock @$50. I feel that your M1900 is certainly worthy of repair, but would not advise refinishing. TH