First Post - First Luger
 

Greetings all, and Happy New Year to everyone. Well, I finally did it. After years of searching for my first P-08, I found one that spoke to me. I've been reading up on the info in this forum for a long time. There's a wealth of information here that is extremely valuable for us first-timers. Based on that information, I went ahead and made the leap on this 1937 Mauser. I know the grips are not originals and I'm not sure what the magazine is exactly, but I'd really appreciate your feedback on the rest of it. Numbers are all matching, except for the mag of course, and it retains its original finish. Curiosity got the better of me so I had to see how it shot. I only fired 15 rounds, but it grouped extremely well at 12 yards. Again, thanks to all of you for putting together an excellent forum. I hope that after my long search, I've finally stumbled across a good one...

And a few more pictures...
 

Additional details.

Welcome aboard!
You are correct about the grips, they appear to be aftermarket items. And you are also correct on the magazine. I too have no idea from which it came.
The one thing that I did notice is that the stock lug has been removed. That hurts collectability value but if you bought the gun as a shooter for the right price. then it is not an issue.
Congratulations, and enjoy!
dju

That's a beautiful Luger. Congratulations... and welcome to the forum.

The magazine is modern and post-war. Perhaps a Mec-gar?

The galling on the left receiver ear (last picture) is unusual. Is it balanced on the right side? The mark on the rear of the receiver is asymmetric. Not sure what might be causing these things.

Be sure to only use standard velocity 9mm luger ammunition. On these Mauser Lugers there should be 21 turns on the recoil spring.

Check to see if the number "15" is stamped inside the trigger plate.

Not a MecGar..pretty sure it's a triple K.

Altogether quite a nice luger, surely both magazine and grips look too new to be originals, how is the barrel? Those guns were originally tested at 50 metres.

Stock lug anyone?

I did notice the lug issue, but other than that it is in excellent shape. The barrel is perfect, no pitting, no rust and with sharp rifling. About the lug, or lack thereof, not sure why it would be removed, but it seems to have been a good while ago, given that otherwise the wear is pretty consistent around the grip frame. I've seen a few others this way as well. Does anyone know why they would have been modified like this? I can't see it affecting a person's grip. Would it have been done during wartime for some obscure reason?

At one time people in the US were of the impression that a stock lug was illegal. As a result of this misinformation some were removed. Your is one of them. Unfortunately this has a big affect on price, since it really moves it out of a collector luger to a high end shooter. Bill

It is an irrational post-war modification in regards to our ATF's war on "short barrelled rifles" from the Gun Control Act of 1934. As I stated earlier, it does not hurt the function or value of a shooter, however it is a real hit to the value of a collectable gun.
dju