Mystery 1939
 

Hello all, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to Lugers as well. I collected P38s for a while and have moved on to these beauties. I picked up a 1939 Luger recently as a shooter. Most numbers seem to match except for the following: take down lever (no number), extractor (no number), toggle link (DWM and no number), and firing pin (no number). That's what I can tell, anyway. Bore is good with some roughness but rifling is strong. Also looks to have been reblued over pitting.

Interestingly, the gun seems to be devoid of most proof marks. All I can find is what looks like a crown over B on top behind the toggle and another of the same on the bolt above the serial number. No Waffenampts on the slide or anywhere else.

Here's my guess: At some point the DWM toggle link was added (not right for a 1939 Luger) as well as the other un-numbered parts to replace damaged or corroded parts. The gun was polished down, removing the proofing marks (again, likely due to corrosion), and the gun was reblued. As you folks know more than I do on this subject, could you confirm, refute, or add to this? Just trying to learn more about this gun. Thank you in advance.

BTW: paid $850 for it. Fired it the other day, and it’s a tack driver.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps6032690f.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps8d0fad6e.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps51ceca50.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps9a4f833c.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...psd25e1994.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps76732e59.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...psb9f57d71.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps39d5cd60.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ps0446be9f.jpg

Most Lugers are... inherently accurate by design! I have seen Lugers with a bore that looks like the inside of a sewer pipe cut clover leaf patterns at 50 feet.... the design is amazing.

Congrats on your acquisition...

Hi Brian, and welcome to the forum.

So, good news is that your frame is Mauser made, as is the receiver. The parts with a crown/B proof are most likely Erfurt parts. That looks like it would be the rear toggle and the breech block.

The frame has the Mauser "hump" at the rear, which confirms it's made by them.

The metal does look heavily polished.

These Mauser made frames, receivers and barrels have some of the best metallurgy available in Lugers. It is sure to make a fine gun for shooting.

Congradulations!

Marc

Hey Brian, welcome aboard. I have not been here long, but long enough to know that this forum has a truly helpful cast of characters. Also an extremely respectful group.

And pictures on your first post - you're in! Awesome luger, they are fun to shoot, eh?

Chris

Thanks for the responses, guys. Much appreciated. It's great fun to shoot. More enjoyable than my "shooter" P38. Though the sites on the Luger are miniscule in comparison. But if I do my part it out shoots the P38 by a wide margin. Looking forward to posting more on the forum, especially with new acquisitions!

-Brian

Brian
Nice shooter. Welcome to the Forum and the addiction. Bill

Everyone should have at least one "shooter" just so they can fully appreciate these handguns. You did good.

Make sure to shoot only standard 9mm in your pistol. Preferably Winchester white box. That DWM/Erfurt toggle train will not hold up to hot loads.
Welcome aboard!

Welcome to the forum Brian.

Nice looking shooter, Brian! Glad to hear it functions well and is accurate. Decent price, too. Thanks for the clear pictures.

Now you just need to bump into a guy who has a DWM P08 with an S/42 toggle train who's looking to make his shooter period correct. Stranger things have happened! :)

Hey guys, another question. I'm looking to replace the front toggle link with a period correct one. Since it's a 1939 with a serial number of 1369 and what looks like a v suffix (see photos). I would want an S/42 coded link, correct? I believe I read there were 42 and S/42 codes used in 1939, so I want to be sure. Strangely, it looks like the rear toggle may be correct as the two digit number on there matches the serial number on the gun (69). The photo doesn't show that number very well. Would a 1939 rear toggle have a crown over B proof? Hmmmm.

Brian,

Welcome to this Forum made by "Luger" enthusiasts.
I agree that every Luger collector shoud have at least one "shooter", and I think you've got a nice gun.
Be careful to use only standard 9 mm cartridges as in my opinion as a shooter I would prefer a more recent Mauser P.08 in extremely sound conditions and with a modern magazine.
IMHO.

Safe shooting!

Sergio