Help with this Erfurt
 

Hi all.
A friend has this Erfurt Luger but he has no clue about its provenance...
It is a 9mm all matching ( except the mag) Luger which apparently mantains almost all its original finish
I don't know nothing about Imperial Lugers so could you help me to identify it please?
Regards
Pedro

If you need some close ups of an specific area just ask for them
Thanks a lot!

Last pics.
Hope you like them and know something about this Luger!
Regards
Pedro

Can you get us some photos in a natural light, such as daylight but not under direct sunshine? To me it is looking like it has been reblued, but need to see photos without flash. Also include the muzzle from the front and closeups of the tiny pin sticking up on the left top side of the round toggle knob?
Thanks.
dju

It's had the year date scrubbed off the chamber and been terribly reblued.

George is correct as usual. Very poor rebluing. Wrong color. Also my bet is restrawed. Might make a good shooter but not a collectible. Bill

Why do re finishers hate dates? You see this type of molestation quite often.

Pedro,

Sorry about the bad news, but the silver lining is that your friend can take this to the range and shoot the wheels off it (as I've heard said...) without worrying about diminishing its value in any way. What can be said about it is that was built before the end of the First World War by the Erfurt Arsenal, under contract to the military. The date over the chamber has been removed, and there's really no way to know now in which year it was made. Each part should have its own little proof, stamped at the factory--down to the grip screws, if I'm not mistaken, and this sets them apart. If your friend's pistol were in original condition, even if it's a little rough, collectors would be all over it!

Is there a notch on the chamber? Maybe it used to be a arty?

Most later Erfurts were manufactured with the notch, whether they were Arties or not.

The bolt is very worn. It even has chips in the front. Shooting it could be dangerous. After all, if injured in range, the cost to "repair" is not a few hundred, or a few thousand. Not mentioning the body suffering. Better having it inspected by a gunsmith for safety.

Well, the notch in front of the chamber and what appears to be a relieved sear bar would date this guns as made between 1916-1918.
As said above it is a shame it was buffed (to the point of erasing the chamber date) and reblued.

Thank you all for the answers!!
As it has already been stated here this Luger worths only its shooting capabilities... his owner has reached one position in the spanish top 10 historical pistols competition with this Luger so at least it doesn't shoot bad at all...
Just a bad thing..he payed 1.4K for it!!!( Which is what usually happens when you don't care about how you spend your money)

Regarding the date... I can't understand why the date was removed from this pistol during the rebluing works.. Any idea about it?
In hand the gun doesn't look bad.. but it is clearly visible that just the upper part ( chamber, toogle, etc) has been heavy refinished

Just about the aceptance proofs and other marks, could we know more about when could it be made?

Regards
Pedro

So, that chip on bolt is not an alarm at all?? highlighted area. Visually, it's broken.

Or, is it some kind of black glue there holding the extractor in place..

I suposse it is not broken.. he usually fires the gun without any incidence.. but I will try to check it with him asap!
Thank you for the help!

The bolt is chipped, not broken. These chips generally would not affect bolt integrity, but with a pistol this old, the fact that it is chipped would tend to indicate deeper problems, such a metal cristalization.

I would certainly have it looked at by a competent gunsmith.

Erfurts seem to be prone to that chipping on the breechblock...I have one just like it and have seen others. Mine doesn't extend very far into the extractor channel, and I've fired it a good bit without it getting worse.

Pedro,

I agree with Doug (alanint).
I always seem to remind people getting cheap shooters, that these old Lugers should never be fired with modern high speed and high power ammunition, because now after almost a century they might have become somehow structurally unsound.
At least have it properly checked by a serious gunsmith first.
Tell your friend not to to risk an injury at the range.
Shoot safe.

Sergio