Need help ID Luger
 

I have inherited this Luger pistol from my grandfather after he passed away recently. I know nothing of the Luger other than it's missing a side plate. Any information about it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forum, Mike. Check out the FAQs for a good start!

It looks like a 1936 S/42 (Mauser's code) that is otherwise matching, so far as the pics show. Condition is a little rough, strawing of small parts pretty much gone.

I'd say if you got yourself a side plate that fit and worked you'd have a dandy shooter!

Thank you for the information. I went to a local gunsmith and asked him about the side plate and he said he possible had one that may work but told me to pry off the little spring thing attached to the sear to make the side plate fit. I hated to remove anything like that without knowing if I'm hurting the pistol

The "Little spring thing" is actually part of a safety device that was used on Lugers used by Police. Any sideplate can be modified to use the pistol as is. It is always better to modify a replaceable part than to modify a pistol...

Check with our member DZ who frequently posts about sideplates for sale or trade. I am sure he may have a Police sideplate that would pop right on, If not DZ, then try LugerDoc (Tom Heller).

I would put some effort into searching the home where your grandfather lived for the original sideplate. Sometimes VETS removed the sideplate to make the weapon "safer" if there were children in the home... He probably put it in a "safe" place... If you find the original sideplate, and it is numbered to the gun... then your Luger will be all-matching numbers, and be collectible, not just a shooter...

+ 1 :thumbup:

The paint is missing from the 'Gesicheit' marking; check where your grandfather kept his gun cleaning supplies (both paint & sideplate may have been removed when cleaning). Or his ammunition cabinet. :rolleyes:

It's not that uncommon to find Lugers with the sideplate removed and hidden as a safety effort...

Don't let anyone touch your Luger unless they have experience fitting parts and know the mechanism well. Your gunsmith apparently has no background working with them. Most gunsmiths will not tell you what they don't know.

You can get a replacement side plate, but it must be fitted to work properly. That fitting task takes experience. Tom Heller on this board is a gunsmith with that experience. I'm sure there are others, but be sure before you let them work on it.

Had you let your gunsmith continue, you'd be looking for a sear bar too...

In 1936, these Mauser made Lugers were finished by rust bluing and several small parts strawed.

Welcome to the forum, the spring attached to your sear indicates this pistol may have been a police service pistol. Examine the pistol for markings which are indications of the police unit. There are experts on this forum who easily ID that kind of info.

I believe the side plate on police Lugers are different than the military in order to accommodate this spring.

Aldo35:)

It does, the police side plate has been cut on the top, a regular side plate will not go on correctly

1936 Police Lugers are rare, only 512 estimated produced. It would be a bad idea to remove the sear safety for this reason. Hopefully you will find the side plate!

Tom

Last night I slowly looked through all the drawers and cabinets trying to find the side plate for the Luger. I did find a side plate and it is marked 07 like the rest of the pistol but it won't fit due to the sear safety. After much information from everyone I looked at pictures and it looks like this side plate I found is not cut out. It seems like my grandfather was also looking for the correct side plate with no avail. I guess I'm back to square one. Any suggestions ?

Since it is the same number, I would modify it to fit the Schiwy safety. Members of this forum, if coaxed with a little candy, could measure the cutout for you to take to a Luger machinist to finish your grandfathers P08. I would recommend Gerry Tomek or Olle Fornehed here on the forum. They both do excellent work. :)

The other option is to remove the safety spring from the sear bar. It is riveted on. I would encourage you to let someone with the correct tools remove it and then make sure that the side plate and firing train are properly adjusted.

Many of these safety modifications were removed by the Germans - it's not that unusual.

The original side plate will have a number related to the first 2 digits of the serial number stamped on the inside. It might be the same digits, or the first two digits plus 1. For your gun, I'd expect to find "61" or "62" stamped inside of the factory original side plate.

I don't own a Luger with this modification, so cannot guide you on fit. Are you sure that it doesn't fit. Perhaps someone can post the correct procedure for re-installing it. It's also possible that your relative acquired this side plate (with the same external sn "07") and was trying to fit it to the gun.

Marc

WAIT on removing the sideplate rivet! Later ones were removed by the East Germans - and I am sure some in the USA because of lost sideplates etc. Once off, that rivet is harder to replace than leaving it alone :)

Here is a 1939 - S/42 (Mauser) police

pictures show the gun with the original cut sideplate and then the next two show a non-cut sideplate and how it won't sit properly
----
Two pictures of original cut sideplate for police sear safety - note, further information is in the FAQ in New Collectors stickies

How about a picture of the side plate from the top!
I expect it is the original and you are just having trouble getting it installed.
The trick is to start from the right side and get the right top corner under the sear safety spring,
then push down, it will have some resistance.

This is likely why the side plate is not on there now! ;)

Don't do anything in haste!

Yes, post a picture of the side plate you have.

This is the side plate I found

I think Sheepherder gave good advice above. Get the side plate modified so it works with the sear safety.

Tom

Thanks for the picture, great example of "matching" number but not "matching" side plate.

It does need cutting to work.

PM me if you want it cut.

Excuse my ignorance on the Luger. But once I get the side plate cut to fit or happen to find a matching number plate what would the value of this pistol be ? I have tried to do more research with the wonderful help of the forum members and the internet but I seem to be overwhelmed with information.

Police Luger
 

You have interesting problems and many helpful suggestions. So here are mine. Send the entire pistol + side plate + magazine to either of the members recommended. Have them not only fit side plate but also "tune up" the pistol.

In addition take clear pics of the front and back straps so that the police unit it was attached to can be ID. It's been mentioned that a 1936 police Luger is very rare so this would interesting too.:cheers:

Aldo35

PS Keep looking you may find more gems!