Naval Luger inquiry
 

This 1906 DWM Luger was left to me by my father who had obtained it in post-war Japan when he was part of the occupation forces under MacArthur. The barrel has been “dinged” in what I believe was an attempt to decommission it. I fired it back in the early 1970s and it’s very inaccurate. We used to play “Army” with it when we were kids in the 60s.

I was given some history of it at a gun show in Birmingham, Alabama, back in 1985 and recently read a much more thorough one at:

http://www.phoenixinvestmentarms.com...gouvkiau06.htm

Due to its rarity, I imagine that it’s probably worth more what I’ve assumed and will need to purchase insurance for it. Does anyone have a ballpark estimate as to its worth?

This pistol was a gift from my now deceased father and I have no intention of selling it regardless of its worth.

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Bob Tucker

Hi Bob,
Welcome to the forum! Your father left you a very rare and valuable gun. The Gouv./Kiau unit mark is the most desirable of all Imperial Navy unit marks. It signifies the garrison in Kiauchou, Imperial Germany's colony and naval base on the Chinese mainland. The Gouv./Kiau marking is frequently faked, but yours looks genuine to me. I maintain a data base of all known surviving Navy Lugers and would like to include yours, so please let me know it's serial number with suffix letter if present.
If you would like a link to the Navy List send me your email address by private message on the forum.
Regards, Norm

I took out your email as a tag - not a good idea, please PM or email folks

was a bit puzzled why you put in phoenixarms, but guess you found one like it?

Bob,
nice luger. Few "stories" match the circumstances- but yours sounds entirely plausible- as the Chinese likely confiscated the pistol from the Germans, then Japanese likely liberated the pistol from the Chinese, and then the US from the Japanese! At least it was found in the correct hemisphere. ;)

I'm not much of a believer in insurance- other than a good safe!

The fact that it was the Japanese and not the Chinese who captured the German Naval base at Kiauchou is pretty good confirmation of the history of your pistol.

The marking on the side indicates it belonged to the 4th company of the 3rd Seebatallion. The barrel ding is unfortunate, but it still remains a rare pistol.

Hi Norm,

The Luger is in a friend's safe but I'll send the serial number next time I see him.

Thanks,

-BT

The grip safety is broken and I'd like to have it disassembled, fixed, and cleaned by someone with the necessary skills to do so. Any suggestions?

Also, any suggestions as to its worth?

In what way is the grip safety broken?

I don't think these sell often enough to be able to give a value.
What it might sell for depends on many factors- as I'm sure you are aware.:thumbup:

It doesn't spring back into the extended (away from the grip) position.

The spring may be broken, or it might simply be disabled. A lot of them were disabled while the Imperial navy still owned them. Post a good clear photo of the left side of the grip with the wooden grip removed.

There is a better than even chance it is just assembled wrong. I have seen more grip safety Lugers than I can remember that were assembled without engaging the lug of the grip safety to the spring.
Many years ago I bought a "broken" 1900 AE at a discount only to find out after I got home that there was nothing wrong with it.
Ron

BT, As mentioned above, please check that the inside tab of your grip safety is aft of the spring, to provide pressure to return it to the rear. If your spring is missing or broken, I did have some good copies made @$50 postpaid. TH

Thanks for the advice. I'll check these things out when I visit my friend who is keeping the pistol in his gun safe.