Rebuild a Stock Lug?
 

Can the stock lug be replaced on an Artillery Luger that was ground off for importation?

Yes, but it certainly would not be inexpensive...

You would have to have a master crafts metal worker either build up the bottom of the rear grip strap with sufficient welding and then have the weld machined to produce the new stock lug followed by having at least the grip frame refinished... a complex problem, but not impossible.

Another alternative would be to find a junk Luger frame that perhaps had the top damaged so as to be unusable and then have the appropriate part of the grip strap with the stock lug transplanted by welding, and refinishing...

Resurrecting and restoring a shootable Artillery model to original condition certainly sounds like a worthwhile project to me... Might as well send it to Thor for the finish restoration and do it right while you are at it...

I would love for whoever does it to take photos of the process in stages and allow them to be posted here for all to see... keep us advised of what you do with your artillery. and good luck.

So, to me, it is possible, but hardly worthwhile [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

One of those, I can do it because I want to... It could never be anything more than a "restored" Luger, so unless it has family history or you want to try your hand on it...

You can buy a frame from Sarco for $80 and switch them out! Most all with have stock lugs on them!

thor,

In order for Scard to use the resulting "artillery Luger" with a stock legally, it would have to have been a replacement frame from a genuine Artillery Luger...

If it is only to be used as a long barreled pistol that looks like an artillery, then a stock lug isn't even necessary... The ideal situation would be for Sarco to hand pick a frame with a serial number that was reliably known to be within recorded Artillery Luger production. Then and only then would the resulting "artillery" Luger be considered Legal with a stock...

If he can get Sarco to cooperate, then he could build his FrankenArtilleryLuger to be legal for a stock, and save the existing grip frame that has had the stock lug shaved off for use in building a shooter with any barrel length of his choice including a BABY... (how long has Mr. Clark had your Luger now ? [img]smile.gif[/img] )

Another consideration is whether or not the Luger as it is now is all matching numbers... reworking or restoration of the stock lug would then have some meaning with regard to it's value... less than an unaltered Artillery, but more than just a parts gun made from the parts of different Lugers.

Whether it is 'worth it" or not is purely a personal decision...

True you are regarding the Arty frame! I aint telling about der baby! (you never mess up our source of good Luger help)

I know of a couple of people who have restored artilleries by welding on the stock lug from a "scrap" frame. If properly cut and some care is taken in welding (preferrably TIG, but one gunsmith used plain old acetylene!), the end result looked very good externally.

I heard that the baby lugers had their grip/frames cut down and re-welded for a smaller 7-shot magazine.

Could this also be done; taking the bottom off a trash luger with a stock lug and then cutting and replacing the luger in question with this recycled section of the trash luger...?

You don't have to cut all the way through the grip as you would do to make a Baby Luger. To replace the stock lug, it is only necessary to cut out the rear grip strap above and below the lug.

Gosh you guys are smart! you never cease to amaze me! <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />
Brandon

If you can not find anybody locally to do the cutting and tig welding let me know as we have done the same for others in the forum.
Neil

I have seen some of Hub's work, I highly recommend it if you go this route! <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

Hub's the man if you need a frame welded, superb work! <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

JS,
What would a frame with a serial number that was reliably known to be within recorded Artillery Luger production BE? Do you have any idea of the artillery serial number range for 1916 be? Finding a new fram seems to be the easyest way for now?

Some production figures are available in the technical info pages of the homepage http://www.lugerforum.com

I do no personally have records containing production by serial numbers, but some members here do. Perhaps one of them could give an accurate answer to your question about appropriate serial number ranges for 1916 Artillery Lugers...

I doubt that you'll ever find a published serial number range for Artillery lugers, as it is my understanding that they we mixed in with the normal 4" barrel PO8 production. Tom H.

Tom; wouldn"t this allow any frame from a 1916 DWM to be used as an artillery model?
Lonnie

Lonnie, I don't know about "allowing" it, but it would certainly make it difficult for ATF to prove that it wasn't an original artillery Luger... [img]biggrin.gif[/img]