FOUND!-Kreighoff # 1002
 

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/dugp08.JPG

<img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> Sorry John D. --- I just couldn't resist! <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

Oh sheeessshhhh...... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

And to think - you're an ADMIN... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

<img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

John, This will be a good test piece. Sell it and we will wait and see how long it takes for this pistol to recycle, be "reworked" and offered as an mint original. This actually happened to a friends Kreighoff. He sold it to a "respectable" dealer at our old Great Western Gun Show. The pistol was decent but had some problems. Lo and behold, several months later it was back in MINT original condition. Sad thing it is in someone's collection and they probably do not have a clue. Jeff

Jeff,

Why not post the gun's serial number?...so folks tracking numbers and condition can record this piece...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

John S, :D :(
How's The Bore ?
<img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> :confused:

ViggoG <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

Uh, yeah, that's right, it's a Kreighoff for sure! I can tell how jealous you guys are! By the way, I'm open to offers! Better than a vet bringback, this one came from the original source!! LOL!! <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />

She's got some minor "bloodpitting", and the sideplate is pretty worn. Jokes aside, I would be cautios, it may be loaded, and the indicator/extractor rotted off. Has the grips, frame and all been sawed in two?

Still cool, Stevie

Nope, she is just as I found her. It's okay though, when I framed it I made sure I pointed the barrel to the side I never stand at. Seriously, Customs held it for a couple days and their "expert" cleared it. Good point though. <img border="0" alt="[blabla]" title="" src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" />

Hi John
Hows she shoot, bet you need a little wd40 and it won't jam.
Ron

Out of curiosity, where did this one come from?
Any history behind it?
John

I found it in a lake in the Czech Republic that the locals were draining several years ago. Adjacent to the lake there is a large field, and at the war's end the German forces were instructed to gather in this field and await orders to surrender to Soviet forces. Alot of equipment and such were dumped into the water that Spring. I have found other than this Luger a P38 and an Ortiges slide, numerous decorations, ect. Like I said, the Luger and P38 are not pretty, but they are perfect for display and no doubt "unmessed with". Can't get over how the handles have preserved so nicely.

Josef, I've also heard stories from Czechs and residents of other Nazi occupied lands, that when there occupiers issued the death penalty for anyone found with a firearm, that many of them ended up in nearby lakes. TH

Has anyone noticed that this gun has a hole drilled in the center of the takedown lever?

Is that typical of any particular model? or year of production?

John,

Since the takedown lever is hollow behind the knurled part, I'd guess that the face of it has just rusted away.

--Dwight

Dwight,

That is possible, but I have seen other Lugers in my time (too long to describe) that had takedown levers that had a drilled hole where this one is... I just never thought to ask before...

Here is a couple more closeups of the P08, the hole in the takedown lever does not look like rust. TH you are correct, it was an automatic death sentence to be caught with a firearm. My great uncle escaped on 9 May from the town jail only becausew of a Soviet air bombardment. He had been randomly searched and was found with a small revolver.

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/closep08001.JPG

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/closep08002.JPG

(post edited by Admin-JS to display photos rather than just the URL)

Hi,

Could this modification have something to do with extreme weather conditions. A hole in the takedown lever would help you to take the gun apart in freezing conditions with similarly frozen fingers (or thick gloves)?

That's an interesting thought. The nose of a rifle bullet could make a handy tool for frozen or gloved hands.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Dwight Gruber:
<strong>John,

Since the takedown lever is hollow behind the knurled part, I'd guess that the face of it has just rusted away.

--Dwight</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Hi Dwight,
this was also my first idea, but then I referred to the drawings and I found that the inner dia is 7.8mm and the outer dia of the knurled part is 9.5mm, this comes to an wall thickness of .85mm.
In pics provided by josef the wall thickness looks much more.
So maybe it is really a special type of take down lever with a smaller hole drilled through the entire knurled knob.
regards
Peter

Ron,

Thanks. I've seen some modifications before that were the result of harsh climate conditions. I remember there was a trigger adaptor for the K98 so it could be fired with gloved hands during extreme winter conditions.

I thought about 'hooking' the extractor tool behind an unmodified takedown lever as alternative, but that doesn't offer enough grip. A rifle bullet (or the tip of a cleaning rod?) does.

If there's any truth behind the theory, these modified takedown levers should be encountered on captured/non-reworked WWII eastern front lugers.

It would be nice to see a non-corroded modified lever, though.