What Do I Have ?
 

Can anyone help me figure out what i have?
What I know: It is a Luger, It has the swiss cross / sunburst on it, it is stamped in a number of places with a crown / B / crown / U, there is a 40 stamped on the back, and the serial number is stamped on the bottom of the barrel and the front of the trigger guard, DWM is stamped on the top. I have pictures but i do not know how to post them.

I will try to add the photos i took. There are not many markings but i hav not taken the gun apart. The 40 on the back is the last 2 digits of the serial number.

Hello Barry,

Welcome to the Luger Forum !

A few questions that will help us all zero-in on your luger :

What is the barrel length ?

What caliber (i.e. 30 luger or 9 mm) ?

What type of toggles knobs does it have ? Dished or flat ? (M1900 vs. M1906 and latter...)

What is the full serial number ? You can leave in an "x" or two....(i.e. 206x or 215xx)...This will help us find out exactly what year your pistol was made.

With what you posted, so far, you may have a M1900 Commercial Swiss (i.e. with BUG proofs).

Regards,

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

Ithas dished toggels. It is 7.62 MM or .30 cal. I have not measured the barrel but i would guess it is about 6". I emailed the pics to Edward Tinker so they should be posted soon. The serial number is 5240.

Admin: here are the pictures, Jim, they are very small, can you provide larger versions? Did your software (Microsoft suggest you make them smaller? If so, ignore that and send larger images).

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/9323.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/9324.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/9325.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/9326.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/9327.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/9328.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/9329.jpg

Jim, see pictures above,

Ed

As far as I can see from the small photos, it looks to be a Model 1900 Commercial Swiss, made by DWM, in .30 cal with a 4-3/4" barrel...in very decent shape.

Looks like you have a very nice luger...Barry !

Looks like it has the Swiss-modified "u" shaped rear sight notch and a Swiss-replaced blued, reinforced extractor.

I have emailed Barry to send large jpegs and I will post them for better presentation...

The 24th. edition of the Gun Blue Book Values on page 924 list a M1900 Swiss Commercial at :

98% finish - $ 3,750.00
95% finish - $ 3,000.00
90% finish - $ 2,450.00

+ 15% premium if luger has a wide trigger

Note: These values may be low as the Blue Book has tended to be with luger pricing for the past 2-3 years...

Regards,

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

Sorry, Ed...

I was so busy squinting at the small photos I missed reading your text...

I was also trying to give Barry some advice/help via the PM for a day or so...as well.

Hope we get new photos...I think his Swiss luger looks exciting !

Regards,

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

Did you say something Ed? :D

How come Ed stopped posting to the LugerForum? Anyone heard from him over the past few days?? Also - belboy - NICE Pictures!!! Can you provide larger versions? Did your software (Microsoft suggest you make them smaller? If so, ignore that and send larger images)

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

Barry's photos...some of the original were a bit out of focus...


http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry8_large.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry7_large.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry6_large.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry5_large.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry4_large.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry2_large.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry1_large.jpg

Barry, do you have other jpegs that you could send ? I would be happy to post more for you...

Also...is the interior of your frame and receiver "in the white"...i.e. not rust blued ?

Regards,

Pete...

Lightened

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry7_large2.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry8_large2.jpg

What a fine looking Model 1900 Luger... it is in incredible condition for its age... and does not look refinished to me in these photographs.

Where does a gun like this hide for a 100 years to stay so young? There doesn't seem to be an wood shrinkage... and the grips are a wonder to behold!

The skills it took to make this Luger simply cannot be replaced by CNC machine tools...

Thanks for sharing the photos of your exquisite Luger.

The two pics show the pistol very nicely.

Here are a few more photos Barry sent along...

Barry...I seemed to have lost 2 other photos...especially the one of your BUG proofs...could I trouble you to send again and I will post them...?

I had asked Barry to share photos of the frame's interior and the polished thumb safety area...as well as the LH receiver proofs and the under-the-barrel proofs.

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry_left_side1_large.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry_left_side1_large.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry_rightside_large.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barry_rightside_large.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barrytrigger_large.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barrytrigger_large.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Regards,

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

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa...sbugproofs.jpg

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barrysbarrel.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/barrysbarrel.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Regards,

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

Gentlemen - Thank you for your help. I had no idea what i had - your help is appreciated. By the way - what are BUG proofs and would i be crazy to shoot this gun?

BUG proofs are the Crown/B, Crown/U and Crown/G proofs found on early Lugers. The Crown/B is a firing proof that preceeded the Crown/N nitro proof. The Crown/U is "Untersuchung" or inspection proof. The Crown/G is "Gezogen" which indicates that the barrel is rifled.

In my opinion you would be crazy to fire this Luger. You have a 100 year-old artifact in terrific condition. That laminated mainspring served the purpose in its day, but it was fragile enough to prompt a change to a coil spring in 1906. Setting the value/monetary considerations aside, if you break the mainspring it can be replaced (somewhat expensive and hard to find, but possible), but if you break one of the serial numbered structural items such as one of the toggle links or the breech block, you will have removed an intact, matched early Luger forever from the ever diminishing surviving examples.

You are very fortunate to have this fine example. Congratulations.

Hello Barry,

Here is the V. Bobba book I had suggested if you have more interest in learning about Swiss lugers.

It is written in both Italian and English text and has the most beautiful photos of Swiss lugers through their evolution. Many photos are of museum-quality pieces...in which your pistol would feel right at home !

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/bobbabook.jpg

Regards,

Pete...

Thank you all for your help. It is quite evident that Lugers are a passion for all of you. Although, I am not quite to that point I can see myself getting there. There is no other gun i have or have held that fits and feels like a Luger.

Sincerely,
Barry

Barry,

Welcome to the addiction.

Tom A.