first luger
 

just got my first luger its a shooter and got it at a shooter price but it has a artillery frame and a 4 inch barrel that is numbered to the gun but the serial no. looks little odd it has proofs 45(the one that should be on the barrel)and 58 in Kenyons lugers at random and also on the barrel right above the serial no. is s/42 real hard to see though the clip is also wrong for the gun but numbered to the gun with proof no. 45 out of kenyons book although I think it looks like a 83 but the rest of the gunlooks as a 1917 dwm artillery even grips should could this be a factory rework not that it matters but it would be more interesting if it was though but bought it as a shooter and when I get time I gonna shoot it and enjoy it

Hello Ed C,

Had a bit of trouble following along with you, as I got a bit confused, but that could be me, it has been a long week and a half, [img]rolleyes.gif[/img] .

There were many arties that were cut down by the arsenals after WW1. Maybe a picture could show us why you think it has an artillery frame? Maybe you mean the receiver, the top part, because artillery sights are cut different on the top?

I am sure you know that S/42 was a WW2 era marking for Mauser and that arties were made in the WW1 era.

And I am glad you like your Luger, and enjoy it and welcome to posting at the forum! [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

it has a notch like right behind the barrel for what I pressume would be were the adjustable sight would fit and it is probably me I can be confusing at times

In late 1916, an order to the arsenals directed that all future receivers manufactured were to have the notch for the rear sight of an Artillery model barrel. It's possible that your Luger has been rebarreled and it's also possible that your pistol was made exactly the way you see it now. (The WW2 era "s/42" mark on the barrel would seem to rule out the possibility that it was manufactured that way originally... unless the "s/42" was added at some later date).

To confuse the issue even more, I've seen 1917 and 1918 Erfurt Lugers both with and without the notch. I can't recall ever seeing a short barreled DWM 9mm of 1917 or 1918 manufacture with the notch. DWM pretty much ignored military directives concerning arsenal stamps on various parts while Erfurt stamped just about everything. Maybe DWM ignored the notch directive as well.

I have a 1916 Erfurt police rework, all matching; no notch. A 1917 Erfurt East German rework, all matching except the side plate that is force-matched; no notch. An unknown year Erfurt with short 7.65mm barrel that is notched. This is an all-matching pistol except for the replacement barrel.

Without examining your Luger or seeing sharp, clear pictures of it, we can only guess at it's history. Seeing it may only make the guesses better educated ones.

The s/42 marking on your barrel indicates to me a Mauser armour's spare barrel that may have replaced your pistol's original LPO8 barrel. If your receiver has the "jagged winged" Erfurt test proof, it may have originally been made with a "notched" receiver and a 4" barrel. Tom H.

the barrel has a eagle with a za I beleive to be a ku proof acording to kenyon plus a w 54 or something like that I am not sure about that one I will try and get some pictures thanks