Luke,
thats a pretty good repair job. But one would have to have the broken off chip to do it. I have talked to a number of restorers and recheckerers and they generally agree that it is pretty impossible to do a reliable repair job. With that said, I have to admit that once I bought a model 1914 navy Luger out of Gun List magazine from a guy in Pa. When I received the gun, I though that it looked very nice. So I started the usual inspection of the serial numbers, which included checking the grips for the serial numbers. The grips had matching two digit serial numbers, but, all of a sudden, PLOP that darned chip fell off as I held the grips in my hands. I called the seller to confirm that I had received the gun and that I thought that it was good and that I was going to keep it. Then I expressed the sadness of the chip falling off of a grip that had matching serial numbers. To my surprise, the guy told me to send the grip back to him with the chip. He said that his son had graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in gun smithing. I did as he said and in a few weeks I got the grip back and it was a beautiful job. I still have that gun and the chip is holding true. So I guess that it is possible. But most restorers and recheckering people will tell you that the repair job will not hold up. But I make it a practice, when I talk or advise new people like Paul, I give them the most likely end result. Its better for them to be careful and safe then to be sorry later.
Paul,
the serial numbers on the grips may be located almost anywhere on the inside. Sometimes they are deep and clear and sometimes they are not. Sometimes they are not there and sometimes they were reinstalled on new grips so to speak. I have the practice of taking off the right side grip first. Then I push my finger through one of the openings (the magazine opening or the right side opening where the right grip was) to GENTLY pop off the left grip at the bottom of the wood. So far, this has worked for me. But sometimes that darned chip is just sitting there precariously waiting to break off as I mentioned above. It was just dumb luck that I talked to the right guy at the right time and got my problem fixed.
If your anything like me, there will come a time when you will just want to do a super great job of oiling your prize and seeing just what makes the thing tick. I am sure that everyone feels that way. So just keep in mind to not oil the wood grips and to be careful about taking that left side off. Oh, and keep a newspaper under the gun in case that darned chip does happen to break off. The newpaper will help you find that tiny little chip.
Oh, Paul! Your Luger is a P-04 and not a P-08 as you called it in your earlier post. The German navy adopted the Luger in 1904 and so the designation P-04 (parabellum 1904). The German army adopted the Luger in 1908 and so you have the designation P-08. Just to test you to see if you picked up on what I said, what was the code for the Luger BEFORE 1904? Hee! Hee! Trick question.
Oh, you said that oiling was not a seriouas problem for you because you live in an arid climate. Well you should oil the gun anyway. Not only to prevent rust but also so that the bluing doesn't dull.
Big Norm
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