LugerForum Discussion Forums - View Single Post - New WWI Luger, double-date 1918

TheRomanhistorian · 02-06-2012, 05:33 PM

Hello all,

So, thanks again to everyone on the forum for your advice, camaraderie, and help! I just recently ordered, received, and (as of today) picked up my a WWI era Luger from RGuns in very nice condition. I wasn't sure what I was going to get but I ended up with something fairly reasonable though I'm sure I paid a little more than I needed to. It has Erfurt on the toggle numbered 43 (which does not match the rest of the gun, most of which has 203). There is a unit marking but it has been quite liberally Xed out and there is a Russian X (I presume) next to the side plate. From what I can read of the unit marking, it looks as if it is inscribed with: 'P.W. V. (something I can't read) 871.' I think I read 'P.W' somewhere in the Police Luger marking thread, so was this a 9mm pistol reissued to a German police unit after the First World War? I presume it is 9mm but I haven't done the pencil test (no No. 2 pencil handy). The barrel does have barrel dimensions marked at 8,82 so it probably is 9mm. RGuns didn't mention one way or the other.

It is double-dated 1918 (1920) and the finish is mostly gone. Still, it's a nice looking pistol with a lot of the rifling still evident and I didn't see any pits in the bore, there are some very minor pits on the sideplate and on the outside of the barrel but it's cosmetic. The grips themselves seem a little crude, the leading edge of the right grip is chipped away as if it didn't fit and someone whittled that edge down. At any rate, that is how is how it looked when I picked it up from my FFL dealer. I've not done a proper cleaning on it yet but at least the pistol was not covered in grease or Cosmoline. I will take it to the gunsmith to have him check it out but it's practically range ready, I suspect. The magazine is probably not original to the pistol and the serial number is ground off.

I'll get better photos up once my batteries charge. For now here are the best photos I can take with my laptop webcam. My apologies about the graininess and lighting (and that I'm not wearing a proper shirt, hah! I was prepping to clean the pistol.) The Erfurt crown is hard to see in the photo but it is there.

Best,

Michael

02-06-2012, 05:33 PM	#1
TheRomanhistorian User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 301 Thanks: 170 Thanked 88 Times in 64 Posts	New WWI Luger, double-date 1918 Hello all, So, thanks again to everyone on the forum for your advice, camaraderie, and help! I just recently ordered, received, and (as of today) picked up my a WWI era Luger from RGuns in very nice condition. I wasn't sure what I was going to get but I ended up with something fairly reasonable though I'm sure I paid a little more than I needed to. It has Erfurt on the toggle numbered 43 (which does not match the rest of the gun, most of which has 203). There is a unit marking but it has been quite liberally Xed out and there is a Russian X (I presume) next to the side plate. From what I can read of the unit marking, it looks as if it is inscribed with: 'P.W. V. (something I can't read) 871.' I think I read 'P.W' somewhere in the Police Luger marking thread, so was this a 9mm pistol reissued to a German police unit after the First World War? I presume it is 9mm but I haven't done the pencil test (no No. 2 pencil handy). The barrel does have barrel dimensions marked at 8,82 so it probably is 9mm. RGuns didn't mention one way or the other. It is double-dated 1918 (1920) and the finish is mostly gone. Still, it's a nice looking pistol with a lot of the rifling still evident and I didn't see any pits in the bore, there are some very minor pits on the sideplate and on the outside of the barrel but it's cosmetic. The grips themselves seem a little crude, the leading edge of the right grip is chipped away as if it didn't fit and someone whittled that edge down. At any rate, that is how is how it looked when I picked it up from my FFL dealer. I've not done a proper cleaning on it yet but at least the pistol was not covered in grease or Cosmoline. I will take it to the gunsmith to have him check it out but it's practically range ready, I suspect. The magazine is probably not original to the pistol and the serial number is ground off. I'll get better photos up once my batteries charge. For now here are the best photos I can take with my laptop webcam. My apologies about the graininess and lighting (and that I'm not wearing a proper shirt, hah! I was prepping to clean the pistol.) The Erfurt crown is hard to see in the photo but it is there. Best, Michael Attached Thumbnails Last edited by TheRomanhistorian; 02-06-2012 at 07:01 PM. Reason: Added info.