[mrerick]

This is a gun for collecting. All matching, original finish. A broken part would reduce it to more of a shooter.

John has a better eye for the grips than I do.

If you want a Luger for shooting, find one that has properly fitted mismatched parts or one with finish conditions.

My own shooter is a 1937 all matching Mauser with a rash that was probably caused by moisture accumulated while it was stored in a leather holster.

The FAQ document is searchable and the index has direct links to the many articles.

As to books, the best study is the Sturgess and Gortz study published by Simpson Ltd. It's worth every penny., and probably the most exhaustive study of any industrial object in history.

Joop van der Kant and Don Hallock published a more focused book on the Mauser Parabellum which shows all the variations. It's out of print now, and used are starting to rise in price.