Hello Aaron,
Thanks for posting your LP-08 Artillery (aka Arty) luger photos.
Looks like an honest piece that has seen some use and some areas of active rust that should be dealt with.
If this were my gun and associated with my grandfather (his WWI trophy) I would personally keep it in my family.
When a gun and grips get to the level of wear yours displays, I would be tempted to consider a well-done restoration job by fellows like Ted Greene (here on the LF) and others.
If she were mine, I would send this gun off to Ted so this gun could be brought back to its heyday...but this in IMHO, only.
I think a vaulation of your Arty, now, would be in the $ 700-900 price range. Others on the LF may have other and contrary opinions...
p.s.
Your front sight is of the fixed type. Is your rear sight fine-tune adjustable. That is, looking from the top-down, is there a round adjustment screw with two little holes in it ? If not, your rear sight is a fixed type too. The year 1917 was when the transition from both adjustable to either adjustable to both fixed occurred. By 1918, both sights were fixed.
Regards,
Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />