Value of Family Luger

nieuwkot · 01-10-2006, 11:40 AM

Hey All:

Convinced my brother in law ( who got all the family firearms when grandma moved) to let me take the luger back with me after the Christmas holiday. It's a matched 1918 DWM, including the grips, excellent bore, with some minor pitting on the frame etc. Magazine doesn't match and the bottom is fairly chewed/cracked. Said I'd get the Forum to give us an idea as to what its value would be. That said I have no intention of this being sold outside the family, even if I have to throw his sister (my lovely bride) at him to prevent it........

The piece was obtained by my late Father in law in the early 1950s when he was in the airforce and stationed in Mass. Story as I learned it, was he had pilot buddies flying across to Europe on a regular basis and they picked it up for him over there. Only fun family story is that when they moved back to Michigan from Mass after his service hitch, they drove through Canada to get back home and 'smuggled' the piece under then baby Ed in his car seat.

Hasn't been fired in probably 30 years+, but apparently was in fine working order at the time. In any case comments welcomed.

Tony

Edward Tinker · 01-10-2006, 12:04 PM

Looks like a nice honest 1918.

Do all numbers match? This would include firing pin, and usually grips. (be careful taking them off, sometimes the old grips stick and break a corner off, a bad thing)

What is the suffix letter on the front of the frame?

Ed

nieuwkot · 01-10-2006, 12:24 PM

Hey Ed:

Suffix is an "L". No unit markings and all the usual DWM (at least based on my 1916 model) proofs are there.

Haven't pulled the firing pin out as yet, but did get the grips off and after much squinting managed to note that they were both stamped with "26" so save the mag, seems to be a matched piece.

tony

01-10-2006, 11:40 AM	#1
nieuwkot User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Michigan Posts: 29 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Value of Family Luger Hey All: Convinced my brother in law ( who got all the family firearms when grandma moved) to let me take the luger back with me after the Christmas holiday. It's a matched 1918 DWM, including the grips, excellent bore, with some minor pitting on the frame etc. Magazine doesn't match and the bottom is fairly chewed/cracked. Said I'd get the Forum to give us an idea as to what its value would be. That said I have no intention of this being sold outside the family, even if I have to throw his sister (my lovely bride) at him to prevent it........ The piece was obtained by my late Father in law in the early 1950s when he was in the airforce and stationed in Mass. Story as I learned it, was he had pilot buddies flying across to Europe on a regular basis and they picked it up for him over there. Only fun family story is that when they moved back to Michigan from Mass after his service hitch, they drove through Canada to get back home and 'smuggled' the piece under then baby Ed in his car seat. Hasn't been fired in probably 30 years+, but apparently was in fine working order at the time. In any case comments welcomed. Tony

01-10-2006, 12:04 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,930 Thanks: 2,030 Thanked 4,527 Times in 2,090 Posts	Looks like a nice honest 1918. Do all numbers match? This would include firing pin, and usually grips. (be careful taking them off, sometimes the old grips stick and break a corner off, a bad thing) What is the suffix letter on the front of the frame? Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

01-10-2006, 12:24 PM	#3
nieuwkot User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Michigan Posts: 29 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hey Ed: Suffix is an "L". No unit markings and all the usual DWM (at least based on my 1916 model) proofs are there. Haven't pulled the firing pin out as yet, but did get the grips off and after much squinting managed to note that they were both stamped with "26" so save the mag, seems to be a matched piece. tony