New to forum - 1st Luger question

ssgdigital · 06-18-2010, 11:38 PM

Hello All, I am new to this forum, but not a new shooter. I have been into guns all of my life and work in a gunshop, shoot competition (Uspsa-IDPA-Icore-3gun-steel challenge-Pro am, etc.). So basically I have a major love for guns.

Ok enough about myself. The first gun I ever wanted was a Luger and after hundreds of guns later, I found one. I've always had interest in the 3rd reich and now I own the gun i've sought after more than anything else (2nd choice is a H&K MP5SD - yeah right dream on).

I know this isn't a collector by no means. The serial numbers do not match, but it's in good shape, great bore and is a solid shooter. My friend wanted $950 for it, but needed cash, so he took $800.00 for it.

I have been searching this forum and cannot find any of the marks on this gun anywhere on the forum.

The top says 1936 on what I would call the "slide" (yes i'm dumb on luger names). The part that holds the ejector is stamped 1936 and there are some weird markings on the barrel and right side that I couldn't ID from looking on this sight.

I know pics would be best but it takes a magnafying glass to read them. Is there any link that might have all of the proof marks listed?

Thanks so much in advance.

FNorm · 06-19-2010, 08:43 AM

Welcome to the Forum. sounds like a 1936 Mauser made. The 1936 should be on the top of the receiver, not the slide. The marks on the right of the frame are inspection and test proofs. Typically eagle/63, eagle/63/, then the test proof, another stylized eagle. This is repeated on the barrel. The full serial number is on the front of the frame, often with a letter suffix. This number should be repeated on the underside of the barrel.

Check on this forum under 'technical information' for all the markings. Left side of the main screen.

FN

Railsplitter · 06-19-2010, 09:34 AM

Welcome, and now that you have one Luger ... make room for "one or two" more. FNorm has you steered in the correct direction. Keep in mind that the quality of the actual inspection/proof mark stampings do not always do justice to our carefully executed artist renderings of same. But ... Hey, that's part of the fun!!

rheinmetall30mm · 10-19-2010, 04:00 PM

Well let's first tell you the first manufacturer of the Luger was DWM Deutsche Waffenund Munitionsfabriken . It was basically a hybrid of the Borchardt which was big and clumsy. George Luger redesigned the gun to the beautiful hand gun as we know it today with slight difference to these older first models. The original Luger cartridge was .30 Luger 7.65 Luger and it was first adopted by the Swiss for Military use in the 7.65 caliber. It was offered on the US commercial market and sold by Sears for 24.05 in 1908. In 1902 the Luger was considered for the US Army after they ordered over 1,000 pistols on a trail basis. The caliber was too small and the cartridge was redesigned in 1902, and wider making it a 9mm, the first 9mm's appeared in 1902, called the fat barrel.

The Luger was adopted by the German Military by Christmas of 1908 and the Navy adopted it first in 06.The 1908 model is what you have today, and it is considered the new luger,There were old models, and new models and in WW1 two Manufacturers made them in . DWM, Erfurt, and Some were either tooled up and made at Spandau, or re-worked there, however there is a lot of speculation on the Spandau Luger.Simson And Co. of Suhl made them too but the co went under for the owners were Jewish. In the 20's with the depression falling in, DWM was losing money and the machinery went to Mauser, where your gun was made in the mid 30's, than they made them for WW2, coded BYF and S/42. In the late 30's they German knew they needed a cheaper gun and Walther Developed the Walther MP, than what was the HP and than designated the P-38 for the Luger official replacement handgun. Mauser resumed Luger production in the 70's, and stopped in 75 and have made them on and off up into the 90's. Kreighoff is making them now, only 200 guns for 17,000 a piece but again, only 200 orders.

There is little difference in the commercial and military models with it being really only a military having a stock lug and different marking and serial number placement, barrels came in 4 6 and 8 inches. And it goes on and on, not enough room here to explain the entire story.

Your Mauser Luger is a beautifully made firearm. The best finished Lugers can be the pre World war one's where they did a beautiful rust bluing and in WW1 the quality went down a little. Erfurts were not as polished as well as DWM's but are great guns. After WW1 the Germans could not manufacture 9mm anymore except for the police so there are alot of Lugers in the 20's that are of .30 caliber. There are few post WW1's of new manufacture for there was a huge inventory of parts left over after WW1 , so making them from scratch was something done on special order.So most Post ww1 commercials are made with what can be any configuration, and rules and standards that were solid for years were broken and you could find a pre 1908 frame on a 1920 commercial Luger.

Stoeger a firm that owns the copyright on the name "Luger" imported them into the United States in the 20's and as of the 60's only a handful were actually recorded as being sold. The thing that attracts collectors to Lugers is that DWM fulfilled contracts for many countries, this resulted in 1.000's of variations with many marking and barrel lengths and sizes and Luger collecting is a fantastic hobby. Lugers are without a doubt my favorite handgun and I hope you found this information helpful.

John Sabato · 10-19-2010, 04:32 PM

Welcome also to rheinmetall30mm... I see this is also your first post in the Lugerforum.

sheepherder · 10-19-2010, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FNorm

Check on this forum under 'technical information' for all the markings. Left side of the main screen.

That would be the left side of here --> http://www.lugerforum.com/

(I was here about a year before someone told me where to find the main page...)

MFC · 10-19-2010, 09:21 PM

Hi Steve,
Welcome. I beleive the German Navy adopted the Luger in 1904, hence the 1904 Navy variation.

06-18-2010, 11:38 PM	#1
ssgdigital User Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	New to forum - 1st Luger question Hello All, I am new to this forum, but not a new shooter. I have been into guns all of my life and work in a gunshop, shoot competition (Uspsa-IDPA-Icore-3gun-steel challenge-Pro am, etc.). So basically I have a major love for guns. Ok enough about myself. The first gun I ever wanted was a Luger and after hundreds of guns later, I found one. I've always had interest in the 3rd reich and now I own the gun i've sought after more than anything else (2nd choice is a H&K MP5SD - yeah right dream on). I know this isn't a collector by no means. The serial numbers do not match, but it's in good shape, great bore and is a solid shooter. My friend wanted $950 for it, but needed cash, so he took $800.00 for it. I have been searching this forum and cannot find any of the marks on this gun anywhere on the forum. The top says 1936 on what I would call the "slide" (yes i'm dumb on luger names). The part that holds the ejector is stamped 1936 and there are some weird markings on the barrel and right side that I couldn't ID from looking on this sight. I know pics would be best but it takes a magnafying glass to read them. Is there any link that might have all of the proof marks listed? Thanks so much in advance.

06-19-2010, 08:43 AM	#2
FNorm Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 978 Thanks: 68 Thanked 127 Times in 108 Posts	Welcome to the Forum. sounds like a 1936 Mauser made. The 1936 should be on the top of the receiver, not the slide. The marks on the right of the frame are inspection and test proofs. Typically eagle/63, eagle/63/, then the test proof, another stylized eagle. This is repeated on the barrel. The full serial number is on the front of the frame, often with a letter suffix. This number should be repeated on the underside of the barrel. Check on this forum under 'technical information' for all the markings. Left side of the main screen. FN Last edited by FNorm; 06-19-2010 at 08:57 AM. Reason: add

10-19-2010, 04:00 PM	#4
rheinmetall30mm Banned Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well let's first tell you the first manufacturer of the Luger was DWM Deutsche Waffenund Munitionsfabriken . It was basically a hybrid of the Borchardt which was big and clumsy. George Luger redesigned the gun to the beautiful hand gun as we know it today with slight difference to these older first models. The original Luger cartridge was .30 Luger 7.65 Luger and it was first adopted by the Swiss for Military use in the 7.65 caliber. It was offered on the US commercial market and sold by Sears for 24.05 in 1908. In 1902 the Luger was considered for the US Army after they ordered over 1,000 pistols on a trail basis. The caliber was too small and the cartridge was redesigned in 1902, and wider making it a 9mm, the first 9mm's appeared in 1902, called the fat barrel. The Luger was adopted by the German Military by Christmas of 1908 and the Navy adopted it first in 06.The 1908 model is what you have today, and it is considered the new luger,There were old models, and new models and in WW1 two Manufacturers made them in . DWM, Erfurt, and Some were either tooled up and made at Spandau, or re-worked there, however there is a lot of speculation on the Spandau Luger.Simson And Co. of Suhl made them too but the co went under for the owners were Jewish. In the 20's with the depression falling in, DWM was losing money and the machinery went to Mauser, where your gun was made in the mid 30's, than they made them for WW2, coded BYF and S/42. In the late 30's they German knew they needed a cheaper gun and Walther Developed the Walther MP, than what was the HP and than designated the P-38 for the Luger official replacement handgun. Mauser resumed Luger production in the 70's, and stopped in 75 and have made them on and off up into the 90's. Kreighoff is making them now, only 200 guns for 17,000 a piece but again, only 200 orders. There is little difference in the commercial and military models with it being really only a military having a stock lug and different marking and serial number placement, barrels came in 4 6 and 8 inches. And it goes on and on, not enough room here to explain the entire story. Your Mauser Luger is a beautifully made firearm. The best finished Lugers can be the pre World war one's where they did a beautiful rust bluing and in WW1 the quality went down a little. Erfurts were not as polished as well as DWM's but are great guns. After WW1 the Germans could not manufacture 9mm anymore except for the police so there are alot of Lugers in the 20's that are of .30 caliber. There are few post WW1's of new manufacture for there was a huge inventory of parts left over after WW1 , so making them from scratch was something done on special order.So most Post ww1 commercials are made with what can be any configuration, and rules and standards that were solid for years were broken and you could find a pre 1908 frame on a 1920 commercial Luger. Stoeger a firm that owns the copyright on the name "Luger" imported them into the United States in the 20's and as of the 60's only a handful were actually recorded as being sold. The thing that attracts collectors to Lugers is that DWM fulfilled contracts for many countries, this resulted in 1.000's of variations with many marking and barrel lengths and sizes and Luger collecting is a fantastic hobby. Lugers are without a doubt my favorite handgun and I hope you found this information helpful. Last edited by rheinmetall30mm; 10-19-2010 at 04:40 PM. Reason: added content.

10-19-2010, 04:32 PM	#5
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,152 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Welcome also to rheinmetall30mm... I see this is also your first post in the Lugerforum. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

10-19-2010, 09:21 PM	#7
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Hi Steve, Welcome. I beleive the German Navy adopted the Luger in 1904, hence the 1904 Navy variation. __________________ Mike C.

06-19-2010, 09:34 AM	#3
Railsplitter User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 112 Thanks: 0 Thanked 13 Times in 11 Posts	Welcome, and now that you have one Luger ... make room for "one or two" more. FNorm has you steered in the correct direction. Keep in mind that the quality of the actual inspection/proof mark stampings do not always do justice to our carefully executed artist renderings of same. But ... Hey, that's part of the fun!!