Luger Grips

xracer · 07-12-2003, 02:13 PM

I am a new member.I just bought a 95-97% 1918 DWM with matching parts, holster, and magazine. The grips are(were) in excellent condition as well. I took it out to shoot it and sometime in the process the left grip puked off its back corner just under the safety. Needless to say frantic searching turned up nothing.
I want to get a nice set of original grips to replace the ones I have, or if not possible, a nice set of new ones. I found some originals at Sarco for $100. Searching the forum for other people's experiences with Sarco didn't give me a good feeling.
Also as an ex racer I never comfortable unless I have some spare parts around. I got a spring pack from Wolff and some flat springs and pins from Numrich.
What is likely to break on a Luger and where can I find good spares?
Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

Herb · 07-12-2003, 03:06 PM

Personally I would keep the originals as they are probably numbered to the Luger also. Take them off and check. Replacing anything on an all matching piece will considerably lower it's value. That little chip flying off is rather common on Lugers. If yours are numbered to the gun you might consider buying a cheapo set just for shooting. I personally wouldn't shoot an all matching one anyway, break just one part and you have a shooter that is worth about 1/2 of what you paid. Just my opinion.

Ron Wood · 07-12-2003, 03:46 PM

If the original grips are matching to the gun and in otherwise good condtion, the chip can be repaired and a good craftsman can make a nearly invisible repair. It will never be exactly as original but matching grips are an ever-dwindling condition. As stewards of history for the next generation, we should preserve as much of it as we can.

Pete Ebbink · 07-13-2003, 12:40 AM

Hello Brian,

Welcome to the Luger Forum !!!

It sounds like your luger might be a way too good to use as a shooter. Not sure what you paid for the all matching rig, but you might want to save this one and hunt for a good reliable shooter in the $ 600-800 price range. "Shooters" are normally in the 60-80% finish range, might have a few parts that are not matching, may have been rebarreled, etc., but otherwise is in good working mechanical order...

A LF member named "LugerDoc" (aka Tom Heller) can normally put a great shooter in your hands for not a lot of money. Tom can be reached under "HellerArms" in the Links & Resources section of this Forum...

Back to your grips; if you take a look on e-Bay right now, there is a decent set of wooden grips (1920's era) on auction. Here is the link :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=39425

Finally, if you want to have your orginal grip's chip repaired so well that you really need to look closely to see the repair, drop me a line at "pebbink@pacbell.net" and I can give you the contact info. for this craftsman...

If you go this route, we would hope that you would advise any potential buyer of your gun about the repair that was done, in the event you decide to sell the rig in the future...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

xracer · 07-13-2003, 09:10 AM

Thanks for all the help. I will try to get this one repaired or get the ones on eBay. I also ordered a set of inexpensive repros from Numrich.

I don't shoot the gun a lot but,being a shooter not a collector,I do plan to shoot it. I always use standard velocity factory ammo and I may start reloading for it to get the velocity down further. Let's face it, once you get used to the trigger pull it is a real nice gun to shoot.

Edward Tinker · 07-13-2003, 11:57 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />I always use standard velocity factory ammo and I may start reloading for it to get the velocity down further.<hr /></blockquote>The Luger is known to be finicky on liking certain rounds, and light loads may cause reliability to be a problem. And as others have said, a matched broken part can drop the value in half (or more) as it becomes a "shooter" Luger. So you might want to buy a shooter to shoot with, <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Ed

07-12-2003, 02:13 PM	#1
xracer New User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boston,Ma Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Luger Grips I am a new member.I just bought a 95-97% 1918 DWM with matching parts, holster, and magazine. The grips are(were) in excellent condition as well. I took it out to shoot it and sometime in the process the left grip puked off its back corner just under the safety. Needless to say frantic searching turned up nothing. I want to get a nice set of original grips to replace the ones I have, or if not possible, a nice set of new ones. I found some originals at Sarco for $100. Searching the forum for other people's experiences with Sarco didn't give me a good feeling. Also as an ex racer I never comfortable unless I have some spare parts around. I got a spring pack from Wolff and some flat springs and pins from Numrich. What is likely to break on a Luger and where can I find good spares? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

07-12-2003, 03:06 PM	#2
Herb User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Utah, in the land of the Sleeping Rainbow Posts: 1,457 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Personally I would keep the originals as they are probably numbered to the Luger also. Take them off and check. Replacing anything on an all matching piece will considerably lower it's value. That little chip flying off is rather common on Lugers. If yours are numbered to the gun you might consider buying a cheapo set just for shooting. I personally wouldn't shoot an all matching one anyway, break just one part and you have a shooter that is worth about 1/2 of what you paid. Just my opinion. __________________ Utah, where gun control means a steady trigger pull

07-12-2003, 03:46 PM	#3
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,017 Thanks: 1,089 Thanked 5,164 Times in 1,700 Posts	If the original grips are matching to the gun and in otherwise good condtion, the chip can be repaired and a good craftsman can make a nearly invisible repair. It will never be exactly as original but matching grips are an ever-dwindling condition. As stewards of history for the next generation, we should preserve as much of it as we can. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

07-13-2003, 11:57 AM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,927 Thanks: 2,028 Thanked 4,525 Times in 2,090 Posts	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I always use standard velocity factory ammo and I may start reloading for it to get the velocity down further.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">The Luger is known to be finicky on liking certain rounds, and light loads may cause reliability to be a problem. And as others have said, a matched broken part can drop the value in half (or more) as it becomes a "shooter" Luger. So you might want to buy a shooter to shoot with, <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> 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

07-13-2003, 12:40 AM	#4
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Hello Brian, Welcome to the Luger Forum !!! It sounds like your luger might be a way too good to use as a shooter. Not sure what you paid for the all matching rig, but you might want to save this one and hunt for a good reliable shooter in the $ 600-800 price range. "Shooters" are normally in the 60-80% finish range, might have a few parts that are not matching, may have been rebarreled, etc., but otherwise is in good working mechanical order... A LF member named "LugerDoc" (aka Tom Heller) can normally put a great shooter in your hands for not a lot of money. Tom can be reached under "HellerArms" in the Links & Resources section of this Forum... Back to your grips; if you take a look on e-Bay right now, there is a decent set of wooden grips (1920's era) on auction. Here is the link : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=39425 Finally, if you want to have your orginal grip's chip repaired so well that you really need to look closely to see the repair, drop me a line at "pebbink@pacbell.net" and I can give you the contact info. for this craftsman... If you go this route, we would hope that you would advise any potential buyer of your gun about the repair that was done, in the event you decide to sell the rig in the future... Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

07-13-2003, 09:10 AM	#5
xracer New User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boston,Ma Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for all the help. I will try to get this one repaired or get the ones on eBay. I also ordered a set of inexpensive repros from Numrich. I don't shoot the gun a lot but,being a shooter not a collector,I do plan to shoot it. I always use standard velocity factory ammo and I may start reloading for it to get the velocity down further. Let's face it, once you get used to the trigger pull it is a real nice gun to shoot.