New luger owner "Made in Germany" question

mac6150 · 02-16-2019, 09:47 AM

I just purchased a 1916 Luger, mainly as a shooter as the finish shows a lot of holster wear. One part of the gun which bugs me is on the right side of the frame, above and below the proof marks, are the made in Germany stamps. The odd part of the stamp is the first word (made?) isn't too clear, and the middle word (in?) looks more like IM instead of IN. Has anyone run into this arrangement on their luger which the made in Germany stamp was in another language? The stamp job looks sloppy too. Anyway, just curious. I would have preferred a Luger without this on it, but its first Luger and the price was good, in my opinion and at 58 years old, I finally bought one of my dream guns. The gun is being shipped to my local FFL, so I do not have any pictures, other than what the dealer on Gunbroker has. Thanks for any input.

mrerick · 02-16-2019, 09:55 AM

That would be an import mark that was added sometime after the gun left the factory. There was no need to put an import mark on a military accepted firearm for use in Germany itself.

It's very likely that you've purchased a reworked Russian Capture or DDR police pistol. These were refurbished in the communist block after the war, and saw service for several years.

If they were made surplus and imported into the USA sometime after 1968, they would be required to have an import mark added. Thousands were brought into the USA this way.

These generally lose their collector value, but make great shooting Lugers in many cases.

As you wait for your pistol to arrive, download a copy of the forum's FAQ PDF document. You'll find it a useful reference, with a remarkable level of detail collected by forum members over the decades.

If the details are still on gunbroker, why not post the link?

Here's where you'll find the FAQ, and welcome to the forum.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=13121

mac6150 · 02-16-2019, 10:53 AM

Here is the link to gunbroker. As you can see there are some issues with the gun. Thats fine as i wanted a shooter. Thinking about reblueing too Luger too, any comments about that.
Thanks,

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/797894043

HerrKaiser · 02-16-2019, 11:15 AM

Looking at pictures of your purchase, before you take it shooting, you will need a new locking bolt/takedown lever. While the one on there appears to be the original matching one, I wouldn’t want to shoot using it since it’s broken. Several people on the forum would know how to fix them or get you a spare to shoot with. I’d start on the forum with Lugerdoc.

mac6150 · 02-16-2019, 11:32 AM

I know, I already have one on order, as well as some of the springs which people listed as broken more often, just to have on stock. I plan on field stripping it and give it a good cleaning and inspection before firing it for the first time.

Edward Tinker · 02-16-2019, 01:46 PM

The made in germany was an export marking - just slightly different, as it shows where the gun was made and a requirement of the USA for items (not just guns) coming into the USA.

PS - I was born in the old Kennewick General Hospital

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DonVoigt · 02-16-2019, 01:47 PM

The "Made in Germany" stamp is just that, and in English- just a poor stamping job- they even tried to get it right two times!

mrerick · 02-16-2019, 03:41 PM

The photos look like an early post WW-I import, probably done before the 1968 import marking laws went into effect. Prior to that, all that was needed was the country of origin.

Get to know the mechanism, and use care when disassembling it. Remember to lock back the slide before rotating the locking bolt clockwise. It's unusual to see that part broken in that way, so there may be some other problem with fit. The side plate has more wear than the rest of the pistol. You can check for originality by looking inside the plate at the bottom for a number relating to the first digits of the Luger's serial number.

mac6150 · 02-16-2019, 03:58 PM

Thanks for all the replies. Fortunately, through the miracle of the internet, I have an abundance of information at hand. I am somewhat anal as far as studying up on my firearms before attempting to disassemble. This Forum is a God send as far as a resource goes. Lots of good information from people with more experience with Luger.

mac6150 · 02-16-2019, 04:15 PM

I noticed the picture shows the side plate with a lot of wear. Another reason I was thinking of having the gun reblued. I think that wouldn't affect its value as a shooter.

mrerick · 02-16-2019, 04:27 PM

It really is not worth spending the money on. You'll destroy the remaining original finish. I personally would get it into good working condition, and leave it be.

DonVoigt · 02-17-2019, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac6150

Thanks for all the replies. Fortunately, through the miracle of the internet, I have an abundance of information at hand. I am somewhat anal as far as studying up on my firearms before attempting to disassemble. This Forum is a God send as far as a resource goes. Lots of good information from people with more experience with Luger.

That is smart- the not disassembling till you know what you are doing- part.

I have "fixed" more guns that folks took apart and couldn't get back together than Carter has liver pills.

mac6150 · 02-17-2019, 02:12 PM

Yea, You tube comes in handy, plus you can learn from others mistakes.

mac6150 · 02-23-2019, 08:02 AM

I stripped the pistol and cleaned it. There were some things I noticed, such as the firing pin spring guide was slightly bent. Some carbon buildup on the internals. I cleaned it up and replaced the broken take down lever. Wood grips look to be original. Looks like they are covered with varnish on the external portion. The fit is good and they do not move. Action functions good, I didn't notice any slop. I noticed the firing pin did not have the groves cut into it. This must be before that was being done.

MW2152 · 02-23-2019, 08:29 AM

I like it. Pics of the import marks? Just for curiosity sake?

mac6150 · 02-23-2019, 08:48 AM

The only marks I saw are the ones in the picture. The gun is stamped "Made in Germany" a couple of times on the right side.

MW2152 · 02-23-2019, 01:57 PM

Thanks for posting the picture. They sure were not worried about precision or asthetics when they stamped that one were they!

sheepherder · 02-23-2019, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac6150

There were some things I noticed, such as the firing pin spring guide was slightly bent.

Examine it closely for cracks. I have had two that were broken right off. The mechanism will still function, but I would not trust it not to jam.

mac6150 · 02-23-2019, 02:49 PM

I'm going to buy a new spring guide to keep on hand just in case. It looks like its the original part and probably has seen a lot of use throughout the years.

mac6150 · 02-23-2019, 02:50 PM

Yes, they were not worried about any future value. Of course when they stamped it, lugers were probably fairly cheap.

02-16-2019, 09:47 AM	#1
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	New luger owner "Made in Germany" question I just purchased a 1916 Luger, mainly as a shooter as the finish shows a lot of holster wear. One part of the gun which bugs me is on the right side of the frame, above and below the proof marks, are the made in Germany stamps. The odd part of the stamp is the first word (made?) isn't too clear, and the middle word (in?) looks more like IM instead of IN. Has anyone run into this arrangement on their luger which the made in Germany stamp was in another language? The stamp job looks sloppy too. Anyway, just curious. I would have preferred a Luger without this on it, but its first Luger and the price was good, in my opinion and at 58 years old, I finally bought one of my dream guns. The gun is being shipped to my local FFL, so I do not have any pictures, other than what the dealer on Gunbroker has. Thanks for any input.

02-16-2019, 09:55 AM	#2
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,919 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,135 Times in 1,518 Posts	That would be an import mark that was added sometime after the gun left the factory. There was no need to put an import mark on a military accepted firearm for use in Germany itself. It's very likely that you've purchased a reworked Russian Capture or DDR police pistol. These were refurbished in the communist block after the war, and saw service for several years. If they were made surplus and imported into the USA sometime after 1968, they would be required to have an import mark added. Thousands were brought into the USA this way. These generally lose their collector value, but make great shooting Lugers in many cases. As you wait for your pistol to arrive, download a copy of the forum's FAQ PDF document. You'll find it a useful reference, with a remarkable level of detail collected by forum members over the decades. If the details are still on gunbroker, why not post the link? Here's where you'll find the FAQ, and welcome to the forum. http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=13121 __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

02-16-2019, 10:53 AM	#3
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Here is the link to gunbroker. As you can see there are some issues with the gun. Thats fine as i wanted a shooter. Thinking about reblueing too Luger too, any comments about that. Thanks, https://www.gunbroker.com/item/797894043 Last edited by Edward Tinker; 03-02-2019 at 03:58 PM.

02-16-2019, 11:15 AM	#4
HerrKaiser User Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: South Carolina Posts: 866 Thanks: 816 Thanked 879 Times in 421 Posts	Looking at pictures of your purchase, before you take it shooting, you will need a new locking bolt/takedown lever. While the one on there appears to be the original matching one, I wouldn’t want to shoot using it since it’s broken. Several people on the forum would know how to fix them or get you a spare to shoot with. I’d start on the forum with Lugerdoc. __________________ -QM Looking for Mauser S/42 toggle train #22

02-16-2019, 01:46 PM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,960 Thanks: 2,062 Thanked 4,591 Times in 2,114 Posts	The made in germany was an export marking - just slightly different, as it shows where the gun was made and a requirement of the USA for items (not just guns) coming into the USA. PS - I was born in the old Kennewick General Hospital . . . __________________ 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

02-16-2019, 11:32 AM	#5
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I know, I already have one on order, as well as some of the springs which people listed as broken more often, just to have on stock. I plan on field stripping it and give it a good cleaning and inspection before firing it for the first time.

02-16-2019, 01:47 PM	#7
DonVoigt User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: near Charlotte NC Posts: 4,681 Thanks: 1,443 Thanked 4,354 Times in 2,041 Posts	The "Made in Germany" stamp is just that, and in English- just a poor stamping job- they even tried to get it right two times! __________________ 03man(Don Voigt); Luger student and collector. Looking for DWM side plate: 69 ; Dreyse 1907 pistol K.S. Gendarmerie

02-16-2019, 03:41 PM	#8
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,919 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,135 Times in 1,518 Posts	The photos look like an early post WW-I import, probably done before the 1968 import marking laws went into effect. Prior to that, all that was needed was the country of origin. Get to know the mechanism, and use care when disassembling it. Remember to lock back the slide before rotating the locking bolt clockwise. It's unusual to see that part broken in that way, so there may be some other problem with fit. The side plate has more wear than the rest of the pistol. You can check for originality by looking inside the plate at the bottom for a number relating to the first digits of the Luger's serial number. __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

02-16-2019, 03:58 PM	#9
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thanks for all the replies. Fortunately, through the miracle of the internet, I have an abundance of information at hand. I am somewhat anal as far as studying up on my firearms before attempting to disassemble. This Forum is a God send as far as a resource goes. Lots of good information from people with more experience with Luger.

02-16-2019, 04:15 PM	#10
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I noticed the picture shows the side plate with a lot of wear. Another reason I was thinking of having the gun reblued. I think that wouldn't affect its value as a shooter.

02-16-2019, 04:27 PM	#11
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,919 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,135 Times in 1,518 Posts	It really is not worth spending the money on. You'll destroy the remaining original finish. I personally would get it into good working condition, and leave it be. __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

02-17-2019, 02:12 PM	#13
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Yea, You tube comes in handy, plus you can learn from others mistakes.

02-23-2019, 08:02 AM	#14
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	P08 has arrived I stripped the pistol and cleaned it. There were some things I noticed, such as the firing pin spring guide was slightly bent. Some carbon buildup on the internals. I cleaned it up and replaced the broken take down lever. Wood grips look to be original. Looks like they are covered with varnish on the external portion. The fit is good and they do not move. Action functions good, I didn't notice any slop. I noticed the firing pin did not have the groves cut into it. This must be before that was being done. Attached Thumbnails

02-23-2019, 08:29 AM	#15
MW2152 User Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 50 Thanks: 11 Thanked 35 Times in 20 Posts	I like it. Pics of the import marks? Just for curiosity sake?

02-23-2019, 08:48 AM	#16
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	No import marks The only marks I saw are the ones in the picture. The gun is stamped "Made in Germany" a couple of times on the right side. Attached Thumbnails

02-23-2019, 01:57 PM	#17
MW2152 User Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 50 Thanks: 11 Thanked 35 Times in 20 Posts	Thanks for posting the picture. They sure were not worried about precision or asthetics when they stamped that one were they!

02-23-2019, 02:49 PM	#19
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	spring guide I'm going to buy a new spring guide to keep on hand just in case. It looks like its the original part and probably has seen a lot of use throughout the years.

02-23-2019, 02:50 PM	#20
mac6150 User Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Kennewick, Washington Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Made in Germany Stamp Yes, they were not worried about any future value. Of course when they stamped it, lugers were probably fairly cheap.