Reworked Luger

[pursihei]

What is this Luger?

No markings on the 7,65mm barrel. What could be the reason?

What is the ballpark retail value today? Paid $300 a few years ago.

Thanks,
- Juhani

[DonVoigt]

No markings , probably a replacement barrel(commercial?).

No idea of value in Finland, here $500 +/- ; but then everyone will have a different opinion of "value".

[pursihei]

Hi Don,

Yes, this is a possibility.

I think this Luger started life as a WW1 9mm artillery Luger. Can you say in what year it was manufactured? It is matching except the barrel which has no markings.

The rework is done crudely and the replacement barrel has more machining marks than usually.

It is dip refinished with no buffing. The surface is rather ugly and with a grey color. Clearly the barrel has not received the same treatment and the barrel bluing is almost gone.

Can this one be an arsenal rework?

Thank you,

-Juhani

[Lugerdoc]

Judging by the placement of the C/N proofing, I believe that this luger was a Weimar era Kreighoff assembled commerical luger from left over DWM parts. TH

[Karl]

Juhani,

This seems to be a commercial Luger: There are no military proofs on the left side of the receiver, no serial number on the right side, no date stamp on top of receiver, crown/N commercial proofs.

KFS

[mrerick]

Those are VoPo bullseye grips. I don't see an index mark on the replaced barrel either. Is it import marked? Is the mark externally visible?

Value of a mixed parts .30 Luger caliber shooter (if it cycles properly) is $750 or so, perhaps $100 more.

[DonVoigt]

The receiver has the "artillery" sight cut, so you are probably correct , but the date and original military markings have been removed. No way to guess what year the receiver was made; and the frame is likely not associated with the original receiver anyway. JMHO.

It was likely assembled in Suhl between the wars, but no particular connection to Kreighoff, as the Suhl proof marks were applied by the proof house to any and all lugers submitted to them for proofing.

It could have been assembled by any of a dozen or more gunsmiths or operators in that time.

[Edward Tinker]

I have to agree - although Krieghoff did reworks, so did Simson - so did scores of small companies, let alone DWM itself.

Besides with the grips and barrel, it could have been worked on by a gunsmith anytime after the 1920's.

Don - $500 for a 7.65mm? Please send me four, you have my address

[rhuff]

In my part of the Country, that Luger will bring $750-850 without difficulty.

[pursihei]

> but the date and original military markings have been removed.

Yes, this is correct.

>No way to guess what year the receiver was made; and the frame is likely not associated with the original receiver anyway. JMHO.

I think they are associated. They do have the same numbering 2510 and the number seems to been made with the same marking tool. Even the firing pin has a marking "10".

>It was likely assembled in Suhl between the wars, but no particular connection to Kreighoff, as the Suhl proof marks were applied by the proof house to any and all lugers submitted to them for proofing.

Yes, The Krieghoff horizontal C/N proof is smaller. Based on the crude rework workmanship it is not Krieghoff. Could they be EG proofs?

Still more questions: What is the suffix letter? Any ideas who made the barrel, is it an EG barrel? It has the same length as a standard 7,65 mm or .30 barrel.

Btw I bought the gun from a guy working in the Finnish Army Arsenal about 10 years ago. It was $300-350 back then. I think that the today's price could be between $600-900. JMHO

Thank you all for the replies,
- Juhani

[pursihei]

Some more photos. Sorry about the quality.

So MAYBE an Artillery Luger - > reworked to 1920 Commercial Alphabet Luger 7,65 mm -> sold to the Finnish Army -> reworked again at some point, dip blued and a new 7,65 barrel installed.

However I wonder why the breech clock was not drilled if the 2nd rework was done in Finland. The lack of the proof mark and the witness mark is not strange because I believe the Finnish Military Arsenal did not stamp those markings at all. Also not always the "SA"-property mark was stamped.

Some other explanation is also possible..

Anyways an interesting Luger even if it is not so valuable.

Have a nice weekend!

- Juhani

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

I have to agree - although Krieghoff did reworks, so did Simson - so did scores of small companies, let alone DWM itself.

Besides with the grips and barrel, it could have been worked on by a gunsmith anytime after the 1920's.

Don - $500 for a 7.65mm? Please send me four, you have my address

Did you not see or do you not understand what "=/-" Means?
Big difference in buying and selling price too! Buy for $500 sell for $750!

Every time I give a price , some one has to find fault, I'm really going to stop pricing this time.

[DonVoigt]

Sometimes it helps if you put all the pictures and the entire story in the post along with your question.