found a decent 1920 commercial

lutthier · 02-08-2007, 08:35 AM

This is my first post. It may also be my first Luger so go easy on me. You guys can be a bit intimidating.

I found a very nicely polished and reblued 1920 Commercial luger. The bore looks mint, and the numbers seem to all match. The proof marks seem to be intact. The magazine is not original but looks new. The grips look new, dont fit too well, and are not very well made, some kind of cheap replacement. It is a 9mm parabellum, and not a 30 Luger.

I've been watching this pistol for about six months and was hoping someone would buy it and relieve me of the temptation. Finally it was sold. Now it appears the person who bought it couldn't come up with the rest of the money and it's back on the shelf. I can pick it up for $550.00 + tax.

Any info would help. I did check the proofs against a book in the store and they all seem to check out. I can't find any reason not to buy it.

Thanks in advance.

Ron Wood · 02-08-2007, 08:44 AM

I can't think of any reason not to buy it either. 9mm is unusual for a '20 Commercial, but a lot cheaper to shoot.

SS109 · 02-09-2007, 10:24 AM

$550 sounds like a pretty good deal for a 1920's Luger. Check the prices on Gunbroker. I just bought a 1920's .30 Luger for $700 there.

Edward Tinker · 02-09-2007, 12:02 PM

Sounds like a decent price to me.

Jeff, we are fairly close in location, I am in Castle Rock, CO

Ed

lutthier · 02-09-2007, 01:16 PM

I went ahead and bought it. I'm not sure how to post photos. I can't seem to get into photobucket. I'll post them soon.

Edward Tinker · 02-09-2007, 01:29 PM

We'd rather you Not use photobucket. Most of the time the photos never stay (owner zaps them out etc).

Use the ADD REPLY and post one at a time, or use the upload photo upper right corner. Just ensure the photos are under 200 kilobytes. There are several tutorials under the New Collector area to help you on posting.

Ed

lutthier · 02-09-2007, 02:49 PM

lutthier · 02-09-2007, 02:51 PM

lutthier · 02-09-2007, 02:52 PM

Edward Tinker · 02-09-2007, 02:55 PM

okay, unsure where the commercial designation came from

.

It is a Reichswehr property marked (hence the 1920) that at one time went into police service (see the sear safety on the left).

Any unit markings on the grip strap?

Ed

lutthier · 02-09-2007, 03:01 PM

I'm not sure how to do multiple postings, so I took your advice and posted one at a time. Took me a while to figure out how to make the picture smaller. Thank God for google.

I took the pistol apart and all the numbers I can find match. The is no # on the take down pin, or on the barrel. Is that because it may have been rebarreled at some point? There is a faint proof mark on the barrel, but it was almost buffed out. There are some markings on the inside, but I'm not sure what they mean. The Magazine is stamped Mauser.

What an impressive piece of machinery. It is incredibly smooth when you take it apart and very little wear. Is there anything else I should tell you? Was this a miliary pistol or only for the commercial market?

Thanks for all your help and feed back!

lutthier · 02-09-2007, 03:04 PM

The Gunshop said it was a commercial Luger. I took his word for it.

policeluger · 02-09-2007, 03:44 PM

It's police, even as a shooter grade gun, as it is not a matching #'s original finish gun, $550 is a very good price

Ron Wood · 02-09-2007, 03:55 PM

The photos explain the 9mm caliber. It isn't a 1920 Commercial as the dealer thought. Your Luger is a 1908 Military First Issue. As Ed posted, it was subsequently reworked for police issue and given a 1920 property mark. Nice gun...I really like '08s.

lutthier · 02-09-2007, 04:18 PM

Is there a link you could send me that will tell me more about this pistol? Thanks

thegundude · 02-09-2007, 04:32 PM

I'm not aware of a decent link online but there are several exceptional books on the subject. You should probably have those anyway...

Are you a book buying type? Check out Amazon and eBay for deals.

lutthier · 02-13-2007, 02:36 PM

There is a 35 on the back of the frame. I didn't notice it before because it is so close to the serial # 3052. I'd be curious to now what that means.

Edward Tinker · 02-13-2007, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lutthier
Is there a link you could send me that will tell me more about this pistol? Thanks

hmmm, There are two luger sites on the net that I would suggest someone go to and this is one of them...

lutthier · 02-13-2007, 03:58 PM

Is 35 the unit marking you were wondering about?

Edward Tinker · 02-13-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lutthier
Is 35 the unit marking you were wondering about?

Usually not, although it can be considered a unit marking. More likely to be a weapon number / rack number.

02-08-2007, 08:35 AM	#1
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	found a decent 1920 commercial This is my first post. It may also be my first Luger so go easy on me. You guys can be a bit intimidating. I found a very nicely polished and reblued 1920 Commercial luger. The bore looks mint, and the numbers seem to all match. The proof marks seem to be intact. The magazine is not original but looks new. The grips look new, dont fit too well, and are not very well made, some kind of cheap replacement. It is a 9mm parabellum, and not a 30 Luger. I've been watching this pistol for about six months and was hoping someone would buy it and relieve me of the temptation. Finally it was sold. Now it appears the person who bought it couldn't come up with the rest of the money and it's back on the shelf. I can pick it up for $550.00 + tax. Any info would help. I did check the proofs against a book in the store and they all seem to check out. I can't find any reason not to buy it. Thanks in advance.

02-08-2007, 08:44 AM	#2
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: 7,040 Thanks: 1,106 Thanked 5,253 Times in 1,723 Posts	I can't think of any reason not to buy it either. 9mm is unusual for a '20 Commercial, but a lot cheaper to shoot. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

02-09-2007, 10:24 AM	#3
SS109 User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Jefferson, CO Posts: 56 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	$550 sounds like a pretty good deal for a 1920's Luger. Check the prices on Gunbroker. I just bought a 1920's .30 Luger for $700 there. __________________ 1916 LP08 1923 9mm P08 Commercial Import 1920 .30 Luger Commercial

02-09-2007, 12:02 PM	#4
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,594 Times in 2,116 Posts	Sounds like a decent price to me. Jeff, we are fairly close in location, I am in Castle Rock, CO 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

02-09-2007, 01:29 PM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,594 Times in 2,116 Posts	We'd rather you Not use photobucket. Most of the time the photos never stay (owner zaps them out etc). Use the ADD REPLY and post one at a time, or use the upload photo upper right corner. Just ensure the photos are under 200 kilobytes. There are several tutorials under the New Collector area to help you on posting. 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

02-09-2007, 01:16 PM	#5
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I went ahead and bought it. I'm not sure how to post photos. I can't seem to get into photobucket. I'll post them soon.

02-09-2007, 02:49 PM	#7
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

02-09-2007, 02:51 PM	#8
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

02-09-2007, 02:52 PM	#9
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

02-09-2007, 02:55 PM	#10
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,594 Times in 2,116 Posts	okay, unsure where the commercial designation came from . It is a Reichswehr property marked (hence the 1920) that at one time went into police service (see the sear safety on the left). Any unit markings on the grip strap? 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

02-09-2007, 03:01 PM	#11
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I'm not sure how to do multiple postings, so I took your advice and posted one at a time. Took me a while to figure out how to make the picture smaller. Thank God for google. I took the pistol apart and all the numbers I can find match. The is no # on the take down pin, or on the barrel. Is that because it may have been rebarreled at some point? There is a faint proof mark on the barrel, but it was almost buffed out. There are some markings on the inside, but I'm not sure what they mean. The Magazine is stamped Mauser. What an impressive piece of machinery. It is incredibly smooth when you take it apart and very little wear. Is there anything else I should tell you? Was this a miliary pistol or only for the commercial market? Thanks for all your help and feed back!

02-09-2007, 03:04 PM	#12
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The Gunshop said it was a commercial Luger. I took his word for it.

02-09-2007, 03:44 PM	#13
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	It's police, even as a shooter grade gun, as it is not a matching #'s original finish gun, $550 is a very good price

02-09-2007, 03:55 PM	#14
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: 7,040 Thanks: 1,106 Thanked 5,253 Times in 1,723 Posts	The photos explain the 9mm caliber. It isn't a 1920 Commercial as the dealer thought. Your Luger is a 1908 Military First Issue. As Ed posted, it was subsequently reworked for police issue and given a 1920 property mark. Nice gun...I really like '08s. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

02-09-2007, 04:18 PM	#15
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Is there a link you could send me that will tell me more about this pistol? Thanks

02-09-2007, 04:32 PM	#16
thegundude User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Western NC Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 3 Posts	I'm not aware of a decent link online but there are several exceptional books on the subject. You should probably have those anyway... Are you a book buying type? Check out Amazon and eBay for deals. __________________ Keep your knees in the breeze and your iron in the air. ~Steve

02-13-2007, 02:36 PM	#17
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	There is a 35 on the back of the frame. I didn't notice it before because it is so close to the serial # 3052. I'd be curious to now what that means.

02-13-2007, 03:58 PM	#19
lutthier User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CT Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Is 35 the unit marking you were wondering about?