Grandfather's Mauser Luger

spraynpray123 · 06-17-2008, 12:17 AM

Hi guys, I have a Luger that I've inherited as of 20 years ago that has been sitting in a safe. I was wondering if somebody could tell me exactly what it is and how much it is worth. It is a 9mm, stamped Original Mauser on top, and oberndorf on the front of the grip frame. It seems there are so many variations of this gun that I assume you'd need pictures to identify it.

For the moment, I can tell you that it is a 4 inch model, I believe a Swiss, and came in a box almost identical to the one in the picture below. The one that I have has another slot in the velvet for a big brass tool of some sort with threads on the end. As well as that tool, there is a bore brush, loading tool, extra magazine, manual, and a target with 3 holes with German writing on it.

I took it to a couple of gun stores today, and although they acknowledged that it was 100% and they'd never seen the wooden case before, they offered me $400. I know it's worth a lot more than that, and I wouldn't even consider selling it for that price, that's what a Keltec would go for. They didn't really know what it was, and had to look it up in a book and just ended up scratching their heads and offering me dirt.

NOT my gun:

Ron Wood · 06-17-2008, 01:22 AM

Thank you for the photos of the rig that is "almost identical", but to give you a real evaluation we will need actual photos of the outfit that you inherited. Even without the photos, it is safe to say that the gentlemen at the gun store that offered you $400 should be repeatedly smacked up along side their head with a sock full of wet, used kitty litter and pehaps a couple of piles of doggie doo for good measure. There is no excuse for that kind of low ball offer. In their defense, a lot of gun stores today haven't a clue about collectable guns.

06-17-2008, 08:19 AM

I agree with Tac. Interarms Mauser Parabellum, Swiss 29/70 frame. Probably has an US Eagle on the receiver ring too. Pictures would confirm our suspicions.

spraynpray123 · 06-17-2008, 12:35 PM

As you guys can see, I registered here a while back, and I've only posted here once I knew that I had the ability to take some pictures of the beaut. I'll go do that right now.

Thanks for the fast responces, you got my lazy butt in gear now.

Ron Smith · 06-17-2008, 12:48 PM

Selling any gun outright to a dealer is going to bring a low-ball price. They want to clear as much profit as possible. And they will often play dumb to keep you from the realization of their motives.

If you were to trade on another firearm, then the offer would be somewhat higher, but not much.

The only way to clear full value would be to sell it to an interested individual or collector.

spraynpray123 · 06-17-2008, 01:53 PM

Alright guys, here are some pictures.

The leather/fake leather box:

What's inside:

Front strap:

Top:

Left side:

Safety:

Target:

I have an image of the right side of the gun, but it has the serial number on it, I'll edit it and post it if need be. Actually, I'll just go edit it now. I also have much larger copies of these images, I've resized these to 1/4 of the originals.

spraynpray123 · 06-17-2008, 02:02 PM

Here she is.

Well, I trust everybody on a gun forum. It's not pro-gun people I'd ever have to fear.

Oh and anybody feel free to take whatever image they want and use it for whatever purpose they want. I just cut the image of the safety down to 1280x1024 to use as my desktop, it looks great.

Vlim · 06-17-2008, 02:14 PM

Hi,

A nice gun, with a nice original Mauser presentation case (most came in rather bland foam boxes with cardboard lids).

The gun is an early example (1970-1972) of the post-war Mauser Parabellum, made by Mauser in Oberndorf. The guns were made using the Swiss design as a guideline, therefore they have the look and feel of the Swiss-made Parabellums, although not a snippet of Swiss tooling was used by Mauser.

The gun's serial number is also visible on the target, so no need to conceal it

The 10.00... visible on the frame is only a prefix that says it's 9mm (10).

Needless to say this ain't a $400 piece of kit...

spraynpray123 · 06-17-2008, 02:25 PM

Well thanks for the info and kind words, guys. I guess the number is out. *shrug*

Anybody that would have known that it was on the target is trustable anyway.

lugerholsterrepair · 06-17-2008, 02:31 PM

Patrick, At the risk of Ron lurking in dark corners with an arsenal of kitty litter socks...

The box does not appear to have originated with the pistol. The box will accomodate a longer barrel.... not that this means anything but your cleaning rod is not for a 4" pistol but a 6". Both of these lead me to surmise that this is a box put with another pistol. It would seem to have a higher value as a box for a 6" pistol.

I would sell the box on Ebay to get the maximum value out of it and advertise it for a Mauser Navy. My guess is the box might bring around 300.00 or much more..who knows?

The pistol value is something I know nothing about. As a shooter it would be around $600-700. If you found someone wanting this style and condition it could sell for $1000-1200

Jerry Burney

spraynpray123 · 06-17-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lugerholsterrepair
The box does not appear to have originated with the pistol. The box will accomodate a longer barrel.... not that this means anything but your cleaning rod is not for a 4" pistol but a 6". Both of these lead me to surmise that this is a box put with another pistol. It would seem to have a higher value as a box for a 6" pistol.

I would sell the box on Ebay to get the maximum value out of it and advertise it for a Mauser Navy. My guess is the box might bring around 300.00 or much more..who knows?

Jerry Burney

Well in the stock picture I got off of http://www.lugerlp08.com/, that same case is shown with a 4" in it. Not to say that you're wrong, because I obviously am just clutching at strings here.

zinfull · 06-17-2008, 03:23 PM

If the gun is NIB shape as it looks then the price would be more like $1250-1500. The box does look correct to me. The box does add to the overall value. Please do not separate.

Jerry

Vlim · 06-17-2008, 03:37 PM

The presentation cases were of a 'one size fits all' design.

spraynpray123 · 06-17-2008, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by zinfull
If the gun is NIB shape as it looks then the price would be more like $1250-1500. The box does look correct to me. The box does add to the overall value. Please do not separate.

Jerry

It is not NIB, it has been fired by me. I have fired it maybe 100 times at most. The finish is 99%, there is some wear at the back of the receiver where I believe the toggle must smack. Fantastic condition, yes. New, no. I should have mentioned this earlier, seeing as I asked for help with it's value.

lugerholsterrepair · 06-17-2008, 04:14 PM

Patrick, Me wrong? Since I know next to nothing about these reproduction pistols I was just speculating. I thought the Mauser Company might have carried on the traditions of the turn of the Century craftsmen and made a box that fit the pistol.

Gerben has set me straight!

Well in the stock picture I got off of http://www.lugerlp08.com/, that same case is shown with a 4" in it.

It also has a much different and shorter cleaning rod.

At any rate...it is desirable to those who like this sort of thing. I am positive it will be snapped up should you list it in the For Sale section!

Jerry Burney

Vlim · 06-19-2008, 12:29 PM

Jerry,

Things got complicated when both Mauser and Interarms used their own box designs and providers.

alvin · 06-21-2008, 09:44 PM

Wow! Lugers, almost any type, cannot go wrong with $400, IMO. Local stores here list used S&W Model 19 (gun only) for $600+.

06-17-2008, 12:17 AM	#1
spraynpray123 User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Grandfather's Mauser Luger Hi guys, I have a Luger that I've inherited as of 20 years ago that has been sitting in a safe. I was wondering if somebody could tell me exactly what it is and how much it is worth. It is a 9mm, stamped Original Mauser on top, and oberndorf on the front of the grip frame. It seems there are so many variations of this gun that I assume you'd need pictures to identify it. For the moment, I can tell you that it is a 4 inch model, I believe a Swiss, and came in a box almost identical to the one in the picture below. The one that I have has another slot in the velvet for a big brass tool of some sort with threads on the end. As well as that tool, there is a bore brush, loading tool, extra magazine, manual, and a target with 3 holes with German writing on it. I took it to a couple of gun stores today, and although they acknowledged that it was 100% and they'd never seen the wooden case before, they offered me $400. I know it's worth a lot more than that, and I wouldn't even consider selling it for that price, that's what a Keltec would go for. They didn't really know what it was, and had to look it up in a book and just ended up scratching their heads and offering me dirt. NOT my gun: __________________ $400?!

06-17-2008, 01:22 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 5,257 Times in 1,724 Posts	Thank you for the photos of the rig that is "almost identical", but to give you a real evaluation we will need actual photos of the outfit that you inherited. Even without the photos, it is safe to say that the gentlemen at the gun store that offered you $400 should be repeatedly smacked up along side their head with a sock full of wet, used kitty litter and pehaps a couple of piles of doggie doo for good measure. There is no excuse for that kind of low ball offer. In their defense, a lot of gun stores today haven't a clue about collectable guns. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

06-17-2008, 12:35 PM	#4
spraynpray123 User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	As you guys can see, I registered here a while back, and I've only posted here once I knew that I had the ability to take some pictures of the beaut. I'll go do that right now. Thanks for the fast responces, you got my lazy butt in gear now. __________________ $400?!

06-17-2008, 12:48 PM	#5
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Selling any gun outright to a dealer is going to bring a low-ball price. They want to clear as much profit as possible. And they will often play dumb to keep you from the realization of their motives. If you were to trade on another firearm, then the offer would be somewhat higher, but not much. The only way to clear full value would be to sell it to an interested individual or collector. __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

06-17-2008, 01:53 PM	#6
spraynpray123 User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Alright guys, here are some pictures. The leather/fake leather box: What's inside: Front strap: Top: Left side: Safety: Target: I have an image of the right side of the gun, but it has the serial number on it, I'll edit it and post it if need be. Actually, I'll just go edit it now. I also have much larger copies of these images, I've resized these to 1/4 of the originals. __________________ $400?!

06-17-2008, 08:19 AM	#3
Brad Guest Posts: n/a	I agree with Tac. Interarms Mauser Parabellum, Swiss 29/70 frame. Probably has an US Eagle on the receiver ring too. Pictures would confirm our suspicions.

06-17-2008, 02:02 PM	#7
spraynpray123 User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Here she is. Well, I trust everybody on a gun forum. It's not pro-gun people I'd ever have to fear. Oh and anybody feel free to take whatever image they want and use it for whatever purpose they want. I just cut the image of the safety down to 1280x1024 to use as my desktop, it looks great. __________________ $400?!

06-17-2008, 02:14 PM	#8
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,990 Times in 1,205 Posts	Hi, A nice gun, with a nice original Mauser presentation case (most came in rather bland foam boxes with cardboard lids). The gun is an early example (1970-1972) of the post-war Mauser Parabellum, made by Mauser in Oberndorf. The guns were made using the Swiss design as a guideline, therefore they have the look and feel of the Swiss-made Parabellums, although not a snippet of Swiss tooling was used by Mauser. The gun's serial number is also visible on the target, so no need to conceal it The 10.00... visible on the frame is only a prefix that says it's 9mm (10). Needless to say this ain't a $400 piece of kit...

06-17-2008, 02:25 PM	#9
spraynpray123 User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well thanks for the info and kind words, guys. I guess the number is out. shrug Anybody that would have known that it was on the target is trustable anyway. __________________ $400?!

06-17-2008, 02:31 PM	#10
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,133 Times in 1,439 Posts	Patrick, At the risk of Ron lurking in dark corners with an arsenal of kitty litter socks... The box does not appear to have originated with the pistol. The box will accomodate a longer barrel.... not that this means anything but your cleaning rod is not for a 4" pistol but a 6". Both of these lead me to surmise that this is a box put with another pistol. It would seem to have a higher value as a box for a 6" pistol. I would sell the box on Ebay to get the maximum value out of it and advertise it for a Mauser Navy. My guess is the box might bring around 300.00 or much more..who knows? The pistol value is something I know nothing about. As a shooter it would be around $600-700. If you found someone wanting this style and condition it could sell for $1000-1200 Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

06-17-2008, 03:23 PM	#12
zinfull Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sonoma County CA Posts: 244 Thanks: 5 Thanked 34 Times in 17 Posts	If the gun is NIB shape as it looks then the price would be more like $1250-1500. The box does look correct to me. The box does add to the overall value. Please do not separate. Jerry

06-17-2008, 03:37 PM	#13
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,990 Times in 1,205 Posts	The presentation cases were of a 'one size fits all' design.

06-17-2008, 04:14 PM	#15
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,133 Times in 1,439 Posts	Patrick, Me wrong? Since I know next to nothing about these reproduction pistols I was just speculating. I thought the Mauser Company might have carried on the traditions of the turn of the Century craftsmen and made a box that fit the pistol. Gerben has set me straight! Well in the stock picture I got off of http://www.lugerlp08.com/, that same case is shown with a 4" in it. It also has a much different and shorter cleaning rod. At any rate...it is desirable to those who like this sort of thing. I am positive it will be snapped up should you list it in the For Sale section! Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

06-19-2008, 12:29 PM	#16
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,990 Times in 1,205 Posts	Jerry, Things got complicated when both Mauser and Interarms used their own box designs and providers.

06-21-2008, 09:44 PM	#17
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Wow! Lugers, almost any type, cannot go wrong with $400, IMO. Local stores here list used S&W Model 19 (gun only) for $600+.