So I was just given this old gun ...

Condition Yellow · 06-09-2009, 08:56 PM

I was quite literally given a Luger 6 days ago. I have no idea about Lugers and was wondering if anyone can give me an idea of what I have. The date on the top is 1920. It has a tight action and the bore looks very good. The serial #'s match on the frame, sideplate, takedown pin and safety, but the toggle, which has DWM on the top, does not match the frame #. The bbl has no date or markings. I assume it has been refinished because the bluing is quite nice for a 89 year old pistol, but I don’t really know. It has checkered walnut grips, a lanyard loop, and no stock lug. It has 3 mags, one an un-numbered, wood-bottom magazine (original?), one (I believe is an original) has P08, fxo and the number 37 with some marking above it, and one looks like a newer mag. Overall blueing would probably rate 90+ %. Is it commercial, military, police? Is it worth anything?

Thank you for any input,
Alan

Edward Tinker · 06-09-2009, 10:43 PM

Alan, welcome to the forum.

You have a DWM, that has been reinished, thus a "shooter" luger, worth around $600-$700; the 1920 is a date rather than a property stamping (this was done in 1920 and 1921 by the german gov't), but yours is most likely the date.

Your magazines would be in this order; wood original period, your fxo WW2 era, the last I can't see close enough.

ed

Condition Yellow · 06-10-2009, 12:35 AM

Edward,

Thank you. It has no stock lug on the backstrap. Is this normal? Would this have been a military, police or civilian pistol? Is there any way to tell a unit by the markings in the second picture?

Thank you again,
Alan

sheepherder · 06-10-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Condition Yellow

It has no stock lug on the backstrap. Is this normal?

I seem to recall that in the wake of the draconian rulings of the 60's - 70's, many importers ground off the lug so that a shoulder stock could not be attached, thus making a short barreled rifle, which is illegal...

Damned shame...

DavidJayUden · 06-10-2009, 12:55 AM

Am I seeing faint remnants of a stock lug in the picture. Like it was maybe sort of mostly ground off? Or maybe it's just my eyes...
DJU

alanint · 06-10-2009, 11:19 AM

To be clear, an UNREGISTERED short barrel rifle may be unlawful, but one that is registered and manufactured in accordance with ATF guidelines is legal to own.

The grinding off of stock lugs decades ago was done mostly out of ignorance of the laws in place.

PhilOhio · 06-10-2009, 01:23 PM

Postino,

Yes, minor publicity was given to this "grind-em-up" requirement in the 1950s. And by ATF.

Alanint,

It was most certainly not done "out of ignorance". It was done because the law, and ATF, said so. Thousands and thousands of Luger owners, almost all of them, substituted their own judgement and ignored it. Very few did otherwise. I'm not sure whether the literal law covering it actually survives today. It may. But the fact that ATF would be unable to show a record of any significant level of enforcement during the last 50 years would make it more or less a dead letter and probably not successfully prosecutable.

And remember, all C96 pattern Mauser pistols and all military Inglis pistols with shoulder stock mounting provision have been exempted. As a matter of legal consistency, this should be extended to cover all pre-1946 Lugers of any barrel length and model. There is no valid public interest argument to the contrary.

06-09-2009, 08:56 PM	#1
Condition Yellow User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Nevada Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	So I was just given this old gun ... I was quite literally given a Luger 6 days ago. I have no idea about Lugers and was wondering if anyone can give me an idea of what I have. The date on the top is 1920. It has a tight action and the bore looks very good. The serial #'s match on the frame, sideplate, takedown pin and safety, but the toggle, which has DWM on the top, does not match the frame #. The bbl has no date or markings. I assume it has been refinished because the bluing is quite nice for a 89 year old pistol, but I don’t really know. It has checkered walnut grips, a lanyard loop, and no stock lug. It has 3 mags, one an un-numbered, wood-bottom magazine (original?), one (I believe is an original) has P08, fxo and the number 37 with some marking above it, and one looks like a newer mag. Overall blueing would probably rate 90+ %. Is it commercial, military, police? Is it worth anything? Thank you for any input, Alan Last edited by Condition Yellow; 06-09-2009 at 10:10 PM.

06-09-2009, 10:43 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,974 Thanks: 2,072 Thanked 4,608 Times in 2,123 Posts	Alan, welcome to the forum. You have a DWM, that has been reinished, thus a "shooter" luger, worth around $600-$700; the 1920 is a date rather than a property stamping (this was done in 1920 and 1921 by the german gov't), but yours is most likely the date. Your magazines would be in this order; wood original period, your fxo WW2 era, the last I can't see close enough. 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

06-10-2009, 12:35 AM	#3
Condition Yellow User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Nevada Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Edward, Thank you. It has no stock lug on the backstrap. Is this normal? Would this have been a military, police or civilian pistol? Is there any way to tell a unit by the markings in the second picture? Thank you again, Alan

06-10-2009, 12:55 AM	#5
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Am I seeing faint remnants of a stock lug in the picture. Like it was maybe sort of mostly ground off? Or maybe it's just my eyes... DJU

06-10-2009, 11:19 AM	#6
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	To be clear, an UNREGISTERED short barrel rifle may be unlawful, but one that is registered and manufactured in accordance with ATF guidelines is legal to own. The grinding off of stock lugs decades ago was done mostly out of ignorance of the laws in place.

06-10-2009, 01:23 PM	#7
PhilOhio User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 145 Thanks: 5 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	Postino, Yes, minor publicity was given to this "grind-em-up" requirement in the 1950s. And by ATF. Alanint, It was most certainly not done "out of ignorance". It was done because the law, and ATF, said so. Thousands and thousands of Luger owners, almost all of them, substituted their own judgement and ignored it. Very few did otherwise. I'm not sure whether the literal law covering it actually survives today. It may. But the fact that ATF would be unable to show a record of any significant level of enforcement during the last 50 years would make it more or less a dead letter and probably not successfully prosecutable. And remember, all C96 pattern Mauser pistols and all military Inglis pistols with shoulder stock mounting provision have been exempted. As a matter of legal consistency, this should be extended to cover all pre-1946 Lugers of any barrel length and model. There is no valid public interest argument to the contrary.