Ratty Luger Carbine is now mine!

MichaelH · 01-01-2026, 12:12 PM

The end of November I was able acquire a "!902" Luger Carbine at a price I could talk myself (and my wife) into. It has some pitting and other damage to the finish, a dark bore, and came with an incorrect sideplate. The takedown lever was very stiff to move. It turns out it had a sideplate for a New Model Luger, just enough different to make the takedown lever stiff. I put the sideplate from the 1900 on the Luger Carbine, and the other sideplate on the 1900. The lever moves stiff on the 1900 now, but so what.

We actually had a day in December I could take it out and shoot it at the outdoor range.

We used two new Megar magazines and the early type mag that came with my "no Matching parts" 1900 Luger.

We fired 56 rounds of PPU FMJ ammo, Finochi FMJ ammo, and reloads with a plain lead bullet and with a red coated lead bullet.

It actually shot to point of aim at 25 yards. There two minor malfunctions. A failure to close completely with one of my lead bullet reloads and a failure to open completely with a Finnochi round. I also shot it for 5 rounds without the stock. It worked fine. The picture shows the Carbine and the ERMA .22 "Navy Model" that I have had for about 12 years. I recently got a set of grips for an earlier model ERMA. They are more comfortable and (in my mind) improve the look of the gun quite a bit.

rhuff · 01-01-2026, 02:57 PM

Congrats on owning "any condition" Luger carbine.

MichaelH · 01-01-2026, 03:31 PM

My wife's only questions were "Can you shoot it without reducing its resale value?" and "What condition is the bore?"

Kiwi · 01-01-2026, 03:32 PM

Are those two carbines a breeding pair?
Can we expect to many more carbines in the future

MichaelH · 01-01-2026, 04:15 PM

Unfortunately, the offspring would be impossible to shoot. They would an impossible caliber as the top gun is .30 Luger caliber and the bottom is .22 LR.....

Kiwi · 01-02-2026, 09:16 AM

MichaelH

New wildcat cartridge perhaps.
a La Federal's 30 Super Carry in 2022

MichaelH · 02-17-2026, 01:11 PM

I had the Luger Carbine and my "no matching numbers" 1900 Luger out to the range yesterday. I had a new bunch of reloads to try out. The magazine that came with the Luger Carbine did not feed well. I used the one that came with the 1900 Luger and two Mecgar magazines. There were no failures with these magazines in 42 rounds. The 1900 missmatch had several failures to completely close with the reloads. I all cases pushing the toggle shut allowed the gun to be fired. The 1900 worked perfectly with factory Finochni ammo. What I have experienced is the 1900 will work properly with Finochi ammo, but will give failures to close with reloads or PPU ammo. The Luger Carbine works perfectly with the latest reloads, and PPU ammo. I only loaded 100rds for this try our. Now that I know they work I will go ahead and load a several hundred.

01-01-2026, 02:57 PM	#2
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,315 Thanks: 2,748 Thanked 999 Times in 734 Posts	Congrats on owning "any condition" Luger carbine. __________________ Need DWM breechblock #21

01-01-2026, 03:31 PM	#3
MichaelH User Join Date: Nov 2023 Posts: 23 Thanks: 0 Thanked 32 Times in 12 Posts	My wife's only questions were "Can you shoot it without reducing its resale value?" and "What condition is the bore?"

01-01-2026, 03:32 PM	#4
Kiwi User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Wrong side of the Delaware river Posts: 337 Thanks: 240 Thanked 480 Times in 190 Posts	Are those two carbines a breeding pair? Can we expect to many more carbines in the future

01-01-2026, 04:15 PM	#5
MichaelH User Join Date: Nov 2023 Posts: 23 Thanks: 0 Thanked 32 Times in 12 Posts	Unfortunately, the offspring would be impossible to shoot. They would an impossible caliber as the top gun is .30 Luger caliber and the bottom is .22 LR.....

01-02-2026, 09:16 AM	#6
Kiwi User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Wrong side of the Delaware river Posts: 337 Thanks: 240 Thanked 480 Times in 190 Posts	MichaelH New wildcat cartridge perhaps. a La Federal's 30 Super Carry in 2022

02-17-2026, 01:11 PM	#7
MichaelH User Join Date: Nov 2023 Posts: 23 Thanks: 0 Thanked 32 Times in 12 Posts	I had the Luger Carbine and my "no matching numbers" 1900 Luger out to the range yesterday. I had a new bunch of reloads to try out. The magazine that came with the Luger Carbine did not feed well. I used the one that came with the 1900 Luger and two Mecgar magazines. There were no failures with these magazines in 42 rounds. The 1900 missmatch had several failures to completely close with the reloads. I all cases pushing the toggle shut allowed the gun to be fired. The 1900 worked perfectly with factory Finochni ammo. What I have experienced is the 1900 will work properly with Finochi ammo, but will give failures to close with reloads or PPU ammo. The Luger Carbine works perfectly with the latest reloads, and PPU ammo. I only loaded 100rds for this try our. Now that I know they work I will go ahead and load a several hundred.