Navy Luger build - from scratch to finish

markbritt · 04-25-2011, 01:42 PM

Like many of you, I have always wanted a Navy luger shooter, but with costs as high as they are, I decided to build one. I had a .30 cal commercial luger (barrel shot out) that was in good condition with non-dated chamber. After searching for close to two years, I picked up an original Navy two-postiion rear sight. I then found a 6" Navy barrel (new). Now that I had all the parts, I stripped the entire pistol down, removed the old bluing and rust blued it by hand. The rust process took me approximately 7 weeks to do the entire luger. In addition, I took a new projection magazaine, aged it and installed a Navy wood bottom. Lastly, I took repo grips, aged them and installed them. This Navy was not build to be a counterfit, but rather an inexpenive shooter. I have had many complements on the nice rust blue finsh - sometimes that does not show well in pictures.

I wanted to share my restoration with you guys and I certainly hope you like it.

Mark

lfid · 04-25-2011, 02:22 PM

very nice !!!

so presistence does have its rewards
congratulations

bluing looks sort of like a matt finish - which I like - what grit polish did you use ?
did u use the brownells rust blue solution ?

Bill

Neil Young · 04-25-2011, 02:24 PM

Mark:

I really like what you did to this old-timer. You did a fantastic job, in my estimation.

Neil

Ron Smith · 04-25-2011, 03:08 PM

Mark,

I had one just like that built on a 1939 S/42 Mauser. Wish I hadn't sold it now.

That's nice...

Ron

John Sabato · 04-25-2011, 04:24 PM

Very Nice work... and I am sure far less expensive than buying a working shooter class original Navy Luger... Congrats... How does she shoot with the new barrel?

nukem556 · 04-25-2011, 04:55 PM

Nice job! I'm curious too about which solution you used, I've been messing around with 4 different types,experimenting. I've found the degree of glossiness depends on how long you rust between boiling and carding....if you wait till you have a solid orange coating of rust, you'll end up with a more matte finish- if you end each cycle when just a hint of red/orange is visible under bright light, you'll maintain more sheen. (using a 320-400 grit finish)

wlyon · 04-25-2011, 05:30 PM

Very nice work !!! Bill

markbritt · 04-25-2011, 07:01 PM

Guys:

Thanks for the compliments on the gun. To answer John's question about how it shoots - it is a tack driver. Before I refinished the gun, I put it all together and tested it out completely. I had to shorten the recoil spring a couple of turns in order for my reloads to feed, but other than that, it went together well and shoots well. This is definitely a better option than having an original for shooting. As a side note, I did not serial number the barrel as well as the Navy toggle to insure that this one never gets confused with an original.

Mark

Edward Tinker · 04-25-2011, 07:05 PM

Very nice Mark,

i sold my navy to a fellow collector and have regretted it.

Also have had a couple 6 inch shooters and sold them, again regretted it

Ed

sheepherder · 04-25-2011, 07:15 PM

Outstanding!!!

rhuff · 04-25-2011, 07:29 PM

WOW!! Very nice results.....I would be proud to own and shoot that piece. You are a patient person, as it takes time to get the rust blue to produce those results.

Ice · 04-26-2011, 08:29 PM

Mighty handsome job.

Charlie

04-25-2011, 02:24 PM	#3
Neil Young Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Scottsboro, Alabama Posts: 552 Thanks: 567 Thanked 449 Times in 170 Posts	Mark: I really like what you did to this old-timer. You did a fantastic job, in my estimation. Neil __________________ Neil The hurrier I go the behinder I get. Sometimes it takes me all day to get nothing done.

04-25-2011, 03:08 PM	#4
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Mark, I had one just like that built on a 1939 S/42 Mauser. Wish I hadn't sold it now. That's nice... Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

04-25-2011, 04:24 PM	#5
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,309 Times in 1,098 Posts	Very Nice work... and I am sure far less expensive than buying a working shooter class original Navy Luger... Congrats... How does she shoot with the new barrel? __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

04-25-2011, 05:30 PM	#7
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,673 Thanks: 3,243 Thanked 2,658 Times in 988 Posts	Very nice work !!! Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

04-25-2011, 07:05 PM	#9
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	Very nice Mark, i sold my navy to a fellow collector and have regretted it. Also have had a couple 6 inch shooters and sold them, again regretted it 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

04-25-2011, 02:22 PM	#2
lfid Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wichita, KS USA Posts: 453 Thanks: 573 Thanked 96 Times in 53 Posts	very nice !!! so presistence does have its rewards congratulations bluing looks sort of like a matt finish - which I like - what grit polish did you use ? did u use the brownells rust blue solution ? Bill

04-25-2011, 04:55 PM	#6
nukem556 User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Irmo, SC Posts: 625 Thanks: 35 Thanked 168 Times in 107 Posts	Nice job! I'm curious too about which solution you used, I've been messing around with 4 different types,experimenting. I've found the degree of glossiness depends on how long you rust between boiling and carding....if you wait till you have a solid orange coating of rust, you'll end up with a more matte finish- if you end each cycle when just a hint of red/orange is visible under bright light, you'll maintain more sheen. (using a 320-400 grit finish)

04-25-2011, 07:01 PM	#8
markbritt User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 240 Thanks: 5 Thanked 48 Times in 22 Posts	Guys: Thanks for the compliments on the gun. To answer John's question about how it shoots - it is a tack driver. Before I refinished the gun, I put it all together and tested it out completely. I had to shorten the recoil spring a couple of turns in order for my reloads to feed, but other than that, it went together well and shoots well. This is definitely a better option than having an original for shooting. As a side note, I did not serial number the barrel as well as the Navy toggle to insure that this one never gets confused with an original. Mark

04-25-2011, 07:15 PM	#10
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,208 Thanks: 1,425 Thanked 4,474 Times in 2,343 Posts	Outstanding!!! __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

04-25-2011, 07:29 PM	#11
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,314 Thanks: 2,746 Thanked 998 Times in 733 Posts	WOW!! Very nice results.....I would be proud to own and shoot that piece. You are a patient person, as it takes time to get the rust blue to produce those results.

04-26-2011, 08:29 PM	#12
Ice User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 552 Thanks: 13 Thanked 69 Times in 57 Posts	Mighty handsome job. Charlie