E German DDR Luger

[maddog350gt]

Hi all;

I have the story Dwight Gruber eluded to in his note about the Portland Gun show. I found this luger on the table of a dealer who specializes in machine guns and high tech modern military guns. I have no idea why he had a luger other than he probably bought it in a group of Russian capture pieces or took it in a trade for some of his other inventory. At any rate I looked this over and said good shooter at not a bad price for today's market and left it in his care.

Later that day I ran into Dwight Gruber (nice thing about living near Portland), we talked a little about the lugers in the show and Dwight showed me the list he made of what was there. I didn't see the shooter so I asked him if he'd seen it, he said no so we worked our way to the last table on the southwest side of the building (almost out the door at the back of the room). Dwight asked to see the luger and started to inspect it as I was telling him it had some E German proofs on it. Dwight looked at it for a few moments and turned to me and said "You need to buy this gun....Right Now!". That's when it dawned on me that this was one of the 100 or so E German manufactured guns built in the early 50's. I have know idea what the value of this gun is but I am sure it is more than the shooter price I paid for it. Being one of the rarest production runs of luger ever made I view it as a once in a lifetime find.


I have been trying to find out about these guns but not much has been written about them. None of the better known reference books even acknowledges that they exist. The only information I have comes from this Forum, Jan Stills Forum, and what is written in Buxton's P-38 volume III.
Here is what I can tell you about it along with a number of pictures. If you want to see something that I didn't take a picture of let me know and I'll try to get a shot of it and post it.

The gun has what I believe to be an E German manufactured frame and receiver, both serial numbered N1030. The barrel is E German, date coded 653 for June of 1953. The breech block, sear bar, safety plate, and hold open appear to be reworked WWII pieces, all of the rest of the small parts look to be of E German manufacture. I don't know if all of the parts were E German at one time and the gun was then refurbished before being sold as excess or if the WWII parts were part of the original build. At this point it's difficult to tell. The barrel has a stepped chamber (couldn't get a picture of that) and is in excellent condition. The frame has no lanyard loop or stock lug, is not re-enforced and is very roughly finished on the outside. The back of the receiver does not have the Mauser Hump. The sear bar has a hole for the pin of a sear safety and the side plate is milled for the same. It does not appear that the gun ever had a sear safety installed.

If anyone has more information on this series of E German guns I would appreciate if they would post it here or send me a message.

Thanks,
Bob M.

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