My uncle's luger

[Lefto]

Hello all and thanks in advance for your assistance. My uncle passed away a few years ago and I was wondering if you all could assist me in some info regarding the weapon. He was a WWII vet and picked up the luger in France off of a fallen German soldier. He was a D-day +1 soldier and fought only a few weeks before being wounded. He was a Browning machine gunner and was shot in the hand. He was in the hospital for several months with multiple operations and ended up with 4 partially usable fingers on 1 hand. He had stories about hedge row fighting and was wounded taking a U-boat base. I know that he picked this pistol up while he was fighting, but off of what type of soldier I have no idea. Can you help me identify the gun?
Thanks
Greg

[Vlim]

Hi,

Your pistol is a 1936 S/42. The S/42 is the codename for Mauser, the manufacturer. The pistol originally would be blued with strawed small parts. It has been buffed and nickleplated in it's second life, as service guns weren't.

[Lefto]

I first saw the pistol in the 60's so he must have plated it soon after the war. Any idea of value? The numbers all match, but the plating must have really damaged the value. If it were not plated, how desirable would this make and model have been?

Thanks,
Greg

[Edward Tinker]

Lefto, value is about a 1/3rd of an unplated. I see a nickle / plated pistol like this go from $350-$550 depending on who is buying and wants an example like this.

Many soldiers had them nickled or chromed immediatly after the war, it was the thing to do


Ed

[badsnakeii]

Value = Priceless. That pistol cannot be replaced. It is a part of your family. There is a piece of your uncle with that luger. I wouldnt sell it.
I have my grandfathers 1911 (dated 1914, so it was made back in WWI) that he carried in WWII, he was going over seas when he got measles in his eyes, so he never saw combat. The army took him and used him as a DI, he was the DI for the Tuskegie (? spelling) airmen, the black fighter pilots. The gun is not government stamped, so what i have been told is it is a comercial 1911 made in 1914 that was rerouted for government use, then the war ended and the pistols sat. He might have got it issued, but he might have baught it from the armory too, all i know is he carried it during his service. There are lots of stories that go with that gun. Its just about all i have of him, i never met him, and the truck that was his and where he died, i rolled last winter (i am going to restore the truck, but its still sad to lose it that way).
Sorry for the book, i would just say to write down the stories he told you and keep them with that gun. Someday someone in your family maybe your children or his children, or grandchildren will want to know those stories and want to hold that gun.
Jarrod M

[Steinar]

I would suggest bringing it to a good gunsmith for a second refinish. Remove the nickel plating, smooth out/weld the pitting and rust blue it. If done professionally it will probably be quite expensive, but think it can be worth it. It can help preserve it for future generations