Three Digit Serial Number

[Doppler1992]

This Luger was presented to me around 1982 by my late stepfather. I confess to being less enthusiastic about the acquisition than I should have been at the time, but I am finally beginning to appreciate the gun - thanks to this forum and the many knowledgeable members sharing information herein.

Recently I bought a modern .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and began shooting at a local gun range. The range sessions sparked my interest in the Luger and I began to occasionally target practice with the Luger, alternating with the Desert Eagle .40 cal modern handgun.

An Oklahoma gunsmith advised that my Luger should probably be considered a "collector" rather than a "shooter" and I might be risking damage to the gun by firing it on a regular basis. Other employees and shooters at the gun range suggest that the gun is designed well enough to shoot even higher powered rounds â?? like 156 grain â?? without worry of a rare part breaking. I suppose the truth lies somewhere in between the contradictory advice I have received to date.

I was encouraged by another forum member to post some pictures where perhaps Ron Wood and other knowledgeable folks might comment on this gun's condition and possible value - and whether it should be "retired" from target practice.

I must say that this is the straightest-shooting gun of the three pistols I own, and is fun to shoot â?? when I am lucky enough to find good ammunition. The 115 grain Blazer FMJ ammunition that I have been forced to use sometimes fails to chamber with the first round. If I manually chamber the first round, it will fire reliably until the magazine is empty. The general consensus that I have observed on the forum is that Winchester white box 115 grain ammo is best digested by most Lugers. However, I have been unable to find anything but Blazer 115 grain FMJ in Oklahoma.

I am a newbie to the forum and I am at entry level on understanding this fine gun, but any information on my gun and the 3 digit serial number would be appreciated. It seems that most Lugers have 4 digit serial numbers.

I have many high resolution close-up photos available. I am hoping these pictures might help define the gunâ??s condition and authenticity.

Gary -