1917 Erfurt Firing pin

wayne8661 · 11-10-2012, 10:37 PM

Should the firing pin on a 1917 Erfurt be numbered or not? And how would a unit mark affect the value on it?

Balder · 11-11-2012, 05:00 AM

Wayne,

The firing pin in my 1918 Erfurt has the last two digits of the serial number, so I would expect a 1917 to have the same. There is also a crowned B on mine.

A unit mark makes the gun more interesting and therefore more valuable in my opinion.

Balder

Norme · 11-11-2012, 08:40 AM

Hi Wayne, As Balder says, Erfurt firing pins should be both numbered and inspection marked. The firing pin retainers were also inspection marked, but were un-numbered. Unit marks add greatly to a gun's appeal, in my opinion. Regards, Norm

wayne8661 · 11-11-2012, 08:56 AM

If a pin was not numbered due to being replaced etc.. How much will the collectability suffer?

deepdarkwoodsman · 11-11-2012, 09:25 AM

How much the value and collectibility suffers depends on the individual. To some, it adds to the character and history of the gun. To others, it is now a mismatched shooter.

Doug

Edward Tinker · 11-11-2012, 10:43 AM

I am not happy if a firing pin is unmarked, but it does not put the otherwise correct gun into the shooter category to me.

5-10% at the most? Depends on how nice the gun is?

ed

wayne8661 · 11-11-2012, 11:40 AM

I was considering swapping a pair of p.38s for the erfurt but with the mismatched pin I now have some concerns.

alanint · 11-11-2012, 12:09 PM

Don't sell those P38's short on value, depending on what you have, of course. Nice, matching examples are pushing $1,000 these days.

11-10-2012, 10:37 PM	#1
wayne8661 User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kennett Square Pennsylvania Posts: 591 Thanks: 15 Thanked 334 Times in 104 Posts	1917 Erfurt Firing pin Should the firing pin on a 1917 Erfurt be numbered or not? And how would a unit mark affect the value on it?

11-11-2012, 08:40 AM	#3
Norme Always A Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,417 Thanks: 226 Thanked 2,607 Times in 933 Posts	Hi Wayne, As Balder says, Erfurt firing pins should be both numbered and inspection marked. The firing pin retainers were also inspection marked, but were un-numbered. Unit marks add greatly to a gun's appeal, in my opinion. Regards, Norm Attached Thumbnails

11-11-2012, 10:43 AM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	I am not happy if a firing pin is unmarked, but it does not put the otherwise correct gun into the shooter category to me. 5-10% at the most? Depends on how nice the gun is? 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

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11-11-2012, 05:00 AM	#2
Balder User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Norway Posts: 288 Thanks: 20 Thanked 34 Times in 19 Posts	Wayne, The firing pin in my 1918 Erfurt has the last two digits of the serial number, so I would expect a 1917 to have the same. There is also a crowned B on mine. A unit mark makes the gun more interesting and therefore more valuable in my opinion. Balder

11-11-2012, 08:56 AM	#4
wayne8661 User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kennett Square Pennsylvania Posts: 591 Thanks: 15 Thanked 334 Times in 104 Posts	If a pin was not numbered due to being replaced etc.. How much will the collectability suffer?

11-11-2012, 09:25 AM	#5
deepdarkwoodsman User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: North Carolina Posts: 38 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 1 Post	How much the value and collectibility suffers depends on the individual. To some, it adds to the character and history of the gun. To others, it is now a mismatched shooter. Doug

11-11-2012, 11:40 AM	#7
wayne8661 User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kennett Square Pennsylvania Posts: 591 Thanks: 15 Thanked 334 Times in 104 Posts	I was considering swapping a pair of p.38s for the erfurt but with the mismatched pin I now have some concerns.

11-11-2012, 12:09 PM	#8
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	Don't sell those P38's short on value, depending on what you have, of course. Nice, matching examples are pushing $1,000 these days.