.30 Luger Commercial

[DavidJayUden]

Please elaborate on "chamber ring". Do you mean over the chamber where the date is usually found? Is it really ground clean or never stamped?
dju

[saxman]

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

Please elaborate on "chamber ring". Do you mean over the chamber where the date is usually found? Is it really ground clean or never stamped?
dju

If I remember correctly from years ago, the way to tell the date has been removed is if the ring is slightly thinner on top as viewed from the muzzle. That appears to be the case. I have read that some of these were ex-military issue with markings ground off, refinished and remarked for export. It also seems that some of these were newly-made pistols. It is a big gray area for me.

As to value, we're only looking for insurance value, so the $800 is good enough. I just took a look on GB and found the same model in nicer shape asking $1495, but I noticed the unmarked chamber top was not ground - the 'grain' of the original finishing was still evident. You can see it was altered on mine. I wonder if that affects value.

[Dwight Gruber]

Originally Posted by saxman

If I remember correctly from years ago, the way to tell the date has been removed is if the ring is slightly thinner on top as viewed from the muzzle. That appears to be the case.

Only Old Model Parabellums were made with cylindrical receiver tops. All Lugers manufactured after 1906 are slightly oblate, that is, the top of the receiver is slightly thinner as you describe. This is completely normal.

Receivers from which a date has been removed display different characteristics from this. It is not necessary to remove anywhere near this amount of metal in order to do so.

--Dwight

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by saxman

If I remember correctly from years ago, the way to tell the date has been removed is if the ring is slightly thinner on top as viewed from the muzzle. That appears to be the case. I have read that some of these were ex-military issue with markings ground off, refinished and remarked for export. It also seems that some of these were newly-made pistols. It is a big gray area for me.

As to value, we're only looking for insurance value, so the $800 is good enough. I just took a look on GB and found the same model in nicer shape asking $1495, but I noticed the unmarked chamber top was not ground - the 'grain' of the original finishing was still evident. You can see it was altered on mine. I wonder if that affects value.

Yes, it affects the value, negatively.

[rhuff]

I agree with Tom, if for insurance purposes, I would insure it for $1000, or perhaps a bit more. As time goes by, these old Lugers don't get any cheaper.