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Dwight Gruber · 12-02-2003, 01:29 PM

Ken,

Your magazine definitely is a repro. I have one of those--came with a gun I bought--not only do they only carry seven rounds, but the metal is very flimsy.

The correct magazine for your 1917 is a rolled&folded, nickeled steel body with a wood bottom, serial# and perhaps + on the bottom.

Before you jump at a repro wood bottom and go to the trouble to try and fit it to this mag, try this. Go to the Portland gun show--there is one coming up on Dec. 20-21--and see if you can find an original for a price acceptable to you. There are reliably two or three tables which have original magazines, maybe you can make a deal.

As far as books are concerned, from the gist of your question I would recommend one of two (preferably both). "Lugers At Random" by Charles Kenyon is an excellent catalog of most of the Luger variations, with photos and salient features of each.

Since you have a 1917 Luger I also recommend "Imperial Lugers" by Jan C. Still. This is a book of encyclopedic detail concering the Lugers of the era represented by yours. A profusely illustrated, detailed, and scholarly history of the Luger's first two decades.

Both books are out of print, but can be found. There is a bookseller regular at the Portland show who usually has a copy of Kenyon for sale, and occasionally you can find Still's book there as well.

--Dwight

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12-02-2003, 01:29 PM	#4
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Ken, Your magazine definitely is a repro. I have one of those--came with a gun I bought--not only do they only carry seven rounds, but the metal is very flimsy. The correct magazine for your 1917 is a rolled&folded, nickeled steel body with a wood bottom, serial# and perhaps + on the bottom. Before you jump at a repro wood bottom and go to the trouble to try and fit it to this mag, try this. Go to the Portland gun show--there is one coming up on Dec. 20-21--and see if you can find an original for a price acceptable to you. There are reliably two or three tables which have original magazines, maybe you can make a deal. As far as books are concerned, from the gist of your question I would recommend one of two (preferably both). "Lugers At Random" by Charles Kenyon is an excellent catalog of most of the Luger variations, with photos and salient features of each. Since you have a 1917 Luger I also recommend "Imperial Lugers" by Jan C. Still. This is a book of encyclopedic detail concering the Lugers of the era represented by yours. A profusely illustrated, detailed, and scholarly history of the Luger's first two decades. Both books are out of print, but can be found. There is a bookseller regular at the Portland show who usually has a copy of Kenyon for sale, and occasionally you can find Still's book there as well. --Dwight