Two H.P. marked Lugers

Dwight Gruber · 06-08-2005, 06:38 PM

Part 2

The front grip strap is stamped with the Police unit mark in the conventional manner as is customary following the 1932 marking instructions.

Unlike other known Police Lugers, H.P. Lugers have their unit marks repeated on their right receivers, in a very small, distinctive letter style.

H.P. magazines have their unit marks stamped on the spine. Although this is not completely unique--examples of other spine-marked magazines are known--reported matching H.P. mags are consistently so marked.

H.P. magazine bases are reported in both wood and aluminum, with various markings. H.P. 495. has one matching magazine, wood base, stamped number 2 as the spare.

The most noteworthy defining characteristic of reported H.P. Lugers is the ground-away stock lug. These guns are not well known, so they may be passed up by collectors who don't want a Luger which has been "butchered" as so many were during the mid-to-late 20th century. Auto-Mag has letters from correspondents wondering and regretting the "ruin" of these otherwise fine Lugers. H.P.495. was obtained at an advantageous price because of this "flaw"; it was not until later, in a chance discussion on the Luger Forum, that an experienced collector pointed this out as an actual variation.

The removal of the stock lug from this pistol is not simply a "slicking-off" of the excess metal. Some care was taken in its removal: the back of the remaining metal was rounded a bit, and the sides of the grip strap were chamfered to match.

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06-08-2005, 06:38 PM	#2
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Part 2 The front grip strap is stamped with the Police unit mark in the conventional manner as is customary following the 1932 marking instructions. Unlike other known Police Lugers, H.P. Lugers have their unit marks repeated on their right receivers, in a very small, distinctive letter style. H.P. magazines have their unit marks stamped on the spine. Although this is not completely unique--examples of other spine-marked magazines are known--reported matching H.P. mags are consistently so marked. H.P. magazine bases are reported in both wood and aluminum, with various markings. H.P. 495. has one matching magazine, wood base, stamped number 2 as the spare. The most noteworthy defining characteristic of reported H.P. Lugers is the ground-away stock lug. These guns are not well known, so they may be passed up by collectors who don't want a Luger which has been "butchered" as so many were during the mid-to-late 20th century. Auto-Mag has letters from correspondents wondering and regretting the "ruin" of these otherwise fine Lugers. H.P.495. was obtained at an advantageous price because of this "flaw"; it was not until later, in a chance discussion on the Luger Forum, that an experienced collector pointed this out as an actual variation. The removal of the stock lug from this pistol is not simply a "slicking-off" of the excess metal. Some care was taken in its removal: the back of the remaining metal was rounded a bit, and the sides of the grip strap were chamfered to match.