Dad' s Luger registration

[KenLugar]

I've really come into a problem, my
> son had his guns confiscated by the local police department
> and with them were the weapons I had been giving him to store over the years. Yesterday, I went to the local PD and picked up
> those that I had engraved my driver license number on. I
> know I should not have but the Old chief of police was my
> neighbor back in 1968 and I didn't know better. This allowed
> me to get all the guns except the German Luger, my uncle
> brought back from Germany in 1946 and gave directly to my
> dad. At 16 I inherited the weapons. DOJ runs a check on the
> guns and finds that this luger that I have had in my
> possession for over 50 years was reported stolen by a "Luger
> Collector" in San Jose. Do to confidentially laws, the pd
> isn't giving me much help and I 'm led to believe the weapon
> was stolen in 1989. It was in my gun cabinet in 1989. The
> chief said that this collector had some work done in his
> home then but went on to say that the gentlemen
> > forgot that luger was part of the stolen property
> then. They are only helping me, very little, because this
> weapon also has my driver license number on the trigger
> guard. I asked DOJ if the could have entered the wrong
> number - no
> >
> > The person at local pd wants to "return it to the
> registered owner"
> >
> > This is all unbelievable to me...Could someone at
> local pd contacted the collector and he get registered
> backwards? They say the serial numbers are the one on my
> Luger. What can I Do? This has been in my hands up until two
> years ago, when I gave it to my sonfor storage. He was not very bright
> BUT looks like dad is paying the price in more ways that
> one.
> >
> > Any thoughts, help or suggestions as to where to go
> from here? This collector will be adding my Luger to his
> already "50 Luger collection". I wonder how he got this
> collection in the first place..
> >
> > Any thing....
> >
> > Thanks,
> >

[mrerick]

Hi,

Let the local PD know that it's possible for two Lugers to have the same serial number.

This is even more an issue if the suffix letter was not documented as part of the stolen firearm report.

There were several manufacturers of Lugers. Within individual manufacturers the serial number range was duplicated over the years. Lugers should have 1 to 5 numeric digits (these were commercial and some military guns prior to the early 1920s) or 1 to 4 numeric digits usually with a suffix letter (military numbered Lugers). The serial 10000 is also possible on later Military proofed guns.

What differentiates the Lugers is the serial number PLUS it's manufacturer, year of manufacture and other distinguishing / proof characteristics.

Marc

[Ron Smith]

Ken,

The problem with Luger serial numbers is that there are duplicates. The serial number would include the letter suffix stamped under the SN on the front of the frame.

If the SN of the so-called stolen Luger is not the same including the letter suffix, manufacturer (DWM, Erfurt, Mauser, Simson,etc.) of the same year of production, it cannot be proven to be the same Luger. The first 10,000 Lugers of any given year will not have a letter suffix.

To prove that this is the "stolen" Luger,

1. Same SN including letter suffix.

2. Be the same year of production.

Stamped with date 1910 thru 1918 Imperial WWI Lugers.
Stamped 1920-1921 for Weimar Lugers.
Stamped K (1934 code), G (1935 code), 1936 thru 1940, as well as "41" or "42" for Mauser WWII Lugers.

3. Be the same manufacturer.

DWM, Erfurt (WWI), Simson late 1920s. Mauser 1934 thru '42.

If all of these markings along with SN + suffix don't match the stolen Luger. It cannot be proven to be the same Luger.

The SN alone is not sufficient to prove it's the same one.

Get an exact description including all dates and markings, if possible, of the stolen Luger. If everything doesn't match exactly, it's not the same one.

If the collector is a dedicated and Honest Luger collector? He will know the difference, and will know how his was dated , marked, etc. And should be able to provide this information.

If the Police go solely on the SN as proof? They are aiding and abetting in the theft of your Luger by letting him have it.

You can go to this site and see how many different variations, makers, dates and markings there are.

http://www.simpsonltd.com/index.php?...fd1a13e68b086c

Ron

[alanint]

In my humble opinion, You need to get yourself an attorney if you ever want to see that Luger again. The police will probably not bother to understand that the serial alone does not make the gun unique in the Luger family. You need an expert to document and assert that fact. Do you have any record of the gun in your possession prior to 1989?

Good luck

[gozrula]

I agree, get an Attorney. I had a similar situation happen to me when I was young. My dad had a 1st generation, Colt SAA that was a carry back from a dead U.S. solder in WWI.

Got stolen and then recovered by the Redwood City police department. Unfortunately he was never able to get it back because he couldn’t prove it was his gun.

Then it mysteriously disappeared from the evidence room. I’m sure someone in P.D. took it for their collection

[KenLugar]

Thank you for the response. I may have seek more info IF I get to see my Luger again...Thanks Ken

[suum cuique]

Originally Posted by KenLugar

Thank you for the response. I may have seek more info IF I get to see my Luger again...Thanks Ken

Good luck,
a day without a luger is like a day without sunshine