1916 DWM grips

[Tony Min]

My new DWM that I discussed in my recent opinion threads is less than two miles away in the LGS safe. (California torture test) I can pick it up Friday after work
It has decent repro grips but I love the originality and character of these things. So some day I would like to find some original grips with character. (last two digits is 75)
1. Were DWM 1916 grips numbered to the gun?
2. Are all grips the same? Any factory gun, any year?
Thanks

[DavidJayUden]

As I recall the WW1 military DWM grips were all numbered to the gun. Except replacements of course.
Other WW1 DWM grips should fit, but I'm not so certain about WW2 Mauser grips.
A bit of walnut stain in some thinned linseed oil might do wonders for these grips, which don't seem too bad to me.
dju

[Tony Min]

Thanks for the tip. I was wondering what to age them with

[Geo99]

Tony,

1. Yes, except for a few commercial Lugers, all WWI Army Lugers had numbered grips.

2. Mostly. Your 1916 would have almost certainly had walnut grips. Imperial Army Lugers had two kinds of grips - walnut (1908 - 1916) and a lighter colored beech wood (1917 - 1918 and even later). I don't know any 1916 with beech, but it's OK if you like it.

Anyway, any walnut grips should be fine on your 1916, but they were all hand-fitted, so a particular set may or may not fit perfectly.

Even later WWII wood grips may be OK, but they would be marked differently on the inside, and probably cost even more.

I should mention that you could spend a lot of money ($250?) on original grips that will not add that much value to the gun.

- Geo

[Tony Min]

Originally Posted by Geo99

Tony,

1. Yes, except for a few commercial Lugers, all WWI Army Lugers had numbered grips.

2. Mostly. Your 1916 would have almost certainly had walnut grips. Imperial Army Lugers had two kinds of grips - walnut (1908 - 1916) and a lighter colored beech wood (1917 - 1918 and even later). I don't know any 1916 with beech, but it's OK if you like it.

Anyway, any walnut grips should be fine on your 1916, but they were all hand-fitted, so a particular set may or may not fit perfectly.

Even later WWII wood grips may be OK, but they would be marked differently on the inside, and probably cost even more.

I should mention that you could spend a lot of money ($250?) on original grips that will not add that much value to the gun.

- Geo

I know. But this is not my last Luger. I am keeping my eyes open for a parts Luger, or shooter Luger, or any Luger.... that maybe has some decent grips. Or a gripping deal.
You say they are hand fitted. Aren't the guns all the same and once the wood is fitted it would change from gun to gun?
Thanks

[Sergio Natali]

If I'm not wrong all WWI Army LUGERS had numbered grips.
Your 1916 gun probably had walnut grips.
Probably any walnut grips could fit, but, it's for you to consider how much you want to spend on that gun without really increasing the final value of it.

[Tony Min]

Originally Posted by luger.parabellum

If I'm not wrong all WWI Army LUGERS had numbered grips.
Your 1916 gun probably had walnut grips.
Probably any walnut grips could fit, but, it's for you to consider how much you want to spend on that gun without really increasing the final value of it.

I don't collect for the investment. I think they are cool and look cool.
But I probably wouldn't spend hundreds for grips. But running into a parts gun or shooter is a possibility and switch grips.
For now I will just age these some.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by Tony Min

I know. But this is not my last Luger. I am keeping my eyes open for a parts Luger, or shooter Luger, or any Luger.... that maybe has some decent grips. Or a gripping deal.
You say they are hand fitted. Aren't the guns all the same and once the wood is fitted it would change from gun to gun?
Thanks

I wouldn't worry so much in this case if the grips are original, as long as they fit well and you like how they look. It will save you lots of dough if you simply keep these on it and treat them cosmetically to be what you like.

I'd remove any old finish from the repros by immersing them for a couple hours in a MEK based stripper, gently brush off in the 2 directions of the checkering with a soft bristle toothbrush and acetone. Now you're down to the bare wood. Apply a walnut stain or toned oil by dabbing it on, so as not to damage the checkering, removing excess with the soft brush. Repeat after dry for a darker tone, but remember it's easier to darken a little at a time than to darken too much on the first round--avoids re-stripping for a new start.

A final light coat of boiled linseed oil--again, removing all excess with the soft brush (absorb buildup in the brush with a paper towel when necessary)--and you'll be good to go.

It's probably not worth sending them to Hugh Clark, since they're repros, and this is something that is easily done in the home shop. And you'll be able to reap the satisfaction when they look great due to your efforts.

Enjoy your shooter, and best of luck with the inevitable next Luger.

[SteveM]

Originally Posted by Tony Min

2. Are all grips the same? Any factory gun, any year?

As far as interchangeability goes, I have yet to find 2 Lugers that you could swap the grips and they fit perfectly.

[Tony Min]

So far I sanded the edges a little more round, they were kind of square and sharp, and put on some Murphy oil soap. They look fantastic.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by SteveM

As far as interchangeability goes, I have yet to find 2 Lugers that you could swap the grips and they fit perfectly.

Steve, I bought a pair of '06 style grips from Argentina last year. I have two '06 AEs, one of each frame style. They fit my long frame model like a glove; the short frame, well, not so much.

Although Lugers follow dimension specs quite closely, there will always be a touch of difference because the tooling and machinery incorporated guidance by a machinist. Once this human factor is added, the door is open for variation, no matter how slight. It is not unusual to do a bit of hand fitting/sanding/filing to persuade grips to fit properly, whether originals or repros. But I think originals would always fit better from the start than repros.