Need help with my Luger!

Syxtnyne · 10-30-2015, 04:30 PM

Okay, so I'm new to the Luger world. It's probably obvious because I'm here with a title to my post mentioning that I need some help. For starters, I was told this is a Mauser Banner Police model. I was told that it is almost all original with the exception of the grips and the one part that isn't numbered to the gun which I was told is the sear bar. I was told that by Eugene at Luger Man. I'm sure there are a bunch of other little parts that have numbers on them, but I've never taken a Luger apart so I need to research that real quick. Yup, newbie.

I apologize for some of the pictures either being flipped or a little difficult to see. For the parts that I tried zooming in on, my camera refused to cooperate.

For the smaller parts that may not have shown up in the pictures:
-Barrel: the barrel has a number, 883 on it.
-Safety: has the same 26 number on it.
-Serial Number: just above the number there's a little eagle looking mark.
-Frame: on the side of the pistol (right side) there's an Eagle with an L on it.

I just would like to know if anyone can tell me what exactly I have, how correct it is based on the info that I have provided. I am also on the lookout for grips with the number 26 on them so that I could replace the ones I have for a set with the correct number on them.

wlyon · 10-30-2015, 05:10 PM

From the photos it appears to have been buffed and reblued. The sear bar is mismatched. It may well be the pictures but the luger appears to have been worked over. Bill

Syxtnyne · 10-30-2015, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wlyon

From the photos it appears to have been buffed and reblued. The sear bar is mismatched. It may well be the pictures but the luger appears to have been worked over. Bill

Nothing else seems too out of the ordinary? That's a relief. Haha. I'm okay with the rebluing of it I guess, but the sear bar annoys me and the mismatched sear bar... I'd love to get an all matching luger. What would you estimate the value of this luger in its current condition?

DavidJayUden · 10-30-2015, 07:23 PM

Welcome aboard!
Other things I'm seeing is the older pattern of finish, with strawed small parts, not entirely salt blued. It had, at one time, a sear safety, and the magazine is "force matched" Like Bill said, it has been buffed and refinished, most evident on the left side.
The 8,83 is the measured bore diameter, not a serial number. No serial number on the barrel concerns me too.
Let's see what the Mauser Banner gurus have to say...
dju

DonVoigt · 10-30-2015, 09:22 PM

You have odd markings on the left chamber in addition to the numbers.
As has been pointed out, the finish should be all blue/black; the pistol has been severely polished and re-blued and the small parts strawed(yellow color).

I believe you may have an east german VOPO(police) luger that was refinished after importing to the US. It has the distinctly shaped east german side plate.

I don't do values, but it is a shooter not a collectable.

mrerick · 10-31-2015, 10:36 AM

Hi Matt, and welcome to the forum.

As I'm sure you know, the police Eagle/L marked Lugers are more rare than military guns.

Unfortunately it looks like the upper receiver was possibly replaced and renumbered as part of the rework / refinishing process your gun went through. The dies used on my late Mauser luger receiver serial numbers have a difference appearance than the ones on your receiver. Also, they would have the same smooth edges as the rest of the area if they were original. The "y" is something I've never seen before there.

The magazine was renumbered as well. The die typeface is not what Mauser used.

So... if you purchased it as a mismatched and refinished Luger, it's fine. If you wanted a collectible gun that is not what this is, as Don mentioned above.

Shooter grade Lugers (which this is) usually sell for between $850 and $1100 these days. I'm not sure I'd value it higher because of the E/L proof or Mauser commercial toggle. The good news is that you can feel free to shoot it without risking financial loss by breaking a matching part. There is no reason to replace the grips, which look like they are in good condition, even with the small chip up by the safety lever (aka the "Million Dollar Chip" because it happens often enough).

BTW, the holster in your first pictures looks like it might be a post war P.38 drop holster.

Marc

Sergio Natali · 10-31-2015, 11:14 AM

Mat

First of all wecome to this Luger forum.
I've not undestood if you were looking for a collectible or a shooter.
That Luger is nice but is a shooter, which after all it's the right type of gun to get as a first Luger, so you'll be able to make tome practice with it disassemble and reassemble without fearing of breaking or scratching something.
Be careful Lugers are rather addictive...

Regards

Syxtnyne · 10-31-2015, 12:17 PM

Thanks everyone for the information. Yeah I picked this pistol up for $900 and it came with black widow grips originally. I am selling the black widow grips to a fellow member here. I went through all the steps to confirm they were real by another collector so those will be sold and I'll just keep the grips on it now. It's definitely a shooter but I'd love to get my hands on a legitimate matching/collector piece. I have two Lugers at the moment and I picked my first one up a few months ago. Addicting!

rhuff · 10-31-2015, 05:20 PM

You should place a ad in the WTB section below for a sear bar of the number that you want. Perhaps someone out there has one sitting in a box of Luger parts.

Lugerdoc · 11-01-2015, 10:13 AM

SYX, Sorry no #26 trigger bar (sear) or WW2 #26 grips available, but I do have a correct (drilled for the missing sear safety) police unnumbered trigger bar available @$75 and also an unnumbered NOS (unused) set of late WW2 breech wood grips marked inside both sides E/135 @$200, which are correct for a 1942 PO8, but probably over-kill for a reblued DDR rework. TH PS: Your unserialized barrel and grips are correct for a 1942 Police E/L. TH

Syxtnyne · 11-01-2015, 05:28 PM

The un numbered police trigger bar wouldn't be correct without the 26 on it though, would it? I'm new to this but what does DDR rework stand for?

DonVoigt · 11-01-2015, 06:02 PM

DDR= German Democratic Republic= East Germany during the Cold War;
of course in German it is Deustches Demokrakische Republik( I have probably slaughtered the
German spelling).

ken d · 11-02-2015, 04:33 PM

Matt:

I have a trigger bar, number 26, $40.00 delivered. If interested Email

kendun42@outlook.com

Regards Ken D

rhuff · 11-03-2015, 04:30 PM

Ask and you shall receive!! Isn't this a great Forum?

10-30-2015, 04:30 PM	#1
Syxtnyne User Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Need help with my Luger! Okay, so I'm new to the Luger world. It's probably obvious because I'm here with a title to my post mentioning that I need some help. For starters, I was told this is a Mauser Banner Police model. I was told that it is almost all original with the exception of the grips and the one part that isn't numbered to the gun which I was told is the sear bar. I was told that by Eugene at Luger Man. I'm sure there are a bunch of other little parts that have numbers on them, but I've never taken a Luger apart so I need to research that real quick. Yup, newbie. I apologize for some of the pictures either being flipped or a little difficult to see. For the parts that I tried zooming in on, my camera refused to cooperate. For the smaller parts that may not have shown up in the pictures: -Barrel: the barrel has a number, 883 on it. -Safety: has the same 26 number on it. -Serial Number: just above the number there's a little eagle looking mark. -Frame: on the side of the pistol (right side) there's an Eagle with an L on it. I just would like to know if anyone can tell me what exactly I have, how correct it is based on the info that I have provided. I am also on the lookout for grips with the number 26 on them so that I could replace the ones I have for a set with the correct number on them. __________________ Looking for Luger wood grips with the number 26.

10-31-2015, 10:36 AM	#6
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,909 Thanks: 1,374 Thanked 3,110 Times in 1,510 Posts	Hi Matt, and welcome to the forum. As I'm sure you know, the police Eagle/L marked Lugers are more rare than military guns. Unfortunately it looks like the upper receiver was possibly replaced and renumbered as part of the rework / refinishing process your gun went through. The dies used on my late Mauser luger receiver serial numbers have a difference appearance than the ones on your receiver. Also, they would have the same smooth edges as the rest of the area if they were original. The "y" is something I've never seen before there. The magazine was renumbered as well. The die typeface is not what Mauser used. So... if you purchased it as a mismatched and refinished Luger, it's fine. If you wanted a collectible gun that is not what this is, as Don mentioned above. Shooter grade Lugers (which this is) usually sell for between $850 and $1100 these days. I'm not sure I'd value it higher because of the E/L proof or Mauser commercial toggle. The good news is that you can feel free to shoot it without risking financial loss by breaking a matching part. There is no reason to replace the grips, which look like they are in good condition, even with the small chip up by the safety lever (aka the "Million Dollar Chip" because it happens often enough). BTW, the holster in your first pictures looks like it might be a post war P.38 drop holster. Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

10-31-2015, 11:14 AM	#7
Sergio Natali User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy Posts: 2,646 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts	Mat First of all wecome to this Luger forum. I've not undestood if you were looking for a collectible or a shooter. That Luger is nice but is a shooter, which after all it's the right type of gun to get as a first Luger, so you'll be able to make tome practice with it disassemble and reassemble without fearing of breaking or scratching something. Be careful Lugers are rather addictive... Regards __________________ "Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list.

10-31-2015, 12:17 PM	#8
Syxtnyne User Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks everyone for the information. Yeah I picked this pistol up for $900 and it came with black widow grips originally. I am selling the black widow grips to a fellow member here. I went through all the steps to confirm they were real by another collector so those will be sold and I'll just keep the grips on it now. It's definitely a shooter but I'd love to get my hands on a legitimate matching/collector piece. I have two Lugers at the moment and I picked my first one up a few months ago. Addicting! __________________ Looking for Luger wood grips with the number 26.

11-01-2015, 10:13 AM	#10
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	SYX, Sorry no #26 trigger bar (sear) or WW2 #26 grips available, but I do have a correct (drilled for the missing sear safety) police unnumbered trigger bar available @$75 and also an unnumbered NOS (unused) set of late WW2 breech wood grips marked inside both sides E/135 @$200, which are correct for a 1942 PO8, but probably over-kill for a reblued DDR rework. TH PS: Your unserialized barrel and grips are correct for a 1942 Police E/L. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

10-30-2015, 05:10 PM	#2
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,635 Thanks: 3,174 Thanked 2,555 Times in 954 Posts	From the photos it appears to have been buffed and reblued. The sear bar is mismatched. It may well be the pictures but the luger appears to have been worked over. Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

10-30-2015, 07:23 PM	#4
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Welcome aboard! Other things I'm seeing is the older pattern of finish, with strawed small parts, not entirely salt blued. It had, at one time, a sear safety, and the magazine is "force matched" Like Bill said, it has been buffed and refinished, most evident on the left side. The 8,83 is the measured bore diameter, not a serial number. No serial number on the barrel concerns me too. Let's see what the Mauser Banner gurus have to say... dju

10-30-2015, 09:22 PM	#5
DonVoigt User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: near Charlotte NC Posts: 4,681 Thanks: 1,441 Thanked 4,350 Times in 2,040 Posts	You have odd markings on the left chamber in addition to the numbers. As has been pointed out, the finish should be all blue/black; the pistol has been severely polished and re-blued and the small parts strawed(yellow color). I believe you may have an east german VOPO(police) luger that was refinished after importing to the US. It has the distinctly shaped east german side plate. I don't do values, but it is a shooter not a collectable.

10-31-2015, 05:20 PM	#9
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,291 Thanks: 2,708 Thanked 972 Times in 717 Posts	You should place a ad in the WTB section below for a sear bar of the number that you want. Perhaps someone out there has one sitting in a box of Luger parts.

11-01-2015, 05:28 PM	#11
Syxtnyne User Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The un numbered police trigger bar wouldn't be correct without the 26 on it though, would it? I'm new to this but what does DDR rework stand for? __________________ Looking for Luger wood grips with the number 26.

11-01-2015, 06:02 PM	#12
DonVoigt User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: near Charlotte NC Posts: 4,681 Thanks: 1,441 Thanked 4,350 Times in 2,040 Posts	DDR= German Democratic Republic= East Germany during the Cold War; of course in German it is Deustches Demokrakische Republik( I have probably slaughtered the German spelling).

11-02-2015, 04:33 PM	#13
ken d Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: louisville ky Posts: 277 Thanks: 31 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	Matt: I have a trigger bar, number 26, $40.00 delivered. If interested Email kendun42@outlook.com Regards Ken D

11-03-2015, 04:30 PM	#14
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,291 Thanks: 2,708 Thanked 972 Times in 717 Posts	Ask and you shall receive!! Isn't this a great Forum?