Wooden Mock-ups?

[wterrell]

I would like to purchase a few wooden mock-ups or models of the 1900 Luger for use in keeping the shape/form of holsters.
Do we have any members who are also woodworking hobbiests?
I do not know that any models of this necessary item are available anywhere and everyone needs a few dozen of them.

[Steve Richards]

While not a wooden mock-up, look at http://www.airsoftatlanta.com/gas.htm

They have gas operated models that fire a 6mm plastic pellet. Someone from the company has posted to our forum in the past but that is all that I know about them. I do not recomend them or not recomand them as I have never dealt with them, but it would give you a nice model that you could also shoot in the garage or even the house. They list the price as $49.00.

For kicks, use a web search engine and look for "luger model" and filter out "boats lex". There is a Japenese company called Tanaka that makes both a standard 4" and an 8" artillery model. A while back we had a fairly extensive thread on this forum about these guns.

I have also seen cheaper adds for totaly non-firing models in some of the gun magazines. Any of these might serve your purpose. Something to consider if you cannot find wooden mock-ups.

[wterrell]

Thanks, Steve. I looked at these models and have not found anything that is useful to me. I may have to go down to the local cabinet shop and have a few made up.
I am of the opinion that the position and pattern of edges and areas of contact with the leather should be exact to correspond with the current impressions in the holsters.
And I require the patterns to be those of the model 1900.

[Ron Wood]

Wes,
One of my projects on the back burner for years has been the fabrication of wooden "shoe trees" for my few holsters. Hopefully someday I will get into my new house (finally have the plans done) that will have a workshop and I will be able to see what I can come up with. shouldn't be very difficult.

[wterrell]

Ron,
The "shoe trees" do not have to look like a Luger but have the correct corners, curves, and protrusions in the right places. I like the idea you have of a "tree". Possibly be finished with a polyurothane finish over a nice piece of stained oak.
If no one offers to conjure any, I will have to start whittling, for I am determined to have a few.

[Vlim]

You can also take a look at the so-called 'prop guns' some dealers are selling.

These non-firing zamac thingies are as dimensionally correct as one would want them to be and they are about the same weight too.

You can even use the magazine that comes with it to keep the magazine pocket in shape.

[Steve Richards]

I did a search using "luger prop" for the lookup and found this for $35.00 http://www.propguns.com/store/new.ihtml

It should work for what you want. There were also lots of other sites but this was just the first one that I looked at.

Good luck!

[wterrell]

You gentlemen are valuable friends! Thanks for the time you have devoted to this subject for my benefit. I am in debt to you.
I have looked at the prop guns and such and have yet to find a 4-3/4 inch barrel or a long frame as on the model 1900.
I am whetting my pocket knife as we speak.

[Steve Richards]

Wes,

I am sorry I could not be of more help but with you wanting a long frame 1900, I can see the problem.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Wes, I have had, on occasion, found it necessary to whittle out a wooden mockup when making a baby Luger holster for the proper fitting. It is pretty easy actually. I first drew out the body of the piece on a board and then made the barrel length what I needed and cut out in rough form the outline of the pistol with a jig saw. Then I took a dremel with a sanding drum on it and started whittiling away anything that didn't look like a Luger.

I am not sure what you are wanting to end up with as mine is a little rough but it served my purpose.

Another way to go about it is injection molding. Patrick Villiers of Berlin Germany wanted an exact replica of his baby to send to me for fitting and he injection molded his pistol.

It is an amazing item as it is exact in every way. I am not sure of the process he used but I am sure you could ask him. He is found most often these days on Jan Stills Forum. Let me know if you want to contact him about this, I may have his Email. Jerry Burney

[beamersquared]

Wes

Another idea for you!!

My young son has a Green plastic squirt gun (water pistol) that is exactly a copy of a luger, perhaps you could buy a bunch of these cheap squirt guns for about $5 bucks each, then cut off the barrels and add a wooden dowel inside them to lengthen the barrel to 4 3/4". Also if you need to make the frame longer just cut the frame and insert a wooden block and lengthen it. So for about 5 bucks a few wooden dowels, blocks and a little Epoxy glue you can have what you want. Add a little black paint to improve the looks and you whould have something that would work and would be a whole lot cheaper than a prop gun or a dart gun.

If you this idea is a little to much of a "cobble job" for you, I can also help with the wooden model idea, because I have a great deal of woodworking experience and have a complete shop to fabricate in.

Beamersquared