bought first Luger...have questions!

07-13-2001, 08:44 AM

Hi guys,

This is my first time on this site, I have found this site to be a wealth of information. I have recently purchased my first Luger and know little about it. I was more or less, looking for a shooter-grade gun and just a good example of the P-08 to round out my collection and stumbeld upon this gun in a Waco TX pawn shop. For 300 dollars, I could not pass it up.

What I have is an Erfurt made pistol with the 4 inch barrel. The date on top of the frame is 1918. There is a four digit serial number on the side of the frame near the barrel and all parts I can see have the last two digits of this number stamped on them as well. There is an Imperial German eagle stamp and two or three other proof stamps on the right side of the frame near the barrel. The other proof stamps are like capital letters with crowns above them. The top of the bolt (terminology?) has the word Erfurt and a crown as well as the last two digits of the serial number on it. All markings are very visible and do not look buffed over. There is a small importer stamp that is so faint I cannot make it out on the underside of the barrel and the bore looks almost new.

On the grip, there is a slot for a shoulder stock and there is a lanyard ring on the back of the frame, near the top (funny, I thought all pistols had the lanyard ring at the bottom of the grip).

The grips are like a dark brown/black swirled bakelite and have a target or "dot" on the sides. I am guessing these are E. German replacements? The metal finish is a very uniform bluing that is not very glossy.

All in all, this is a very tight pistol in very good shape, has great balance and it seems very well built. It feels good in my hand and the trigger is not too heavy, either.

So...

What is it that I have? Is this a WWI German issue gun that was re-built in the Post WWII time and used by EG police? Could it have been used by the Nazis in WWII? If so, it has no Nazi markings...why is this?

How do these shoot? I have never shot a Luger, but as the owner of a Hi-Power, Glock 17 and CZ-75, I am no stranger to the 9mm round. Are they accurate? Reliable? Will it feed only FMJ ammo? IS there one particular type of commercial 9mm that Lugers like?

Any and all comments on what I have, what to expect at the range and how I did on price would be appreciated.

I really like this pistol...and hope its a good shooter.

Thanks!

-SA

Dok · 07-14-2001, 06:40 PM

Let me just add to John's comments by saying if you would like to send a picture for the Rogues Gallery, then it should be sent to me, not uploaded.

Welcome

Dok (Webmaster)

Steve Lempitski · 07-15-2001, 09:11 AM

Accuracy, you ask? With my all original, BADLY beat up 1916 Erfurt, with more pits in the barrel than I could count, I came in second place in an informal big bore pistol shoot at a local gun club, losing only to a fellow with his customized, accurized, etc., Colt gold cup 45. Lugers were and still are the most accurate semi-automatic pistol right off the production line ever made. Would the Germans except any thing else?

07-13-2001, 08:44 AM	#1
S. Allen Guest Posts: n/a	bought first Luger...have questions! Hi guys, This is my first time on this site, I have found this site to be a wealth of information. I have recently purchased my first Luger and know little about it. I was more or less, looking for a shooter-grade gun and just a good example of the P-08 to round out my collection and stumbeld upon this gun in a Waco TX pawn shop. For 300 dollars, I could not pass it up. What I have is an Erfurt made pistol with the 4 inch barrel. The date on top of the frame is 1918. There is a four digit serial number on the side of the frame near the barrel and all parts I can see have the last two digits of this number stamped on them as well. There is an Imperial German eagle stamp and two or three other proof stamps on the right side of the frame near the barrel. The other proof stamps are like capital letters with crowns above them. The top of the bolt (terminology?) has the word Erfurt and a crown as well as the last two digits of the serial number on it. All markings are very visible and do not look buffed over. There is a small importer stamp that is so faint I cannot make it out on the underside of the barrel and the bore looks almost new. On the grip, there is a slot for a shoulder stock and there is a lanyard ring on the back of the frame, near the top (funny, I thought all pistols had the lanyard ring at the bottom of the grip). The grips are like a dark brown/black swirled bakelite and have a target or "dot" on the sides. I am guessing these are E. German replacements? The metal finish is a very uniform bluing that is not very glossy. All in all, this is a very tight pistol in very good shape, has great balance and it seems very well built. It feels good in my hand and the trigger is not too heavy, either. So... What is it that I have? Is this a WWI German issue gun that was re-built in the Post WWII time and used by EG police? Could it have been used by the Nazis in WWII? If so, it has no Nazi markings...why is this? How do these shoot? I have never shot a Luger, but as the owner of a Hi-Power, Glock 17 and CZ-75, I am no stranger to the 9mm round. Are they accurate? Reliable? Will it feed only FMJ ammo? IS there one particular type of commercial 9mm that Lugers like? Any and all comments on what I have, what to expect at the range and how I did on price would be appreciated. I really like this pistol...and hope its a good shooter. Thanks! -SA

07-13-2001, 09:18 AM	#2
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,153 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Welcome S. Allen and here are Some answers... Clean it, Lube it, Shoot it if you like but most of all enjoy it. Welcome to the Luger fraternity... (I just used these words yesterday, but they need to be repeated here for you) Glad you could join us here. Please take a moment and use the link at the top of the main discussion page to "Edit Your Profile" and that will lock your user ID so no one can post using your name. (What's the S. stand for?) Feel free to "View User Profiles" and read a few of them to get to know us first, so you have some idea what to put in your own. You don't have to reveal anything that your not comfortable with... but we would like to know a little about you... maybe your age, general location -- you get the idea. A photo for the Rogues Gallery would be a nice touch -- see the link (UPload Photo) at the top of the main discussion page. Come back often. This is a great forum and there is much information about Lugers to be learned here. -John Sabato http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/ERFURT1918.jpg

07-14-2001, 06:40 PM	#3
Dok RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bermuda (Eat Your Heart Out) Posts: 1,626 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Welcome S. Allen... Let me just add to John's comments by saying if you would like to send a picture for the Rogues Gallery, then it should be sent to me, not uploaded. Welcome Dok (Webmaster)

07-15-2001, 09:11 AM	#4
Steve Lempitski User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Old Cape Cod Posts: 238 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Welcome S. Allen... Accuracy, you ask? With my all original, BADLY beat up 1916 Erfurt, with more pits in the barrel than I could count, I came in second place in an informal big bore pistol shoot at a local gun club, losing only to a fellow with his customized, accurized, etc., Colt gold cup 45. Lugers were and still are the most accurate semi-automatic pistol right off the production line ever made. Would the Germans except any thing else?