Need identification help, please - Page 2

Big Norm · 05-16-2005, 02:15 PM

John,
I agree. I cannot figure why anyone would grind off the chamber date since it is usually put in there so deep. Grinding might compromise the integrity of the guns metal at that point. Not only that, but why only the chamber date and nothing else.

I think the estimate that this could probably be a 1917 artillery in spite of the fact that most of the artilleries of that transition year for front and rear sights were either adjustible and/or fixed. Even though there can be any combination of the sights on a 1917, I still instictively think of fixed sights as belonging to the 1918's.

More importantly John, where were you during the last Chantilly gun show? I went there hoping that I would finally meet you but you were nowhere to be seen. While the show was kinda a disappointment, I did get to meet TomA, which made it worthwhile.

What also made it worthwhile was going to the NRA's weapons museum. There were 13 Lugers on display there and, I think, 2 Borchardts. Thats a pretty good attendance for a relatively modern pistol of foreign make. It was hard to tell much about the Lugers but one of the P08's was a 1936 Kreighoff. The glare off of the glass made it difficult to really see what the other Lugers really were. But there was one navy, one carbine and quite a few artilleries. Jan Still did not have any of his books for sale in the souvenier room and there wasn't a Gibson either. But there were "Lugers at Random" books for sale. Gotta talk to Jan and Gibby about that.
It was scary pulling into the parking lot with my motor home. But after bumping and pushing a few cars around a bit with my motor home, I was able to get out of it. Some of the cars in the parking lot were just those little puddle jumper foreign jobies and I was able to just drive over the top of those thingies. (We do that in Detroit). The hamburgers in the cafeteria tasted pretty good too. The indoor shooting range was closed so I didn't get to see that thingy.
Big Norm

Rod WMG · 05-16-2005, 03:11 PM

Well, Laura, I'm not an expert like these guys; I just love Lugers. Especially Lugers.

I add my vote to the "keep it in the family" resolution.

Dwight Gruber · 05-16-2005, 08:43 PM

Big Norm,

It has always seemed to me that Imperial chamber dates are usually stamped quite shallow.

--Dwight

Laura · 05-16-2005, 08:54 PM

Once again, I want to thank all of you for your assistance and insight. It has all been very helpful, and it means a lot, especially to my father (this was his father's pistol, and he never knew much about it.)

I have every intention of keeping the pistol in the family. It'll be fun to tell the next generation about the "mystery of the undated pistol." Please continue to post information if you have it - I'm still lurking around.

Ron Smith · 05-16-2005, 09:47 PM

Hey Tom , I'm a shrieking violet! Oh....

Laura,
A very nice pistol. I am envious.

Ron

05-16-2005, 09:47 PM	#25
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Hey Tom , I'm a shrieking violet! Oh.... Laura, A very nice pistol. I am envious. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

05-16-2005, 02:15 PM	#21
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	John, I agree. I cannot figure why anyone would grind off the chamber date since it is usually put in there so deep. Grinding might compromise the integrity of the guns metal at that point. Not only that, but why only the chamber date and nothing else. I think the estimate that this could probably be a 1917 artillery in spite of the fact that most of the artilleries of that transition year for front and rear sights were either adjustible and/or fixed. Even though there can be any combination of the sights on a 1917, I still instictively think of fixed sights as belonging to the 1918's. More importantly John, where were you during the last Chantilly gun show? I went there hoping that I would finally meet you but you were nowhere to be seen. While the show was kinda a disappointment, I did get to meet TomA, which made it worthwhile. What also made it worthwhile was going to the NRA's weapons museum. There were 13 Lugers on display there and, I think, 2 Borchardts. Thats a pretty good attendance for a relatively modern pistol of foreign make. It was hard to tell much about the Lugers but one of the P08's was a 1936 Kreighoff. The glare off of the glass made it difficult to really see what the other Lugers really were. But there was one navy, one carbine and quite a few artilleries. Jan Still did not have any of his books for sale in the souvenier room and there wasn't a Gibson either. But there were "Lugers at Random" books for sale. Gotta talk to Jan and Gibby about that. It was scary pulling into the parking lot with my motor home. But after bumping and pushing a few cars around a bit with my motor home, I was able to get out of it. Some of the cars in the parking lot were just those little puddle jumper foreign jobies and I was able to just drive over the top of those thingies. (We do that in Detroit). The hamburgers in the cafeteria tasted pretty good too. The indoor shooting range was closed so I didn't get to see that thingy. Big Norm

05-16-2005, 03:11 PM	#22
Rod WMG User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The Edge of Texas Posts: 514 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well, Laura, I'm not an expert like these guys; I just love Lugers. Especially Lugers. I add my vote to the "keep it in the family" resolution.

05-16-2005, 08:43 PM	#23
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,893 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,288 Times in 426 Posts	Big Norm, It has always seemed to me that Imperial chamber dates are usually stamped quite shallow. --Dwight

05-16-2005, 08:54 PM	#24
Laura User Join Date: May 2005 Location: "Slower Lower" Delaware, USA Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Once again, I want to thank all of you for your assistance and insight. It has all been very helpful, and it means a lot, especially to my father (this was his father's pistol, and he never knew much about it.) I have every intention of keeping the pistol in the family. It'll be fun to tell the next generation about the "mystery of the undated pistol." Please continue to post information if you have it - I'm still lurking around.