My .30 cal luger

[Zbro19]

Hey everyone. So I have a german .30cal luger. Can anyone tell me anything about it? It has matching serial numbers,no numbers on the magazine and it is marked dwm on the top if the toggle. If anyone has any info I would appreciate the help. Thank you.

[HerrKaiser]

You have an interwar “alphabet” commercial Luger as indicated by the 4 letter serial number and the “i” suffix as well as the crown n proof mark. The blank wood based bottom is a correct style of magazine for this gun. Iirc “i” suffix Lugers are actually quite rare so this may have been a real steal for you, especially given its 9000 level serial number preceding the suffix. Need more pictures to tell you anything beyond that and I’m sure the others will enjoy the look at this too. Congrats on your piece of history and welcome to the forum. I’m sure one of the moderators will direct you to the FAQ and new collectors forum if you wish to look up some other basic pertinent information about your gun.

[mrerick]

Hi Tyler, and welcome to the forum.

Check out our FAQ PDF document for quite a bit of reference material.



Lugers can be quite addictive. I got my start on a DWM Alphabet Commercial similar to yours.


Marc

[Zbro19]

Thank you for all the responses I super appreciate it!! Helps alot. I stumbled across this luger at a cabelas and snagged it for about 1200 bucks. They had no idea it was a .30 luger. And what other kind of pictures would I need?

[HerrKaiser]

Pictures of all numbered parts you can see, all proof marks you can see, pictures of the barrel's rifling and such, and the muzzle for starters. To get pictures of some parts, you'll have to disassemble the pistol. Though on commercial pistols, they aren't always fully numbered and many parts are instead unnumbered (like the firing pin, grips, toggle pins/axles).

[cirelaw]

Well Done!

[DonVoigt]

I would not use the word "rare" with a luger that comprised a near complete block of 8,000 pistols.
It is not significantly "scarcer" than any other letter block of commercial 1920 luger pistols, JMHO.

Cartridge counter luger pistols are "rare", 1902 carbines are scarce, US test trial pistols are fairly easy to find, as they survived in reasonable numbers and all were present in the US. I know all it is pedantic semantics. Again JMHO.

[Zbro19]

Alright I will try to snag pictures. From what I've seen in the pistol there's almost no numbers anywhere.

[HerrKaiser]

Your numbers are “hidden” in the commercial variations like this. On the bottom of the takedown lever and side plate is a number, the one for your breech block is also one you’ll need to take down to find. Same with extractor (if numbered). Bottom of safety lever will have one (if numbered) and will the sear block. Again, many don’t. My all matching commercial has only a numbered barrel, frame, toggle train, takedown lever, and sideplate. Those are the bare minimum, after that it’s spotty on whether the other parts get numbered or not from the reports of others.

[Zbro19]

Here's a few more pictures if those help

[rhuff]

Congrats on your First Luger.......it likely won't be your last one!! I also have an "i" series alphabet Luger,only a bit earlier in the production range. The 7.65Para(30Luger) round is a fun cartridge to shoot, and shoots quite flat at distance. These Lugers like to be kept clean and well lubed if you are going to shoot them at the range. Gather up your spent brass, because even if you don't plan to reload it, others might/will buy it from you to reload. Some Lugers can be pretty ammo sensitive.....Fiocchi and PPU ammo is what most non-handloaders are shooting. Enjoy!! Oh, and welcome to the forum!!

[Zbro19]

Thank you!! And yes I already want to get a artillary or navy luger to add to my collection. And I have shot it before a few times. I grab every casing I can and I do reload just haven't started reloading 7.65 para yet

[rhuff]

Glad to have another handloader on this forum. The 7.65P can be a bit tricky compared to 9mm, and straight walled brass. There is a lot of info in the reloading sub-section of this forum.