Russian Capture Luger Added to my collection

[skeeter4206]

Well, I added my second luger to my collection. Today a bought a russian capture (I think!) for $400. The whole lower section - except the sideplate and the barrel and upper frame are matching numbers. The complete toogle are mismatched, grips dont match and the magazine has a 3 on the bottom. The toogle have numbers it appears to have been removed from the parts on purpose. But all in all it looks pretty good inside and out. The main spring is tight and it shoots. The fellow I bought it from let shoot it before I even bought it. How cool was that of him.

So I know all members enjoy looking at pics of new borns, so here is mine. Enjoy!

[Edward Tinker]

Is the sideplate 'x'd out?

Is there an 'X" on the left receiver?

It might be an East German Vopo, since it looks like it doesn't have a dip blue, it makes me think East german instead of russian / also, if top matches and bottom matches, that would not be a good indication of either, as they force match (to ensure they worked).

So, likely two guns got mixed / but I would buy these at $400 any day of the week, nice score, where did you come across it?



Ed

[wayne8661]

It also appears to have an import mark on the barrel.

[Curly1]

Nice shooter.

[skeeter4206]

It does have an import mark on the bottom of the barrel "C.I.A ST. ALB. VT.". There are no "X" marks on the gun anywhere as I have seen in some of the threads on this forum. The side plate has the original marking marked out and a "34" scribed into the side of it, but on the inside of the sideplate has a "94".








As for was matches and what dont. It looks like the whole toggle and then the sideplate are msimatched. The grips dont match as well, as you can see they are a little bigger than the grip itself.


As for where I found it... There is a fellow that I work with, his father in law is a gunsmith and has his curios and relics liscence living in south carolina. He has all kinda guns. Well he has dont a little bit of work on my other guns. Telling him about my 1900 AE, he told me he has never see one in person and actually held one. He does however have sveral lugers of his own. So, gladly I took over to him one day just as a little show and tell. Made him kinda happy to actually see one. Well he just so happened to call me last week telling me about this one. Kinda funny as I found the cracking in the toggle piece the same week and decided no more shooting of that gun, and then this one just fell in my lap. This fellow also has an old chinese 8mm mauser Thats got some unique markings that Im going to get next. Hell $75 for and old gun like that just to hold and have another show and tell gun. He said it looks just like the K98 german mauser, and actually has some german markings on it as well as chinese markings. So, next payday will be another old gun added to my collection.

[John Sabato]

"C.I.A ST. ALB. VT.". " = Century International Arms, St. Albans, VT. The Importer.

[padredan]

not bad at all, make you a great shooter, congrats

[skeeter4206]

For whats its worth, just looking at this luger. Its got a funky looking bluing to it. These kinda lugers being what they "russian capture or east germany vopo" or what ever it is. I have seen some really since looking shooters on this forum that have been re-blued and some parts replaced to make it nice looking.

Whats some opinions on doing a re-bluing on this luger. Shoul I, or shouldnt I. Also pricing of re-bluing, for a good re-bluing job. Are these guns better left as they are with that funky looking bluing look. More black looking than blue than me, but dont know a whole look about bluing.

Just curious as I like really sharp looking guns. Knowing Im going to shoot a bit before I do anything to it, but in the future... my mind wonders. I changes may happen for new baby. I may need to dress him up I little bit.

[lugersrkewl]

Ive had a few lugers and that one looks nice as far as shooters go.
why spend the money and get upside down on the value.
just my .02

(see below for who does what if you want to reblue)

[rhuff]

I didn't realize that Tom Heller did bluing. I thought that Tom did repairs and sold parts....and Thor did the metal work and refinishing. Have I been incorrect all of this time?

[DavidJayUden]

Sounds right to me, but contact him directly to be certain.
dju

[skeeter4206]

Well I went and shot my 9MM luger as pctured above tonite. At 25 feet with about 3 magazines I ahd about an 8in grouping. Pretty good I thought for me, as I aint ever really been a pistol shooter. This was free hand just standing and slowly aiming. As The barrel seemed to get hotter, some bullets seemed to stray away and grouping just fell off pretty considerable.

is this common for these old lugers? What kinda 9mm ammo is prefered, that is store bought. I just wasnt happy with grouping on first go around. I shot 100 rounds out of the gun this time and the first 3 magazines I was happy, the rest I rather have no one even seen the paper. Could it be me, I dont know. I felt like I was shooting the same the entire time. Is the ammo? Yeah, it was cheap ammo, as the person I bought it from gave me a box of winchester. I dont like winshester in my AR-15's. So could this be an issue in my lugers as well.

Whats yalls opinion on making my shooting the best I can get it

[DavidJayUden]

It's pretty tough to make a call based on this info. This isn't reloaded ammo with soft lead bullets is it?
First of all the Wiichester white box is considered to be a very good ammo for Lugers.
I sort of doubt that accuracy dropped off that badly after 3 magazines. But try to eliminate possibilities: Shoot slowly keeping the barrel from getting hot. Occasionally push a patch thru the barrel. Fresh targets every 5 shots. And use a shooting rest, trying to give as much attention and concentration to the 38th shot as you did the first. Focus on breath control, trigger pull, consistancy in your sight picture and repeatability.
dju

[mrerick]

Hi Glenn,

We often recommend the plain white box 115gn Winchester FMJ 9mm ammo for use with Lugers.

There are a couple of possibilities. One is that you had some barrel fouling going on. Some of these pistols have bores with some corrosion and roughness. That could account for some of the heating, and an erosion of accuracy.

As David mentioned, your grip and it's consistency are quite important with shooting a Luger. As you shot and got tired, this could have been affected.

Marc



Marc

[skeeter4206]

Thanks fellows, I try some of yalls tips next go around and see what happens. I did notice when I was shooting thebarrel was a little warm. So next time I'll take some other guns to shoot while I keep the luger cool.