Artillery Luger Help! - Page 2

jagdterrier · 08-29-2003, 07:03 PM

Here are the pictures:

Pete Ebbink · 08-29-2003, 09:04 PM

Bigger sizes of William's photos :

<a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty1.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty1.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty2.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty2.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

ADMIN: Pete, I "thumbed" the larger pics, I despise the huge ones, if I click on them fine, but with my screen set to 1024x768, I have to scroll back and forth to read and it is a failing that I have, so i chnaged them to thumbed. Hope you don't mind, <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> ed

George Anderson · 08-29-2003, 09:48 PM

Jagdterrier, The grips, though worn to a nub, are the best part of your pistol. The artillery appears to have had the frame (bottum) chromed. It is quite possible that the barrel and barrel extension (which are not chromed) are not serial numbered to the frame. Regardless, the chrome job reduces the value of he pistol to a couple of hundred bucks if you sell it wisely. I would suggest pulling everything off the chromed frame and selling it piece by piece on Ebay. The artillery barrel and extension with the correct toggle train should bring several hundred bucks. The grips, though worn, may bring $75. Please note that it is a violation of Ebay rules to offer to sell the frame on Ebay.

Pete Ebbink · 08-29-2003, 09:58 PM

William,

I disagree with George; who is a very knowledgable LP-08 collector on one point...that of selling this gun off as a "parts gun".

Since it has been in your family for many years with a link to a WWI participant and that fact that you mentioned the gun is all matching; I would suggest you consider having this piece restored by a craftsman such as Thor (Ted Green). And Hugh Clark could certainly make those grips look much better...

Since you have not laid any money down to acquire this piece, you would only be looking at some restoration costs ($ 600 to maybe $ 900).

You would end up with retaining some family history that can be passed on to your family and have a sound mechanical shooter that would look great !

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

jagdterrier · 08-30-2003, 06:40 AM

Thanks for all the help. I din't think I was sitting on a small fortune because of the condition. I had already decided that if I ever did sell it would be for at least $800 or equivalent trade or it wouldn't be worth it to me to sell. I take it it is not worth that and I should just stick it back in storage. In defense of my stupidity I was going by the cost of mismatched Lugers that I see from time to time in the SGNs. I really appreciate all the responses and help that I received. William

Pete Ebbink · 08-31-2003, 12:05 AM

William,

If your Arty is going back into storage, I would suggest some treatment to curtail what appears to be some serious rusting over the gun's finish.

If you do a Luger Forum "search" on the word "rust", you will probably pick up some very useful advice that some of our sage collectors have posted in recent months...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

jagdterrier · 08-31-2003, 07:13 AM

If your talking about the brown on the parts with the shiny finish the gun doesn't look like that. Was the camera telling me something? I always keep it wiped down with oil & in a hard case since it came into my possesion. Should I store it coated in cosmoline or something similar?

William

Big Norm · 08-31-2003, 11:33 AM

Maybe its just my very old tired eyes (the rest of me is great), but I don't see chromed parts. I just think that the pictures are not of the quality to make a good judgement.

The "Red Nine" grips are worth more than $75. Heck, original grips alone (without the safety chip gone) go for $100 plus. A nice job of rechechering for $45 would fix them up nicely. But they would then have to go on a nice Artillery Luger to look right. I would consider removing the "Red Nine" grips from the gun and installing less valuable ones. If someone recklessly removed them and broke off the chip around the safety, then they would be considerably less valuable, if not worthless.

Does the gun have a matching magazine? I mean, does the magazine bottom have the same serial number as the gun? I can't tell from the pictures, But does the gun have any pitting on it? Its not uncommon for an old gun to have a very light rusting on the grip straps. That comes from the salty sweat on the hands of the shooter and bad maintenance. What is the bore like?

I still can't make a judgement on the price of your gun. But an artillery luger would have to be bad for it to go for less than $1200. An artillery would have to be a wreck to go for $800 or less. Considering the quality of the photos, I would roughly put your gun in the $1100-1500 range with the existing grips. Without holding it in my hands, that is just an educated guess.

Restoring an artillery does not cost $900. But if you have pitting and a bad bore then I would not consider it. Pitting on the gun makes the restoration less cost effective...depending.
Big Norm

jagdterrier · 08-31-2003, 12:57 PM

The gun does have what appears to be Nickle plating. I do nort know how to judge the bore but I shot two clips out of it since I aquired it and they were the best groups I ever shot from a centerfire pistol.

There is the big gun show at the Hampton Coliseum in two weeks and I will try to find some cosmoline or storage grease there also maybe a special storage bag.

08-29-2003, 07:03 PM	#21
jagdterrier User Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Here are the pictures:

08-29-2003, 09:04 PM	#22
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Bigger sizes of William's photos : <a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty1.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty1.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a> <a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty2.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/BillsArty2.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a> Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" /> ADMIN: Pete, I "thumbed" the larger pics, I despise the huge ones, if I click on them fine, but with my screen set to 1024x768, I have to scroll back and forth to read and it is a failing that I have, so i chnaged them to thumbed. Hope you don't mind, <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> ed

08-29-2003, 09:48 PM	#23
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,769 Thanked 2,527 Times in 786 Posts	Jagdterrier, The grips, though worn to a nub, are the best part of your pistol. The artillery appears to have had the frame (bottum) chromed. It is quite possible that the barrel and barrel extension (which are not chromed) are not serial numbered to the frame. Regardless, the chrome job reduces the value of he pistol to a couple of hundred bucks if you sell it wisely. I would suggest pulling everything off the chromed frame and selling it piece by piece on Ebay. The artillery barrel and extension with the correct toggle train should bring several hundred bucks. The grips, though worn, may bring $75. Please note that it is a violation of Ebay rules to offer to sell the frame on Ebay.

08-29-2003, 09:58 PM	#24
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	William, I disagree with George; who is a very knowledgable LP-08 collector on one point...that of selling this gun off as a "parts gun". Since it has been in your family for many years with a link to a WWI participant and that fact that you mentioned the gun is all matching; I would suggest you consider having this piece restored by a craftsman such as Thor (Ted Green). And Hugh Clark could certainly make those grips look much better... Since you have not laid any money down to acquire this piece, you would only be looking at some restoration costs ($ 600 to maybe $ 900). You would end up with retaining some family history that can be passed on to your family and have a sound mechanical shooter that would look great ! Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

08-30-2003, 06:40 AM	#25
jagdterrier User Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for all the help. I din't think I was sitting on a small fortune because of the condition. I had already decided that if I ever did sell it would be for at least $800 or equivalent trade or it wouldn't be worth it to me to sell. I take it it is not worth that and I should just stick it back in storage. In defense of my stupidity I was going by the cost of mismatched Lugers that I see from time to time in the SGNs. I really appreciate all the responses and help that I received. William

08-31-2003, 12:05 AM	#26
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	William, If your Arty is going back into storage, I would suggest some treatment to curtail what appears to be some serious rusting over the gun's finish. If you do a Luger Forum "search" on the word "rust", you will probably pick up some very useful advice that some of our sage collectors have posted in recent months... Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

08-31-2003, 07:13 AM	#27
jagdterrier User Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	If your talking about the brown on the parts with the shiny finish the gun doesn't look like that. Was the camera telling me something? I always keep it wiped down with oil & in a hard case since it came into my possesion. Should I store it coated in cosmoline or something similar? William

08-31-2003, 11:33 AM	#28
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Maybe its just my very old tired eyes (the rest of me is great), but I don't see chromed parts. I just think that the pictures are not of the quality to make a good judgement. The "Red Nine" grips are worth more than $75. Heck, original grips alone (without the safety chip gone) go for $100 plus. A nice job of rechechering for $45 would fix them up nicely. But they would then have to go on a nice Artillery Luger to look right. I would consider removing the "Red Nine" grips from the gun and installing less valuable ones. If someone recklessly removed them and broke off the chip around the safety, then they would be considerably less valuable, if not worthless. Does the gun have a matching magazine? I mean, does the magazine bottom have the same serial number as the gun? I can't tell from the pictures, But does the gun have any pitting on it? Its not uncommon for an old gun to have a very light rusting on the grip straps. That comes from the salty sweat on the hands of the shooter and bad maintenance. What is the bore like? I still can't make a judgement on the price of your gun. But an artillery luger would have to be bad for it to go for less than $1200. An artillery would have to be a wreck to go for $800 or less. Considering the quality of the photos, I would roughly put your gun in the $1100-1500 range with the existing grips. Without holding it in my hands, that is just an educated guess. Restoring an artillery does not cost $900. But if you have pitting and a bad bore then I would not consider it. Pitting on the gun makes the restoration less cost effective...depending. Big Norm

08-31-2003, 12:57 PM	#29
jagdterrier User Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The gun does have what appears to be Nickle plating. I do nort know how to judge the bore but I shot two clips out of it since I aquired it and they were the best groups I ever shot from a centerfire pistol. There is the big gun show at the Hampton Coliseum in two weeks and I will try to find some cosmoline or storage grease there also maybe a special storage bag.