Luger help

MauserJim · 09-04-2005, 08:36 AM

Hello everyone,

This is my first post. About 4 months ago my grandfather gave me his old luger that he had bought after the war. It had spent the last 40 to 50 years in his underwear drawer. Since it was not the prettiest thing in the world, what with the small amounts of rust and corrosion forming on the metal, and was missing a magazine so I dismissed it as worthless without inspecting the numbers. While I was oiling my K98K I suddenly got the urge to get it out and clean it. While I was running the oil over it I caught sight of a number. On the left side of the receiver (not sure if that is proper term) 3579 is stamped on the pistol. On the top it has "Erfurt" stamped and just behind the barrel "1911". All over the rest of the gun is the number 79, so I believe it is all matching. Can anyone help me out with rareness and value, and how I might restore this pistol?

Ron Smith · 09-04-2005, 09:06 AM

Hi Jim,
Welcome to the ward.

You have a fairly desirable first year production 1911 Erfurt. Estimated production is approx. 10,000 pistols.

Estimating a value is nearly impossible without good clear photos of all markings, ser# ,etc.

Depending on the condition.(you said rusted ) it could range from $500- $1500+. The magazine can be replaced with a period correct, but probably not matching, magazine for $75-$125, depending on how lucky you are.

For an example of helpful photos . Click on the "search" option in the upper right corner. Enter keyword" Luger" and go to the drop down then click " All P.08 Military Lugers" Check the one titled "Pistol Identification Please". It has fairly good discriptive photos.

Ron

MauserJim · 09-04-2005, 05:07 PM

Turns out my grandfather has the magazine. . .based on the rest of the pistol, it should be matching. I broke the gun down and cleaned it today, and it seems I was a bit hasty. The bluing would appear to be about 85%, with a small ammount of pitting on the barrel and under the trigger guard. All parts are functioning and matching, with many Proofs scattered around the metal. The markings are all very clear and deep. Could you give me anything more based on that?

Edward Tinker · 09-04-2005, 05:09 PM

Hard to give you too much more information, pitting would bring price down, I would guess $700-800 or so? Maybe a bit more for a matching magazine, but in reality, that is less likely than likely, but still possible. Are you thinking of selling or trading it?

And don't consider restoring it till you figure out if it needs it, as a new blue job would like nice, but then make it worth $500-$600...

weimar_lugers@comcast.net

and hey, welcome to the forum!

Ed

MauserJim · 09-04-2005, 06:18 PM

I'm not really thinking of selling it, been in the family too long to do that.

Ron Smith · 09-04-2005, 07:51 PM

Jim,
Is the pitting deep or more like frost? More like surface roughness?

Ron

MauserJim · 09-04-2005, 08:26 PM

It's just a few places where if you look hard you can see slight indentions in the metal. Really pretty hard to notice, the barrel is the roughest but does not look bad at all to my beginner eyes.

MauserJim · 09-12-2005, 12:31 PM

Here are a couple updated photos, sorry they aren't the greatest, the flash made the pistol look too light and I ran out of film:

minigun · 09-12-2005, 11:43 PM

So far it doesn't look that bad. If you "re-blue" it, it will definitly bring the value down. Just need to get a "period" magazine for it and you've probably got a really nice pistol. Hard to tell if the "strawing" is okay due to the brightness of the pics. Can you try again for us?

MauserJim · 09-13-2005, 09:03 AM

Yes, I can do a couple more without flash. Just gotta get uncle over here with his digital camera.

09-04-2005, 08:36 AM	#1
MauserJim User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NC Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Luger help Hello everyone, This is my first post. About 4 months ago my grandfather gave me his old luger that he had bought after the war. It had spent the last 40 to 50 years in his underwear drawer. Since it was not the prettiest thing in the world, what with the small amounts of rust and corrosion forming on the metal, and was missing a magazine so I dismissed it as worthless without inspecting the numbers. While I was oiling my K98K I suddenly got the urge to get it out and clean it. While I was running the oil over it I caught sight of a number. On the left side of the receiver (not sure if that is proper term) 3579 is stamped on the pistol. On the top it has "Erfurt" stamped and just behind the barrel "1911". All over the rest of the gun is the number 79, so I believe it is all matching. Can anyone help me out with rareness and value, and how I might restore this pistol?

09-04-2005, 09:06 AM	#2
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Hi Jim, Welcome to the ward. You have a fairly desirable first year production 1911 Erfurt. Estimated production is approx. 10,000 pistols. Estimating a value is nearly impossible without good clear photos of all markings, ser# ,etc. Depending on the condition.(you said rusted ) it could range from $500- $1500+. The magazine can be replaced with a period correct, but probably not matching, magazine for $75-$125, depending on how lucky you are. For an example of helpful photos . Click on the "search" option in the upper right corner. Enter keyword" Luger" and go to the drop down then click " All P.08 Military Lugers" Check the one titled "Pistol Identification Please". It has fairly good discriptive photos. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

09-04-2005, 07:51 PM	#6
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Jim, Is the pitting deep or more like frost? More like surface roughness? Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

09-04-2005, 05:07 PM	#3
MauserJim User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NC Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Turns out my grandfather has the magazine. . .based on the rest of the pistol, it should be matching. I broke the gun down and cleaned it today, and it seems I was a bit hasty. The bluing would appear to be about 85%, with a small ammount of pitting on the barrel and under the trigger guard. All parts are functioning and matching, with many Proofs scattered around the metal. The markings are all very clear and deep. Could you give me anything more based on that?

09-04-2005, 05:09 PM	#4
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,909 Thanks: 1,986 Thanked 4,500 Times in 2,076 Posts	Hard to give you too much more information, pitting would bring price down, I would guess $700-800 or so? Maybe a bit more for a matching magazine, but in reality, that is less likely than likely, but still possible. Are you thinking of selling or trading it? And don't consider restoring it till you figure out if it needs it, as a new blue job would like nice, but then make it worth $500-$600... weimar_lugers@comcast.net and hey, welcome to the forum! Ed

09-04-2005, 06:18 PM	#5
MauserJim User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NC Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I'm not really thinking of selling it, been in the family too long to do that.

09-04-2005, 08:26 PM	#7
MauserJim User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NC Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It's just a few places where if you look hard you can see slight indentions in the metal. Really pretty hard to notice, the barrel is the roughest but does not look bad at all to my beginner eyes.

09-12-2005, 12:31 PM	#8
MauserJim User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NC Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Here are a couple updated photos, sorry they aren't the greatest, the flash made the pistol look too light and I ran out of film:

09-12-2005, 11:43 PM	#9
minigun User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 424 Thanks: 15 Thanked 19 Times in 14 Posts	So far it doesn't look that bad. If you "re-blue" it, it will definitly bring the value down. Just need to get a "period" magazine for it and you've probably got a really nice pistol. Hard to tell if the "strawing" is okay due to the brightness of the pics. Can you try again for us?

09-13-2005, 09:03 AM	#10
MauserJim User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NC Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yes, I can do a couple more without flash. Just gotta get uncle over here with his digital camera.