Opinion on 2 Lugers Please

[jackz]

Hello folks!
There is a local auction up here on Sat 9/17 at Wrights Auction House. (wrightsauctions.com) It is listed under Sept 17, there are NO pictures!
In the auction are TWO Lugers:
1: 1918 Erfurt S/N 1522 no suffix, mismatched and in fair condition. Std length barrel in 9mm. There are some mechanical issues: Mismatched magazine does not pop out when the release is pushed. The bolt will not go into battery smoothly! Finish is maybe 10/15% and freckled. The grips while probably original are dirty, horribly worn and oddly at that!! The barrel might improve with cleaning. There is rifling. There is a stock lug. Extractor has â??Gerladenâ?�.

2: 1939 across the chamber and a 43 across the toggle. Did I read the 43 wrong? I see there is a 42! S/N 7713 no suffix. 9mm â??standardâ?? length barrel as opposed to one of the longer barrels or is it shorter looking from a standard length. The Barrel looked dirty but I think it would clean up nicely.
To my eye it is all matching as the last two digits are on everything that is numbered. While not 100% it is much better than 50%, probably about 75%? The high spots have rub wear (Holster?) The checkered wood grips match the overall condition of the gun. They are overall darkening and the grip screws seem not to be messed with. The grips are not damaged in any way. There is a stock lug. No grip safety but has a thumb safety with the German words. (The words might have been in color (white?) at one time.
The extractor has â??Gerladenâ?�. The bore looks quite nice and the gun cycles smoothly! Magazine is mismatched.

What manufacture, etc is the â??43â?�? Is there enough of a description to guesstimate a reasonable value for possible bidding on this â??43â???


The Erfurt would need smithing and is only a shooter (at best!) â?¦Am I off the mark thinking it would only be worth about $300 as it is?

I did not think to look for strawing on them but nothing jumped out at me either!

I think I could get another look to see specific details before the official viewing on Friday. I wanted to get a jump on this to present it to the board for critique! I do like the â??43â?�!!

There are NO accessories with any of them.

Graciously thanking you in advance!

Regards, Jack

[Edward Tinker]

Jack, study ahead of time, and in fact buying books is smarter than guns at the beginning, that said...

$300-$500 is reasonable, shooters go for 5 to 600 each..

The 1939 could NOT be a 43 marked toggle, no such thing.

So, either that you can get for under $450 is a steal.... But I about guarantee that each will go for $600-$800, because people get stupid at auctions... If they go above $650, let them go unless you have looked them over really well, plus read everything about 1939's here on the forum....

ed

[policeluger]

"42" is Mauser WW2 era....as only you have seen the guns, and we do not have pictures to help you judge, start hitting the internat sellers and see what they are asking for guns similar to the auction ones.....$300 is way to cheap these days for an auction shooter, and like my wife, once the auctioner starts it going, all common sense leaves her...things seem to bring more at a fever pitch auction...hope this helps

[Dwight Gruber]

Originally posted by Edward Tinker
If they go above $650, let them go

If they go over $450 let them go.

--Dwight

[jackz]

Thank you all!!
I am going to try and get another look tomorrow and see if I can possibly take some pictures or at least write down a lot more detail of marking, etc..

Since there isn't such thing as a 43, I used ' Mauser 42 code' for a search and have been busy for the last hour or so.

Regards, Jack

[Edward Tinker]

Originally posted by Dwight Gruber
If they go over $450 let them go.

--Dwight

Dwight, you've gotten cheap in your old age! Okay,. you've always been, uh, frugal!!


Lets say it this way, at auction, DON'T be high bidder if it goes over $600!


And it is much smarter to stay lower like Dwight said.

PS: Saw Minke whales today

[Dwight Gruber]

Ed,

I sometimes find it very difficult to act on my own advice...

--Dwight

[jackz]

I went and took another look. I does have a "42" laterally on the toggle with the last two digits of the s/n behind it running crosswise. On the right front of the "slide" from front to back is: An Eagle then an Eagle over 655 and again an Eagle over 655.
The barrel has the s/n with caliber marking (8.??) and has the witness mark.
Does the fact that there is no suffix indicate that it was in the first production run?

Am I correct that this Model is referred to as: "1939 Mauser 42 Code"?

Looking at it again with both eyes open this time I do see a freckle or two.
I am going to heed the sage advise on what my limit should be!
I have no idea why I want a Luger but this one appeals to me. I feel there is some history or story it wants to tell me!

Is there a place in this forum that briefly explains what this model is about? I know......read the book! Time will tell......

Thank You!

Regards, Jack

[Frank]

Hi Jack, welcome!! You say the Luger serial is 7713 with no suffix. Please take a close look at the front of the frame just below the barrel. You should see a 7713, then below that you should see a letter. That letter will be the suffix. While it is possible to have a no suffix 1939 Cose 42, it is unlikely. The Germans stopped that series in the mid to late Z-Block.

If you are going by the numbers on the left side of the receiver, that's just the numerical portion of the serial number. The alpha portion is only found on the front of the frame for Military Mausers.

Let us know what you find!!

[Navy]

Originally posted by Edward Tinker
[PS: Saw Minke whales today [/B]

I think I used to date her when I was in college and was wearing beer goggles.

Tom A

[jackz]

Frank...
Thank You!
You are correct!! Yesterday I copied what I could see and a "mark" was rattling around in my head but passed it off. Early this morning the light bulb went off. I looked at my notes and it translates to an "X" according to the Technical Section/Markings/Suffix 1. I don't know why but I thought the suffix would show on the barrel.
That makes the s/n 7713X Does this now translate into something?

Even if this Luger doesn't pan out, I am that much wiser about them. Nothing like a "Hands On" education. I have now learned to some extent how to identify at least what Luger it is. Also to take ACCURATE notes about everything!!

Back in April, there was one at an auction that was missmatched, rebarreled with a barrel that had a Florida Importer's name on it and things obliterated by overstamping. I stayed far away from it only from what I had learned on here. It went for $500!

Again thank you all most kindly to take the time to reply!

Sincerely, Jack

[Frank]

Hi Jack, the only significance that I know, is it narrows the approximate time the pistol was completed. Luger 1939 Code 42 S/N 7713x was completed about November 1939.

[jackz]

Frank...
Thank You Very Much! I am tardy due to not being able to get online! I'm exchanging the modem tomorrow to see if that was the problem.

Regards, Jack

[jackz]

The Erfurt went for $350. It was made out of at LEAST THREE guns and had the St Albans, Vt importer stamp on the barrel.

The 1939 Mauser 42 Code went for $900!!

I went home empty handed but it was worth getting the experence. It was kind of fun looking up things in reference to that Mauser.

I want to thank all for the very good sage advise! There is one thing for sure about Lugers..You don't just "Jump in" without doing a LOT of homework!!

I'm still empty handed with one but a heck of a lot smarter than a week ago!

Regards, Jack