Question about grips on 1916 Erfurt

joncon · 05-30-2020, 07:44 PM

I have a 1916 Erfurt, all numbers match including the mag. Except the grips. The right has what looks like a v and the left has a 2. They have a gap at the lower back. See pictures. The frame is a lot thinner there than my other Luger's, although none are Erfurt but this one. Are all 1916 Erfurt's this thin? Have my grips shrunk? They seem to fit my BYF

42 OK and the black grips off my BYF fit the Erfurt.

Bill_in_VA · 05-30-2020, 07:48 PM

What’s written inside the left grip?

gunbugs · 05-30-2020, 08:03 PM

My first thought is those grips are not original to the gun. But I'm probably wrong.

JTD · 05-30-2020, 08:04 PM

I have the feeling some Neanderthal filed some out on the inside to facilitate a spring change.
Grips may have been re-cut(checkered) exaggerating the metal removal.

Norme · 05-30-2020, 08:11 PM

Hi John,
If your grips are not numbered to the gun, they are not original to the gun. ALL Erfurt grips were numbered and inspection marked. Like this pair.
Norm

joncon · 05-30-2020, 08:47 PM

The grips are not numbered other than a 2 and a v. They would have a 38 to match the gun. The inscription reads that the gun was a gift from one person to another in 1963. There is no file or grind marks under magnification. I have a pair of Russian grips that fit fine, I'll just use them since the wood ones aren't numbered. I use it for a shooter anyway. Thanks for the info I wasn't sure if all Erfurt grips were numbered or not.

Lugerdoc · 05-31-2020, 09:54 AM

Jon, not only were the original factory grips serialized with the last 2 digits, but the Erfurt ones will also have a C/letter inspector's marking on the inside. I'd guess that your present grips are from a pre-1914 DWM for a frame without the stock lug. TH

George Anderson · 05-31-2020, 03:10 PM

Joncon, here's a pair of Erfurt grips.

joncon · 05-31-2020, 04:54 PM

Anyone have a pair of the proper grips for sale? My serial number ends in 38.

George Anderson · 05-31-2020, 04:58 PM

The pair I posted are available. If you squint your eyes they can temporarily match.

joncon · 05-31-2020, 06:25 PM

Are yours marked 55 or 53? Hard to tell from the photos. The grips off mine fit my 41 BYF fine, it had repo Black Widow grips on it, also import markings on the barrel, I think CIA or something like that (don't have the gun with me right now) they're almost the full length of the barrel, it's mostly a shooter due to them.

George Anderson · 05-31-2020, 06:54 PM

I think they are "53" but my eyesight is shot. With this covid farce I've been waiting two months for eye surgery.

joncon · 06-01-2020, 12:11 AM

I feel for you with the bad eyesight. I had cataract surgery in both eyes about five years ago, I couldn't see well before that. I had implants installed so as not to need cheater glasses at the time. Best thing I've done.

Kiwi · 06-01-2020, 09:52 AM

53 magnifying glass is your friend - look at the top left corner of the 5 and 3

spangy · 11-01-2020, 07:33 PM

Your grips are most definitely 53 George .
These grips are 51 off my #'s matching Erfurt 1914 Artillery Luger.

frankenlugerguy · 11-06-2020, 04:54 PM

I also have an Erfurt, a 1911, with unnumbered grips, also stamped with the capital "V" inside the right grip. Left grip is unmarked. Somewhere along the way, the factory grips were replaced with these grips. They are worn, and dark with oil and grime, and someone scrawled his initials in the channel of the right grip, "RFH". No other markings on them. Odd that they would have the same "V" stamping. However, they do fit better than joncon's. With no better alternative, I'll keep them on the pistol.

frankenlugerguy · 11-13-2020, 11:04 PM

I can tell you definitively that the grips are numbered "53", as I now own them. And I have a very good, lighted, glass.

Geo99 · 11-25-2020, 03:21 AM

joncon -

I don't know why no one else mentioned this, but your grips most likely did not shrink - they have been recut/recheckered, and rather poorly. The edges should not be jagged. That said, we know that they are not original to your gun anyway.

05-30-2020, 07:44 PM	#1
joncon User Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Question about grips on 1916 Erfurt I have a 1916 Erfurt, all numbers match including the mag. Except the grips. The right has what looks like a v and the left has a 2. They have a gap at the lower back. See pictures. The frame is a lot thinner there than my other Luger's, although none are Erfurt but this one. Are all 1916 Erfurt's this thin? Have my grips shrunk? They seem to fit my BYF42 OK and the black grips off my BYF fit the Erfurt. Attached Thumbnails

05-30-2020, 07:48 PM	#2
Bill_in_VA User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Southwest Virginia Posts: 370 Thanks: 767 Thanked 550 Times in 197 Posts	What’s written inside the left grip? __________________ John 8:32 reive (riːv) vb (Military) (intr) dialect Scot and Northern English to go on a plundering raid [variant of reave] ˈreiver n e.g., " Some view the Border Reivers as loveable rogues."

05-30-2020, 08:11 PM	#5
Norme Always A Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,417 Thanks: 226 Thanked 2,603 Times in 933 Posts	Hi John, If your grips are not numbered to the gun, they are not original to the gun. ALL Erfurt grips were numbered and inspection marked. Like this pair. Norm Attached Thumbnails

05-31-2020, 09:54 AM	#7
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	Jon, not only were the original factory grips serialized with the last 2 digits, but the Erfurt ones will also have a C/letter inspector's marking on the inside. I'd guess that your present grips are from a pre-1914 DWM for a frame without the stock lug. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

05-31-2020, 03:10 PM	#8
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,528 Times in 787 Posts	Joncon, here's a pair of Erfurt grips. Attached Thumbnails

05-30-2020, 08:03 PM	#3
gunbugs Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska. Home of the best moose. Posts: 657 Thanks: 361 Thanked 1,175 Times in 393 Posts	My first thought is those grips are not original to the gun. But I'm probably wrong.

05-30-2020, 08:04 PM	#4
JTD User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: PA Posts: 425 Thanks: 217 Thanked 408 Times in 149 Posts	I have the feeling some Neanderthal filed some out on the inside to facilitate a spring change. Grips may have been re-cut(checkered) exaggerating the metal removal.

05-30-2020, 08:47 PM	#6
joncon User Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	The grips are not numbered other than a 2 and a v. They would have a 38 to match the gun. The inscription reads that the gun was a gift from one person to another in 1963. There is no file or grind marks under magnification. I have a pair of Russian grips that fit fine, I'll just use them since the wood ones aren't numbered. I use it for a shooter anyway. Thanks for the info I wasn't sure if all Erfurt grips were numbered or not.

05-31-2020, 04:54 PM	#9
joncon User Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Anyone have a pair of the proper grips for sale? My serial number ends in 38.

05-31-2020, 04:58 PM	#10
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,528 Times in 787 Posts	The pair I posted are available. If you squint your eyes they can temporarily match.

05-31-2020, 06:25 PM	#11
joncon User Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Are yours marked 55 or 53? Hard to tell from the photos. The grips off mine fit my 41 BYF fine, it had repo Black Widow grips on it, also import markings on the barrel, I think CIA or something like that (don't have the gun with me right now) they're almost the full length of the barrel, it's mostly a shooter due to them.

05-31-2020, 06:54 PM	#12
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,528 Times in 787 Posts	I think they are "53" but my eyesight is shot. With this covid farce I've been waiting two months for eye surgery.

06-01-2020, 12:11 AM	#13
joncon User Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	I feel for you with the bad eyesight. I had cataract surgery in both eyes about five years ago, I couldn't see well before that. I had implants installed so as not to need cheater glasses at the time. Best thing I've done.

06-01-2020, 09:52 AM	#14
Kiwi User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Wrong side of the Delaware river Posts: 303 Thanks: 213 Thanked 434 Times in 171 Posts	53 magnifying glass is your friend - look at the top left corner of the 5 and 3

11-01-2020, 07:33 PM	#15
spangy Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 617 Thanks: 3,065 Thanked 1,057 Times in 429 Posts	Your grips are most definitely 53 George . These grips are 51 off my #'s matching Erfurt 1914 Artillery Luger.

11-06-2020, 04:54 PM	#16
frankenlugerguy User Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: The Mountains of Western North Carolina Posts: 38 Thanks: 563 Thanked 33 Times in 21 Posts	I also have an Erfurt, a 1911, with unnumbered grips, also stamped with the capital "V" inside the right grip. Left grip is unmarked. Somewhere along the way, the factory grips were replaced with these grips. They are worn, and dark with oil and grime, and someone scrawled his initials in the channel of the right grip, "RFH". No other markings on them. Odd that they would have the same "V" stamping. However, they do fit better than joncon's. With no better alternative, I'll keep them on the pistol. __________________ Cursum Perficio

11-13-2020, 11:04 PM	#17
frankenlugerguy User Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: The Mountains of Western North Carolina Posts: 38 Thanks: 563 Thanked 33 Times in 21 Posts	I can tell you definitively that the grips are numbered "53", as I now own them. And I have a very good, lighted, glass. __________________ Cursum Perficio

11-25-2020, 03:21 AM	#18
Geo99 User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Whidbey Island WA Posts: 398 Thanks: 102 Thanked 125 Times in 74 Posts	joncon - I don't know why no one else mentioned this, but your grips most likely did not shrink - they have been recut/recheckered, and rather poorly. The edges should not be jagged. That said, we know that they are not original to your gun anyway. __________________ "Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie, until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers