New to me DWM Alphabet Commercial

[TheRomanhistorian]

Hello all,

It has been a while since I've posted or, alas, even visited (life suddenly became busy, things go haywire when a cute colleague introduces herself to you as new to the area).

As term was winding down I wandered into a shop and saw this 30 calibre Luger and I rather impulsively purchased it. Serial number is 444 and looks like the letter is K. Not sure what happened to the trigger guard (something seems to have bent it a bit somehow). There are traces of strawing left on some of the metal parts and a hint of colour in the Gesichert.

All the exterior parts are matching (I haven't gone further than that yet). She's pretty much a shooter, suspect, due to the trigger guard but I thought I should try to add a Commercial Luger to my collection.

[ithacaartist]

Looks like a fine shooter, Michael. Any competent metal smith should be able to tap the bend into shape using a padded mandrel and non-marring hammer or block. Maybe a gunsmith could do it, but it if a fabricating shop is closer or handier, take it heere, after you strip the frame of the upper, grips, and trigger & spring. They won't have to have an FFL if you watch them do it while you wait. Make sure the person who proposes to do it thinks it's a fast and easy job; because it is. Anyone who, whatever kind of smith, makes it seem complex, time-consuming, or expensive--find somebody else.

[TheRomanhistorian]

Thanks, David. Long time no see, by the way. I'll think about that but I can't help but feel the 'scar' adds to the gun's history (however it got there). It's the historian in me to not mess with something overly much but the neat and tidy bureaucrat in me would like to see the original shape of the trigger guard!

[DavidJayUden]

So buy a second, one with the neat and tidy trigger guard...
dju

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

So buy a second, one with the neat and tidy trigger guard...
dju

Of, course! I shouldn't have missed this obvious and probably inevitable solution! One could always photo-document the status quo, then make the improvement. The line between preserving history and adding to it is sometimes tricky to locate...regardless of desire to stand on one side of it or the other.

[alvin]

Just visited Metropolitan Museum of Art the other day. One exhibition room had a bunch of big black "bowls" made quite a few hundred years ago (oversimplified, I know nothing about those clay stuffs). First impression, "Gee, so many containers were preserved over so many centuries in this superb condition??" Closer look revealed, "Oh, it's broken, now a few pieces glued back together".

So, those containers are not pure original. But I think their work preserved history better in this case..... it's better to see the whole "bowl" so I can appreciate the drawing on it, than looking at a pile of clay chips. Same is true for some of their armor collection.

[Jack Lawman]

Originally Posted by alvin

Just visited Metropolitan Museum of Art the other day...

A lot of visitors to NYC don't realize just how extensive the Arms and Armor collection is at the MMA.

http://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-m...arms-and-armor

It's a great place to go with your wife..., "Hey honey, you go look at the paintings of fruit bowls, I'm going to check out some genuine presentation medieval armor, swords, firearms, and some of the most artistic military equipment ever produced. See you in two hours at the gift shop."

Jack

[TheRomanhistorian]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Of, course! I shouldn't have missed this obvious and probably inevitable solution! One could always photo-document the status quo, then make the improvement. The line between preserving history and adding to it is sometimes tricky to locate...regardless of desire to stand on one side of it or the other.

You two are enablers. You do realise this, right?

[glock30]

Did anyone give you any idea's on what could have happened to the trigger guard? I looked at this when you first posted it, perhaps there is new news. By the way, it sure is a nice locking Luger, I like them with wear on them and I like how this one has worn...it has a nice sheen to it, mine is DULL....very dull, this has a nice shine still to the blueing. Enjoy it, you will find the .30 to be a very, very fun cartridge to shoot. I Like the .30 better in these.

[TheRomanhistorian]

Originally Posted by glock30

Did anyone give you any idea's on what could have happened to the trigger guard? I looked at this when you first posted it, perhaps there is new news. By the way, it sure is a nice locking Luger, I like them with wear on them and I like how this one has worn...it has a nice sheen to it, mine is DULL....very dull, this has a nice shine still to the blueing. Enjoy it, you will find the .30 to be a very, very fun cartridge to shoot. I Like the .30 better in these.

I'm afraid not and I picked it up from a pawn shop which didn't really know either. I've fired it a few times and the magazine it came with (aluminium bottom) was very finicky so a Triple K magazine solved my feeding problems. I'm supposed to take a lady friend shooting so I figured that I'd get this ready to impress her. She can handle one of my sleek Lugers whilst I take up my trusty though slightly dowdy Webley Mk. VI.

I don't think it's a reblue (no super rounded edges) and the finish is very nice. The .30 Luger round is pretty nice, I have to say, and a local shop sells the Fiocchi stuff at $26 a box of 50. They had something like a dozen boxes in and exclaimed I'm the first person in a few years to have bought any. I also bought some of their .455 Webley and .30 Mauser (one wonders why they have over 10 boxes of all 3).

[alvin]

I seldom see .30 Luger ammo in LGS. The gun is not rare, but obviously fewer people shoot it. Once I saw a few boxes in Worcester, but seller wanted $50 per box so I had to give up. 30 Mauser is more available at much cheaper price, due to many poor Mausers imported into U.S. were reworked by capable gunsmith like broomhandle closet, making the piece pure shooter. Probably in popular view, that's more "shootable" with some gunsmith effort. Gun volume also affects ammo supply. 30 caliber Luger made in 1920s is very available in the U.S., but fewer people shooting them, probably due to many .30 Lugers are semi-collectible in condition.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by alvin

I seldom see .30 Luger ammo in LGS. The gun is not rare, but obviously fewer people shoot it. Once I saw a few boxes in Worcester, but seller wanted $50 per box...

My experience, so far, is about the same. Apparently, domestic ammo mfgrs. are not producing it. I'm not sure if any of them will make another production run. What remains of Rem, Win, etc. is in the neighborhood of $50-60 for a box of 50. Fiocchi and S.&B., both imported at, I've heard, roughly 6-month intervals, is much more reasonable, closer to $20/50 rds. I'd advise stocking up when you can find it, save your brass, and reload. Reloading allows you to fine tune your load and potentially solve problems presented by a finicky gun. If you can find the components, reloading should save a heap of dough.

Shooters of all kinds of other pistols re-vamp them to shoot the .30 Luger because they enjoy the round. Not sure how this affects the "gun volume" you've mentioned...

[TheRomanhistorian]

I didn't know that S&B made 30 Luger ammunition. As I said, I've been lucky in finding the 30 Luger locally for $25-27 a box of 50 (Fiocchi). I'd reload but I shoot at an indoor range and I've been saving as much brass as I can find (fired 50 so far and lost 12 of the casings).

[rhuff]

Originally Posted by TheRomanhistorian

I didn't know that S&B made 30 Luger ammunition. As I said, I've been lucky in finding the 30 Luger locally for $25-27 a box of 50 (Fiocchi). I'd reload but I shoot at an indoor range and I've been saving as much brass as I can find (fired 50 so far and lost 12 of the casings).

Starline sells wonderful new brass in 30 Luger if you want to set up and reload the round. I have purchased a fair amount of their 30 Luger brass over the years.....great stuff!! You are certainly correct on losing a % of one's shot brass at indoor ranges. Try as I may, I never recover all of my shot brass. I don't mind losing the "normal" calibers, but hate to lose the expensive/hard to find brass.

[glock30]

I didn't know S&B made .30 Luger either, if they do, they just added it to their line. GREAT! Peters used to make it but there is no more Peters, you would think more people in the States would make it being prior to WW2 really there weren't really 9mm Lugers in the States. And guys, there were 9mm in the states, but our AMerican Luger round was the .30.

[glock30]

ithacaartist you mean people take other guns and rechamber them to shoot .30 Luger?

[ithacaartist]

No, sorry, I think S.& B. .7.65 may be a figment of my combined imagination and bad memory.

Yes, I think our Rich (postino) can tell you about it--my bad memory recalls that he's made some. FN? High Power? 1911?

[TheRomanhistorian]

[QUOTE=glock30;236350]

Originally Posted by rhuff

Starline sells wonderful new brass in 30 Luger if you want to set up and reload the round. I have purchased a fair amount of their 30 Luger brass over the years.....great stuff!! You are certainly correct on losing a % of one's shot brass at indoor ranges. Try as I may, I never recover all of my shot brass. I don't mind losing the "normal" calibers, but hate to lose the expensive/hard to find brass.

I've been thinking about it since I already reload .45 Auto Rim to Webley levels with a Lee Loader but I want to get a Lee hand press and .455 Webley dies for a new Webley and maybe 7.63 Mauser and 7.65 Luger dies but one step at a time. I've been saving as much brass as possible but darn it I hate losing brass. I think I've been losing 1/3 of my brass at an indoor range (I don't much care for outdoor ranges). Might see about the dies once I balance the budget after this splurge.

[rhuff]

Originally Posted by glock30

ithacaartist you mean people take other guns and rechamber them to shoot .30 Luger?

I had Bar-Sto make me two(2) .30 Luger barrels.

(1) Browning Hi Power Conversion bbl.

(2) Colt Defender in .40 cal converted over to .30 Luger

I have both handguns up and running( it took some experimenting). I enjoy shooting the 30 luger round, and I reload for it, so ammo is not a problem. Of course, I also have Lugers in that caliber.

[K.Wilhelm]

rhuff- that sounds like a lot of fun. Since I'm guessing Bar-sto does not normally make barrels in 30 Luger, what kind of premium do they charge for making one special? The HP 30 Luger barell would really be fun!