Russian captured Lugers

hayhugh · 03-28-2018, 03:49 PM

Is it true that the Russians captured Luger were disassembled and the parts put in different barrels for storage after the war?

Eugen · 03-29-2018, 03:09 PM

Well, I don't know. But, that won't stop me from commenting.

What you are suggesting doesn't make any sense to me. Why would the Russians want to take the time to disassemble all the Lugers and end up with boxes of Luger parts. What's to be gained from doing that?

Wait, I know. I'm retired and get so bored at times that I find myself in my shop taking my guns apart and playing with them just for fun. Maybe the Russians got really bored or something.

Edward Tinker · 03-29-2018, 03:45 PM

I have not heard that story

The story I was told that the reason that they received the plastic bullseye grips was that most guns captured were put in barrels and filled with oil, kept them good, but destroyed the wood.

sheepherder · 03-29-2018, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eugen

Well, I don't know. But that won't stop me from commenting.

The battle cry of The LugerForum!!!

I'm going to have that engraved on my headstone!!!

ithacaartist · 03-29-2018, 11:28 PM

Somebody posted a pic not too terribly long ago that showed, IIRC, a G.I. (and maybe more) in front of some open crates full of Lugers. As I recall, the pic was hypothesized to have been the source of the rumor to which you refer. No sense in believing that rumor, either, though, I guess, though it's quite a feasible explanation.

Some good old-fashioned documentation or evidence of the practice would be convincing!

alanint · 03-31-2018, 07:36 AM

And yet a good majority of the DDR and Russian Captures that have hit our market are "mostly matchnig" to "all matching".
So no, I don't believe they would strip matching pistols and strew the parts around.
Ed's version is the one I have heard and the one that makes the most sense. Complete pistols were removed from the drums, function and fire tested, then repaired only as needed. This is usually sideplates, extractors or other small parts. A true mixmaster is the exception, rather than the rule with these pistols.

03-28-2018, 03:49 PM	#1
hayhugh User Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Florida/Penna Posts: 884 Thanks: 851 Thanked 507 Times in 270 Posts	Russian captured Lugers Is it true that the Russians captured Luger were disassembled and the parts put in different barrels for storage after the war?

03-29-2018, 03:09 PM	#2
Eugen User Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Newburgh,IN Posts: 767 Thanks: 370 Thanked 601 Times in 319 Posts	Well, I don't know. But, that won't stop me from commenting. What you are suggesting doesn't make any sense to me. Why would the Russians want to take the time to disassemble all the Lugers and end up with boxes of Luger parts. What's to be gained from doing that? Wait, I know. I'm retired and get so bored at times that I find myself in my shop taking my guns apart and playing with them just for fun. Maybe the Russians got really bored or something. __________________ “God created war so that Americans would learn geography.” ― Mark Twain

03-29-2018, 11:28 PM	#5
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,284 Thanks: 7,013 Thanked 2,478 Times in 1,320 Posts	Somebody posted a pic not too terribly long ago that showed, IIRC, a G.I. (and maybe more) in front of some open crates full of Lugers. As I recall, the pic was hypothesized to have been the source of the rumor to which you refer. No sense in believing that rumor, either, though, I guess, though it's quite a feasible explanation. Some good old-fashioned documentation or evidence of the practice would be convincing! __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894

03-29-2018, 03:45 PM	#3
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,912 Thanks: 1,989 Thanked 4,502 Times in 2,077 Posts	I have not heard that story The story I was told that the reason that they received the plastic bullseye grips was that most guns captured were put in barrels and filled with oil, kept them good, but destroyed the wood.

03-31-2018, 07:36 AM	#6
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	And yet a good majority of the DDR and Russian Captures that have hit our market are "mostly matchnig" to "all matching". So no, I don't believe they would strip matching pistols and strew the parts around. Ed's version is the one I have heard and the one that makes the most sense. Complete pistols were removed from the drums, function and fire tested, then repaired only as needed. This is usually sideplates, extractors or other small parts. A true mixmaster is the exception, rather than the rule with these pistols.