1918 DWM Arty Luger information needed

dgallo · 07-16-2007, 01:25 PM

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and for a good reason. I recently aquired a 1918 DWM artillery Luger through a trade and am having a difficult time finding information about this particular year Luger. All of the information I seem to find ends at 1917. The Luger appears to be 100% correct numbers matching on all of the compenents, including the wooden stock. It is in really really great shape with no rust at all, adjustable rear sight, grips are in perfect shape minus a small chip on the left grip. It came in a leather holster with all of the tools like the cleaning rod and little disassembly "T" tool. The holster is dated 1915, and is rather tattered and assume that isn't the correct dated holster for the firearm.

Does anyone have any information about the particular year and/or could shed some light on this model for me. I guess I have to ask the million dollar question "what's it worth". Not sure I got the better end of the deal.

I don't have any pictures right now, but i could post some tomorrow if they would help. Thanks in advance.

Dan

dgallo · 07-16-2007, 01:49 PM

Well... the trade was for a used snowmobile valued at around $3K. I don't really want to sell the Luger as I figured it would be an investment, I mean the snowmobile will only go down in value, I assume the Luger would go up. I was trying to get ballpark value. Of course value is only what someone is willing to pay for it. It's all relative. Seriously I am curious to know what the differences are between the 1917' & 1918's as there seems to be a whole lot more 1917's out there. The history of the Lugers is really interesting, plus my great grandfather fought against the Germans in WWI.

dgallo · 07-16-2007, 02:02 PM

Will do. I will take the Pics tonight and post'm up. Thanks!

Dan

George Anderson · 07-16-2007, 05:02 PM

The difference between a 1917 LP08 and a 1918 LP08 is just as you stated "there are a whole lot more 1917's". Estimates of production numbers are 90,000 1917's and 25,000 1918's. All else being equal the 1918 is worth fifty to a hundred percent more than the 1917. If you had traded the machine for just the pistol you would have done well, with a matching stock, etc you did very, very well.

A 1915 dated holster on a 1918 rig is not at all unusual as more LP08 holsters were made in 1915 than any of the five years of manufacture.

dgallo · 07-16-2007, 11:12 PM

<P>

Mike B · 07-17-2007, 07:31 AM

Tac,
I'll have to go back to Lugers 101 to understand this one. An Erfurt???
Mike

dgallo · 07-17-2007, 08:36 AM

Tac, funny that you say that.... the guy who got my sled destroyed it 2 weeks after he got it. Booze and high performance toys aren't a good mix. Wasn't a huge loss for him as he has 6 or 7 other WWI & WWII Lugers and Mausers. After reading your comments about the lock, I did check it and it was cocked. I did **** it a couple of time I think while the lock was on. I hope I didn't damage it. I did squezze the trigger to unload the spring, I assume storing cocked isn't good for the springs????

Vlim · 07-17-2007, 08:56 AM

Hi,

This pistol has a sear bar that allows you to draw the toggle back on a gun with the safety off, far enough to extract a chambered round.

So you probably didn't hurt it in any way.

You can decock it by opening the toggle (with safety off) and gently closing it, you'll feel a point where the toggle 'catches' the sear. Pull the trigger to move the sear out of the way. This will uncock it.

the gunman · 07-17-2007, 09:03 AM

Tac not like you your far sharper than I am. Its not an Erfurt. But a DWM ( Mauser )

dgallo · 07-17-2007, 09:10 AM

Geez now you got me nervous about squeezing the trigger. Is there way to check to make sure I didn't damage it by dry firing it?

dgallo · 07-17-2007, 09:12 AM

By the way I did turn the safety level off before it was dry fired.

thegundude · 07-17-2007, 09:16 AM

That's a nice lookng Luger. I'll give you two snowmobiles for it...

If the firing pin is broken it will likely rattle a little when you shake it (but not always). Do you know how to break it down? If so you can just pull the pin and see.

dgallo · 07-17-2007, 09:24 AM

No I don't know how to break it down. I was looking for the video on the site to see how to do it. Does anyone know the link where I can find it. Sorry guys I didn't realize dry firing it would turn into a fiasco. Now I definately want to see how to look at the pin. Damn I hope I didn't do any damage.

thegundude · 07-17-2007, 10:01 AM

Try this...

http://www.lugerforum.com/techinfo.html

Click on the "Parts Lists & Disassembly". That will show you what you need to know.

lugerholsterrepair · 07-17-2007, 10:06 AM

dgallo, A tempest in a teapot. The likelyhood of all this horrible damage is remote to say the least. If Lugers broke that easily apon cocking or dry fireing there wouldn't be a one around today. It's just a caution to take with a rare collector pistol. Don't lose any sleep over it. Jerry Burney

MFC · 07-17-2007, 10:02 PM

dgallo,
This site is great.
http://www.dropshots.com/dumontc
Mike C.

thegundude · 07-17-2007, 11:49 PM

And don't forget this great site...

http://www.lugerlp08.com/

Big Norm · 07-21-2007, 03:33 PM

DGALLO,
George Andersons along with Jerry Burneys sage comments, I would like to add that your original leather cup that holds the metal nose of the shoulder stock is a very hard find for Luger collectors. Your holster looks OK for an original holster of this vintage. I don't see shoulder straps. Did you get them with your rig?

When looking at Lugers I often look at the 'Locking Bolt' first to see if the gun has been messed with and yours looks good. I only see the million dollar chip on the left grip, by the thumb safety, is not so good. But don't let that worry you. You done did yourself proud.

Don't worry about price. With the internet and the rarity of this Luger and its accessories, the price is very difficult to pinpoint. Currently, my SWAG would be $5,000. But I wouldn't be surprized if it would currently go for more. The stock and leather elevates the price. Matching mag?? I forgot what you said about the magazine.

The manufactured numbers don't really reflect the scarcity of these weapons because so many have been destroyed for a number of reasons over the years. Do not restore or restraw this weapon in any way, it looks to be all original and should be kept that way. As a collector, it would be nice to have a matching dated holster, but its not necessary.

Again, congradulations on your purchase. Nice pictures.
Big Norm

pipeman45 · 07-21-2007, 11:15 PM

I wrote a whole lot more, but it would have been pretty unpleasant reading, so I deleted it. After all, I AM a furriner and a guest on this site, with no vote or opinion that counts for anything in the USA.

tac

Keep preaching Tac. Some people need a wakeup call over here.
Remember guys: Vote early and Vote often.

Big Norm · 07-22-2007, 02:03 PM

Hey Tak!!! Stick around. I don't care who it is, there is always something new on this and Stills forums to learn. When you stop learning...you die.

Besides, I recently met a British lady whose husband recently died of cancer. While recently over to her house to repair some of her shelves, I noticed a whole bunch of medals on her wall. British and French. I asked about them and she told me that her husband got them while fighting in North Africa as a British tank commander. He apparently has two pictures of himself in a British war museum. One of him with Winston Churchill and another of him sitting on his tank looking at some smoke in the distance that is supposed to be some German tanks burning. I was voluteered to repair those shelves and didn't catch her last name. I think that it was Richardson. She was planning on donating these medals to the British museum. If you want me to, I can get more information.
Big Norm

07-16-2007, 01:25 PM	#1
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	1918 DWM Arty Luger information needed Hi all, I am new to this forum and for a good reason. I recently aquired a 1918 DWM artillery Luger through a trade and am having a difficult time finding information about this particular year Luger. All of the information I seem to find ends at 1917. The Luger appears to be 100% correct numbers matching on all of the compenents, including the wooden stock. It is in really really great shape with no rust at all, adjustable rear sight, grips are in perfect shape minus a small chip on the left grip. It came in a leather holster with all of the tools like the cleaning rod and little disassembly "T" tool. The holster is dated 1915, and is rather tattered and assume that isn't the correct dated holster for the firearm. Does anyone have any information about the particular year and/or could shed some light on this model for me. I guess I have to ask the million dollar question "what's it worth". Not sure I got the better end of the deal. I don't have any pictures right now, but i could post some tomorrow if they would help. Thanks in advance. Dan

07-16-2007, 11:12 PM	#5
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	1918 Luger Pics <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P> <P>

07-17-2007, 09:16 AM	#12
thegundude User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Western NC Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 3 Posts	That's a nice lookng Luger. I'll give you two snowmobiles for it... If the firing pin is broken it will likely rattle a little when you shake it (but not always). Do you know how to break it down? If so you can just pull the pin and see. __________________ Keep your knees in the breeze and your iron in the air. ~Steve

07-17-2007, 10:01 AM	#14
thegundude User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Western NC Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 3 Posts	Try this... http://www.lugerforum.com/techinfo.html Click on the "Parts Lists & Disassembly". That will show you what you need to know. __________________ Keep your knees in the breeze and your iron in the air. ~Steve

07-17-2007, 10:06 AM	#15
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,761 Thanks: 4,863 Thanked 3,101 Times in 1,427 Posts	dgallo, A tempest in a teapot. The likelyhood of all this horrible damage is remote to say the least. If Lugers broke that easily apon cocking or dry fireing there wouldn't be a one around today. It's just a caution to take with a rare collector pistol. Don't lose any sleep over it. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

07-16-2007, 01:49 PM	#2
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well... the trade was for a used snowmobile valued at around $3K. I don't really want to sell the Luger as I figured it would be an investment, I mean the snowmobile will only go down in value, I assume the Luger would go up. I was trying to get ballpark value. Of course value is only what someone is willing to pay for it. It's all relative. Seriously I am curious to know what the differences are between the 1917' & 1918's as there seems to be a whole lot more 1917's out there. The history of the Lugers is really interesting, plus my great grandfather fought against the Germans in WWI.

07-16-2007, 02:02 PM	#3
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Will do. I will take the Pics tonight and post'm up. Thanks! Dan

07-16-2007, 05:02 PM	#4
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,527 Times in 786 Posts	The difference between a 1917 LP08 and a 1918 LP08 is just as you stated "there are a whole lot more 1917's". Estimates of production numbers are 90,000 1917's and 25,000 1918's. All else being equal the 1918 is worth fifty to a hundred percent more than the 1917. If you had traded the machine for just the pistol you would have done well, with a matching stock, etc you did very, very well. A 1915 dated holster on a 1918 rig is not at all unusual as more LP08 holsters were made in 1915 than any of the five years of manufacture.

07-17-2007, 07:31 AM	#6
Mike B Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 979 Thanks: 1 Thanked 271 Times in 99 Posts	Tac, I'll have to go back to Lugers 101 to understand this one. An Erfurt??? Mike

07-17-2007, 08:36 AM	#7
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Tac, funny that you say that.... the guy who got my sled destroyed it 2 weeks after he got it. Booze and high performance toys aren't a good mix. Wasn't a huge loss for him as he has 6 or 7 other WWI & WWII Lugers and Mausers. After reading your comments about the lock, I did check it and it was cocked. I did **** it a couple of time I think while the lock was on. I hope I didn't damage it. I did squezze the trigger to unload the spring, I assume storing cocked isn't good for the springs????

07-17-2007, 08:56 AM	#8
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,043 Thanks: 1,032 Thanked 3,930 Times in 1,194 Posts	Hi, This pistol has a sear bar that allows you to draw the toggle back on a gun with the safety off, far enough to extract a chambered round. So you probably didn't hurt it in any way. You can decock it by opening the toggle (with safety off) and gently closing it, you'll feel a point where the toggle 'catches' the sear. Pull the trigger to move the sear out of the way. This will uncock it.

07-17-2007, 09:03 AM	#9
the gunman User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Leland NC 28451 Posts: 1,017 Thanks: 1 Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts	Tac not like you your far sharper than I am. Its not an Erfurt. But a DWM ( Mauser )

07-17-2007, 09:10 AM	#10
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Geez now you got me nervous about squeezing the trigger. Is there way to check to make sure I didn't damage it by dry firing it?

07-17-2007, 09:12 AM	#11
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	By the way I did turn the safety level off before it was dry fired.

07-17-2007, 09:24 AM	#13
dgallo User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	No I don't know how to break it down. I was looking for the video on the site to see how to do it. Does anyone know the link where I can find it. Sorry guys I didn't realize dry firing it would turn into a fiasco. Now I definately want to see how to look at the pin. Damn I hope I didn't do any damage.

07-17-2007, 10:02 PM	#16
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	dgallo, This site is great. http://www.dropshots.com/dumontc Mike C. __________________ Mike C.

07-17-2007, 11:49 PM	#17
thegundude User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Western NC Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 3 Posts	And don't forget this great site... http://www.lugerlp08.com/ __________________ Keep your knees in the breeze and your iron in the air. ~Steve

07-21-2007, 03:33 PM	#18
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	DGALLO, George Andersons along with Jerry Burneys sage comments, I would like to add that your original leather cup that holds the metal nose of the shoulder stock is a very hard find for Luger collectors. Your holster looks OK for an original holster of this vintage. I don't see shoulder straps. Did you get them with your rig? When looking at Lugers I often look at the 'Locking Bolt' first to see if the gun has been messed with and yours looks good. I only see the million dollar chip on the left grip, by the thumb safety, is not so good. But don't let that worry you. You done did yourself proud. Don't worry about price. With the internet and the rarity of this Luger and its accessories, the price is very difficult to pinpoint. Currently, my SWAG would be $5,000. But I wouldn't be surprized if it would currently go for more. The stock and leather elevates the price. Matching mag?? I forgot what you said about the magazine. The manufactured numbers don't really reflect the scarcity of these weapons because so many have been destroyed for a number of reasons over the years. Do not restore or restraw this weapon in any way, it looks to be all original and should be kept that way. As a collector, it would be nice to have a matching dated holster, but its not necessary. Again, congradulations on your purchase. Nice pictures. Big Norm

07-21-2007, 11:15 PM	#19
pipeman45 User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Kentucky Posts: 539 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I wrote a whole lot more, but it would have been pretty unpleasant reading, so I deleted it. After all, I AM a furriner and a guest on this site, with no vote or opinion that counts for anything in the USA. tac Keep preaching Tac. Some people need a wakeup call over here. Remember guys: Vote early and Vote often. __________________ Dave

07-22-2007, 02:03 PM	#20
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Hey Tak!!! Stick around. I don't care who it is, there is always something new on this and Stills forums to learn. When you stop learning...you die. Besides, I recently met a British lady whose husband recently died of cancer. While recently over to her house to repair some of her shelves, I noticed a whole bunch of medals on her wall. British and French. I asked about them and she told me that her husband got them while fighting in North Africa as a British tank commander. He apparently has two pictures of himself in a British war museum. One of him with Winston Churchill and another of him sitting on his tank looking at some smoke in the distance that is supposed to be some German tanks burning. I was voluteered to repair those shelves and didn't catch her last name. I think that it was Richardson. She was planning on donating these medals to the British museum. If you want me to, I can get more information. Big Norm