Interarms Luger question

[Kyle M.]

Hello all, new guy here and fairly new to Lugers though I've read a lot. Several years ago I owned a mismatched 1908 DWM/1916 Erfurt. I bought it cheap as a shooter and kind of regret selling it. I would like to have another shooter grade gun but prices around here are astronomical. Guys want $2000-$2500 for mistmatched refinished parts guns.

A local shop has an Interarms Mauser Parabellum. It is the Swiss style without the grip bump and has the grip safety. 9mm 6" barrel. It's in a fitted wooden box with the original paperwork, test target, 2 magazines, and the tool. They're asking $1500, it's a commission gun so I can't haggle on price.

I was looking at Simpson Ltd's selection and noticed a few Police Lugers in my $1700 or less price range, most if not all matching number guns. As someone who isn't worried about future collectibility but also doesn't want to risk trashing an all matching collectors item would I be better off buying from Simpson or buying the Post War Mauser Parabellum Luger? I'm also not planning on taking the gun out and putting thousands of rounds through it either, just a box or two here and there.

By the way I was able to find a 33 page article online from Gun Facts magazine in 1970 about the Post War Mauser guns and read it in it's entirety. As someone who has worked their entire life in the machining industry it sounds like they were well made guns, and not made from the pot metal investment castings people say they are. Honestly most people who say that probably own Ruger firearms and don't realize they are made from investment castings. Very well made and strong investment castings I may add.

Here is the Interarms gun in question.

[mrerick]

Hello Kyle and welcome to the forum.

Two members here (Mauro and Gerben) have done a comprehensive study of the post war Mauser pistols, and much is known about them. They were a high quality Luger, but with a design that slightly differs from the wartime pistols.

They do make good shooters, and are, to some extent, considered collectible in their own right.

Not very many were shipped in that premium case, which has some value in addition to the pistol.

Your photos are just thumbnails, so are not useful for seeing any detail. Post them with 1024 pixels on the longest axis.

is it in 9mm or .30 Luger caliber? i have both in my collection, but you want a 9mm pistol if you're planning on shooting it much.

We publish a comprehensive FAQ PDF document here. Just search for "FAQ PDF" and look toward the end of the hits for the post that has the files. You can also follow the "FAQ" link at the top of each page of this forum.

A matched but finish challenged wartime Luger or a mismatch that has been properly fitted makes a great shooter Luger, and should cost at most $1200 for one in outstanding mechanical condition. Where are you located with prices that high? I particularly like Mauser made wartime Lugers as shooters. My own is a 1937 matching Mauser with finish issues.

The Mauser Interarms post war Lugers have are outstanding mettalurgy. There are postwar Lugers attempts made of inferior metals, but the Mauser made ones imported by Interarms are not the inferior ones. Stay away from Stainless Lugers or the ERMA .380 or .22 Lugers if the metal composition is an issue.


Marc

[Kyle M.]

Originally Posted by mrerick

Hello Kyle and welcome to the forum.

Two members here (Mauro and Gerben) have done a comprehensive study of the post war Mauser pistols, and much is known about them. They were a high quality Luger, but with a design that slightly differs from the wartime pistols.

They do make good shooters, and are, to some extent, considered collectible in their own right.

Not very many were shipped in that premium case, which has some value in addition to the pistol.

Your photos are just thumbnails, so are not useful for seeing any detail. Post them with 1024 pixels on the longest axis.

is it in 9mm or .30 Luger caliber? i have both in my collection, but you want a 9mm pistol if you're planning on shooting it much.

We publish a comprehensive FAQ PDF document here. Just search for "FAQ PDF" and look toward the end of the hits for the post that has the files. You can also follow the "FAQ" link at the top of each page of this forum.

A matched but finish challenged wartime Luger or a mismatch that has been properly fitted makes a great shooter Luger, and should cost at most $1200 for one in outstanding mechanical condition. Where are you located with prices that high? I particularly like Mauser made wartime Lugers as shooters. My own is a 1937 matching Mauser with finish issues.

The Mauser Interarms post war Lugers have are outstanding mettalurgy. There are postwar Lugers attempts made of inferior metals, but the Mauser made ones imported by Interarms are not the inferior ones. Stay away from Stainless Lugers or the ERMA .380 or .22 Lugers if the metal composition is an issue.


Marc

Thanks for the info. This one is a 9mm and even though I prefer the 9mm if it was .30 Luger it wouldn't bother me that much. I already reload 7.62 Tokarev and .357 Sig so what's another bottleneck pistol cartridge? 9mm is cheap enough that I can just buy cheap factory ammo. Mainly Blazer Brass and Winchester White Box for $8-$10 a box.

I live in north central ohio and the prices I'm quoting are local shops and a few replies I've gotten on armslist and gunlistings when I post want to buy ads. I paid $600 for the mismatch gun I had back in 2012. Also I counldn't find anything 9mm from simpson matched or not for under $1300. I'm sorry about the photos for some reason I thought they posted as a link. I will fix that.

[G.T.]

Hi Kyle, I have several shooters in the $1200.00 range or less..., range tested and ready to go! Email me at: gctomeks@msn.com if you would like to shop?... best to you, til...lat'r....GT

[Vlim]

I think the Mauser Parabellum is a bit overpriced.
The box is not original, the original box is not there and there is no cleaning rod. I'd say 1000 to 1200 max.

[Doubs]

I'm with Vlim on the price.

If it's a consignment, you should be able to make an offer and the shop should relay that offer to the seller. Explain that after researching the price, it's too high and you're making a reasonable offer.

Should they not take your offer, know that there are plenty of nice Lugers out there well within your $1700 budget.

[Joe in Colorado]

I have about 12 of these Mauser Parabellums-all different. I have not shot them and from what I've seen the grips get loose if you shoot them much. Regardless of what you choose, it won't hurt to look at Gun Broker, I search "Mauser Luger" and a couple hundred, including Mauser Parabellums, show up. If you are patient you can get a good buy, below is a nice early 9mm 4". Good luck, Joe
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/860389458

[Kyle M.]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do at this point. But I'm starting to consider other options. $1200-$1700 is a lot of money, and even though it's my fun fund I don't know if I want to spend it all on a semi auto pistol when I have 10 of them already.

[eagle7373]

Kyle,

I have two of the Mauser Parabellums, both in 7.65 cal. I love them both. A couple of things to think about.
- First, though they made both 7.65mm and 9mm, they made fewer of the 7.65's. I have noted that the price is a bit higher for those than the 9mm, and closer to the asking price you quoted above for NIB versions.
- They shoot great. Very accurate. And they have some niche collectability, though not like the earlier Lugers.
- Some people don't care for the checkering on the wooden grips. Too sharp and uncomfortable. For my part I took my grips off, put them in a safe place and replaced them with Swiss 6/29 grips for shooting local matches.
- The mags that comes with the 1970s-era Mauser Parabellums are poor reliability and generally unsatisfactory. Put them away to keep for their collector value with the pistol and get some Mec-Gar Luger mags. They work wonderfully.
- If you buy the pistol, and if you wish, you can get a certificate of authenticity from Mauro Baudino for your pistol. Not sure what he charges now but you can go to his web site a find out. Maybe you want that or not. I got one for each my pistols. Kind of nice.

[DavidJayUden]

Glenn:
Greetings from the far north country of Omaha, NE.
dju

[mauro]

Originally Posted by eagle7373

Kyle,

I have two of the Mauser Parabellums, both in 7.65 cal. I love them both. A couple of things to think about.
- First, though they made both 7.65mm and 9mm, they made fewer of the 7.65's. I have noted that the price is a bit higher for those than the 9mm, and closer to the asking price you quoted above for NIB versions.
- They shoot great. Very accurate. And they have some niche collectability, though not like the earlier Lugers.
- Some people don't care for the checkering on the wooden grips. Too sharp and uncomfortable. For my part I took my grips off, put them in a safe place and replaced them with Swiss 6/29 grips for shooting local matches.
- The mags that comes with the 1970s-era Mauser Parabellums are poor reliability and generally unsatisfactory. Put them away to keep for their collector value with the pistol and get some Mec-Gar Luger mags. They work wonderfully.
- If you buy the pistol, and if you wish, you can get a certificate of authenticity from Mauro Baudino for your pistol. Not sure what he charges now but you can go to his web site a find out. Maybe you want that or not. I got one for each my pistols. Kind of nice.

Hello Kyle,
Thank you for mentioning the certification service for the Mauser (Interarms) Parabellum Pistol.
More information about this service based on the original Mauser production book is available here:

http://www.lugerlp08.com/mauser%20pa...tification.htm

Greetings,
Mauro

[eagle7373]

David,

Thanks much for your greeting. I did not realize we were next door neighbors. As you might know I run the local Swiss Rifle and Pistol Matches at ENGC. I have used my Mauser Parabellum, as well as my Swiss 6/29 Luger, in those matches (and successfully qualified for metals with both). Anyone is welcome to join us. Details at the Eastern Nebraska Gun Club web site.

[aw12345]

I have 2 mauser interarm lugers I bought new in 1985, they came in an interarms lockable presentation box. They look like the swiss 29/70 model are both 9 mm.one has a 4" barrel the other has a 6" barrel. I have shot 1 mag out of either gun and they have been in storage ever since.
Serial for the 4" one is 11004893 and the 6" one is 11013591 any idea about value of these guns
[IMG]20200130_212509 by simon Beemsterboer, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Vlim]

The 4" is a 29/70. The 6" is an 06/73.

Looks like you got the side plates mixed up. The one with the long 'island' belongs to the 29/70, the P08 style on the 06/73.

Value about 1,000 - 1,200 each.

[aw12345]

Thanks for the reply

[Joe in Colorado]

Thank you for showing your two pistols.

I remember 1985 like it was yesterday-even 1965---where did my life go?

Sorry-if you want or need a closer idea of prices for your Mauser Parabellums you can look on Gun Broker, search "Mauser Luger" like I just did and it turned up 220 listings, perhaps 10 are for Mauser Parabellums.

Of course you need to watch over time to see what shows up and what really sells.

Do you have all the other stuff...hang tags, test targets, manuals? That all adds to the value.

Best Wishes, Joe

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search...=1&PageIndex=1

[aw12345]

Thanks for the info Joe much appreciated. I have been waffeling between selling, keeping them and shooting them or trading them for some other guns. I will see where the wind blows me and yes 1985 seems like yesterday, when I was young and full of spit and vinegar