1920 commercial information.

Tuna · 03-22-2009, 12:17 PM

I have a 1920 commercial in 7.65. While it is all matching and about 90% finish I have been told that some of these Lugers had all the normal straw colored parts blued instead. Is this valid as the one I have does not have straw colored parts on it but has no sign of ever being reblued.
TIA

Edward Tinker · 03-22-2009, 12:32 PM

I don't think so. Strawing was the normal practice at the time.

Now is it actuallly bluing on the straw colored parts or just "darkened"?

Ed

wdavid431 · 03-23-2009, 06:48 AM

What is "darkened"?

MFC · 03-23-2009, 10:12 PM

Warren,
Ed means darkened with age. Straw parts can turn black with oxidation, but they usually have a motteled look to them. All Lugers made before mid 1937 originally had strawed small parts.

Tuna · 03-28-2009, 08:50 AM

I spoke with a collector who has been collecting Lugers for almost 50 years. He still has 48 of them and some I drool over when ever I see them. He insists that some commercial 1920 Lugers had blued instead of straw colored parts. He even said some of them had mixed colored parts of blue and straw. And that in some of the finer gun houses in New York city would order them in that way for customers who wanted them all blue. So I am kind of between a rock and a hard place here as to what he has told me compared to what the books say.

Aaron · 03-28-2009, 10:09 AM

No, he's wrong. Until 1937 all Lugers had strawed parts.

drbuster · 03-28-2009, 12:10 PM

I agree with Aaron. If a gun shop in New York, or other place, sold such lugers, then their resident gunsmith "customized" the Luger for them.

MFC · 03-29-2009, 01:13 AM

And to add to what drbuster stated, you could get any barrel lenght also...but it didn't leave the factory that way.

03-22-2009, 12:17 PM	#1
Tuna User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	1920 commercial information. I have a 1920 commercial in 7.65. While it is all matching and about 90% finish I have been told that some of these Lugers had all the normal straw colored parts blued instead. Is this valid as the one I have does not have straw colored parts on it but has no sign of ever being reblued. TIA

03-23-2009, 06:48 AM	#3
wdavid431 User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 135 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	What is "darkened"? __________________ W David

03-23-2009, 10:12 PM	#4
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Warren, Ed means darkened with age. Straw parts can turn black with oxidation, but they usually have a motteled look to them. All Lugers made before mid 1937 originally had strawed small parts. __________________ Mike C.

03-29-2009, 01:13 AM	#8
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	And to add to what drbuster stated, you could get any barrel lenght also...but it didn't leave the factory that way. __________________ Mike C.

03-22-2009, 12:32 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,926 Thanks: 2,014 Thanked 4,523 Times in 2,089 Posts	I don't think so. Strawing was the normal practice at the time. Now is it actuallly bluing on the straw colored parts or just "darkened"? Ed

03-28-2009, 08:50 AM	#5
Tuna User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I spoke with a collector who has been collecting Lugers for almost 50 years. He still has 48 of them and some I drool over when ever I see them. He insists that some commercial 1920 Lugers had blued instead of straw colored parts. He even said some of them had mixed colored parts of blue and straw. And that in some of the finer gun houses in New York city would order them in that way for customers who wanted them all blue. So I am kind of between a rock and a hard place here as to what he has told me compared to what the books say.

03-28-2009, 10:09 AM	#6
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	No, he's wrong. Until 1937 all Lugers had strawed parts.

03-28-2009, 12:10 PM	#7
drbuster User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Mateo, California Posts: 1,432 Thanks: 2 Thanked 71 Times in 56 Posts	I agree with Aaron. If a gun shop in New York, or other place, sold such lugers, then their resident gunsmith "customized" the Luger for them.