My 1918 DWM

Heydrich · 12-05-2002, 08:48 PM

Nothing spectacular. Paid $500 for this puppy several months ago. All matching, no import marks, bore is ok, a little peppering inside though. Grips are repos, the originals are in bad shape. I asked the guy at the pawnshop I bought this Luger at about its history. It was sold to him by the son of an old US veteran who brought it back from Europe after WW2. The son was afraid his dad might hurt someone with it, because his mind was going. Looks like he carved the first letter of his last name with a bayonet on the right side of the frame. Maybe he won it in a card game or something. Does that little “H” make the pistol a shooter?

Karl · 12-05-2002, 09:58 PM

Heydrich,

Nice purchase, certainly well worth your investment. If it were mine I'd shoot it but then I'd shoot anything. You say the original grips are poor, perhaps Hugh could work some magic on them. KFS

Hugh · 12-06-2002, 12:20 AM

Nice pics, Heydrich, looks like a prime candidate for Thor to me.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Ron Wood · 12-06-2002, 01:45 PM

I wouldn't change a thing. It is an honest piece that looks pretty darn good and can be shot without fear of damaging a pristine example.

Heydrich · 12-06-2002, 07:01 PM

Here are the original grips for my Luger. When I first got the pistol, they were soaked to the bone with gun solvent and oil. They both have a little 86 stamped on the back of them. And one has what looks like two “1”s stamped on them. (Above the serial number stamp there.) Anyone know what those 1’s mean? Sorry for the poor picture quality, my scanner sucks, and converting it to a .jpg file and then loading it here makes it worse.

Heinz · 12-06-2002, 07:26 PM

Heydrich, I like it. I agree with Ron Wood, it is a nice honest piece with all matching numbers and it looks like it went through some of the war in 1918. I would put the original grips back on it. Then go out and find a mismatched shooter and have Thor reblue that one. Or Hugh can chrome it and make one of those armadillo leather holsters :-)

heinz

Ron Wood · 12-06-2002, 10:02 PM

Those are GOOD grips! They match the gun and don't even have the "million dollar" chip out of the left grip at the safety area. Overall, that is a dandy Luger! I believe the 1's are an inspector's mark.

Hugh · 12-06-2002, 11:44 PM

I agree with Ron,
I wouldn't do anything to those grips except put them back on the gun!

Big Norm · 12-07-2002, 06:32 AM

Leave as is!!!! If the magazine is original (matching serial number or not) then get a repro mag and use that for shooting. Just keep it clean and oiled and you will be fine. Oh! Don't put oil on the grips. At $500 you got a good deal.
Big Norm

Ron Wood · 12-07-2002, 10:59 AM

P.S. Use the repro grips for shooting too.

wterrell · 12-07-2002, 11:35 AM

From the looks of the original grips, they have been applied with boiled linseed oil. I do not see a problem with this.
Do not use gun oil or polyurithane.

12-05-2002, 08:48 PM	#1
Heydrich Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My 1918 DWM Nothing spectacular. Paid $500 for this puppy several months ago. All matching, no import marks, bore is ok, a little peppering inside though. Grips are repos, the originals are in bad shape. I asked the guy at the pawnshop I bought this Luger at about its history. It was sold to him by the son of an old US veteran who brought it back from Europe after WW2. The son was afraid his dad might hurt someone with it, because his mind was going. Looks like he carved the first letter of his last name with a bayonet on the right side of the frame. Maybe he won it in a card game or something. Does that little “H” make the pistol a shooter?

12-06-2002, 12:20 AM	#3
Hugh RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Swamp Posts: 2,460 Thanks: 2 Thanked 165 Times in 64 Posts	Nice pics, Heydrich, looks like a prime candidate for Thor to me. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> __________________ *TRUMP FOR PREZ IN '20!*

12-06-2002, 01:45 PM	#4
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,017 Thanks: 1,089 Thanked 5,164 Times in 1,700 Posts	I wouldn't change a thing. It is an honest piece that looks pretty darn good and can be shot without fear of damaging a pristine example. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

12-06-2002, 10:02 PM	#7
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,017 Thanks: 1,089 Thanked 5,164 Times in 1,700 Posts	Those are GOOD grips! They match the gun and don't even have the "million dollar" chip out of the left grip at the safety area. Overall, that is a dandy Luger! I believe the 1's are an inspector's mark. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

12-06-2002, 11:44 PM	#8
Hugh RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Swamp Posts: 2,460 Thanks: 2 Thanked 165 Times in 64 Posts	I agree with Ron, I wouldn't do anything to those grips except put them back on the gun! __________________ *TRUMP FOR PREZ IN '20!*

12-05-2002, 09:58 PM	#2
Karl Lifer - Twice Over Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Savannah Posts: 520 Thanks: 0 Thanked 266 Times in 116 Posts	Heydrich, Nice purchase, certainly well worth your investment. If it were mine I'd shoot it but then I'd shoot anything. You say the original grips are poor, perhaps Hugh could work some magic on them. KFS

12-06-2002, 07:01 PM	#5
Heydrich Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Here are the original grips for my Luger. When I first got the pistol, they were soaked to the bone with gun solvent and oil. They both have a little 86 stamped on the back of them. And one has what looks like two “1”s stamped on them. (Above the serial number stamp there.) Anyone know what those 1’s mean? Sorry for the poor picture quality, my scanner sucks, and converting it to a .jpg file and then loading it here makes it worse.

12-06-2002, 07:26 PM	#6
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 410 Times in 180 Posts	Heydrich, I like it. I agree with Ron Wood, it is a nice honest piece with all matching numbers and it looks like it went through some of the war in 1918. I would put the original grips back on it. Then go out and find a mismatched shooter and have Thor reblue that one. Or Hugh can chrome it and make one of those armadillo leather holsters :-) heinz

12-07-2002, 06:32 AM	#9
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Leave as is!!!! If the magazine is original (matching serial number or not) then get a repro mag and use that for shooting. Just keep it clean and oiled and you will be fine. Oh! Don't put oil on the grips. At $500 you got a good deal. Big Norm

12-07-2002, 10:59 AM	#10
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,017 Thanks: 1,089 Thanked 5,164 Times in 1,700 Posts	P.S. Use the repro grips for shooting too. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

12-07-2002, 11:35 AM	#11
wterrell User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,096 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	From the looks of the original grips, they have been applied with boiled linseed oil. I do not see a problem with this. Do not use gun oil or polyurithane. __________________ Noli me vocare, ego te vocabo, wes --------------------