Is this worthwhile

TheRomanhistorian · 10-22-2001, 09:38 PM

Hello I have been browsing places looking for a shooter Luger and I thought this one was interesting. It kinda caught my eye. Here is it's info:

"25.LUGER P08 #86XXX,COMMERCIAL NUMBERED,MILITARY PROOFED,1921 DATE,RARE GUN,POOR $299."

When I questioned him about why it was rare or why the gun was listed as 'poor' for any reason he sent me this response:

"Gun w/1 mag. only. If you're familiar waith Lugers. Very,very few were ever manufactured of this type for the military. The finish is very worn and pitted. Hope this helps."

Is this gun worthwhile as a shooter or should I keep looking? I mean I imagine the finish wouldn't bother the shootability of the gun and I could always get it refinished. So what do you chaps think?

Deaf Smith · 10-22-2001, 10:15 PM

If all you want is a shooter check it out mechanicly. If its in good shape buy it.

Deaf Smith

TheRomanhistorian · 10-22-2001, 10:32 PM

How would I go about that sir? Just curious...the shop is several states away from mine so would it just be a matter of e-mailing them for pictures maybe and requesting any information they have on it's parts?

10-22-2001, 10:53 PM

Ask if it is in good mechanical condition and if the bore is good or better condition. That is about all you can do.

The 1921 dated variety is not common but has never garnered much collector interest--as is the case with most 20s lugers except for the Simpson lugers. The last one I saw was marked to a police unit and was cut for two extra safeties--magazine and sear safeties. I probably won't see another one in my lifetime.

There is nothing unusual about the single magazine--most lugers have just one magazine with them. The pitting usually does not impair the gun unless the pitting goes inside the gun. or is so deep that it greatly reduces barrel or chamber thickness.

TheRomanhistorian · 10-22-2001, 10:56 PM

What would it take to fix the pitting? Just a simple refinishing/replacing of the barrel or what? Thanks for all your help, I'm a newbie and I'm trying to do a lot of shopping around before I am able to purchase my gun (I have a few months yet)...I just wanted to see what I was interested in or what appealed to me. I want my first handgun to be a Luger.

TheRomanhistorian · 10-22-2001, 11:36 PM

Oh and he didn't mean the 1 mag was rare...it was part of another question I asked. I noticed some came with an extra magazine and was wondering if this came with 1 or 2.

Marvin · 10-23-2001, 07:24 AM

Michael,

I know the person with the pistol. He will be honest about the pistol, but it will not be any better than described. Give him a call and ask about the mechanical condition and if he feels it is safe to shoot. For $299, the pitting may be a little deeper than buffing would get out, but I can't say since I have not seen the pistol. If you purchased the pistol for $299 and added another $250-300 for a rework, you would have approx. $550-600 in it. With this much invested, I would recommend that you give Tom Heller a call and see what may be available for the same price range as the pistol would be if reworked.

If the price of the pistol is what you are looking for, it is mechanically OK, Just shoot it as-is, or polish it up and use a good quality cold blue. At $299, you can't hurt the value.

Marvin

Steve Lempitski · 10-23-2001, 08:52 PM

That is how I got my shooter. I paid $250.00 for a beat up 1916 Erfurt that came back from WW2. The gun was spotted with rust and pits, and had hardly any bluing left on it. Everything matched on it, the only problem was it had a broken sear spring, and would **** only half the time. Luckily for me, there was a major gun show the following week, I took the pistol there, met a gentleman with many beautiful Lugers; (many of you may know him, his name is Ralph); for $10.00 he took the spring off of one of his shooters for sale, installed it on mine, and then showed me how to completely disassemble and reassemble the Luger. To this day mine still shoots great.

10-22-2001, 09:38 PM	#1
TheRomanhistorian User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 301 Thanks: 170 Thanked 88 Times in 64 Posts	Is this worthwhile Hello I have been browsing places looking for a shooter Luger and I thought this one was interesting. It kinda caught my eye. Here is it's info: "25.LUGER P08 #86XXX,COMMERCIAL NUMBERED,MILITARY PROOFED,1921 DATE,RARE GUN,POOR $299." When I questioned him about why it was rare or why the gun was listed as 'poor' for any reason he sent me this response: "Gun w/1 mag. only. If you're familiar waith Lugers. Very,very few were ever manufactured of this type for the military. The finish is very worn and pitted. Hope this helps." Is this gun worthwhile as a shooter or should I keep looking? I mean I imagine the finish wouldn't bother the shootability of the gun and I could always get it refinished. So what do you chaps think?

10-22-2001, 10:15 PM	#2
Deaf Smith User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: PA Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Shooter Lugers If all you want is a shooter check it out mechanicly. If its in good shape buy it. Deaf Smith

10-22-2001, 10:32 PM	#3
TheRomanhistorian User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 301 Thanks: 170 Thanked 88 Times in 64 Posts	Re: Shooter Lugers How would I go about that sir? Just curious...the shop is several states away from mine so would it just be a matter of e-mailing them for pictures maybe and requesting any information they have on it's parts?

10-22-2001, 10:53 PM	#4
mlm Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Shooter Lugers Ask if it is in good mechanical condition and if the bore is good or better condition. That is about all you can do. The 1921 dated variety is not common but has never garnered much collector interest--as is the case with most 20s lugers except for the Simpson lugers. The last one I saw was marked to a police unit and was cut for two extra safeties--magazine and sear safeties. I probably won't see another one in my lifetime. There is nothing unusual about the single magazine--most lugers have just one magazine with them. The pitting usually does not impair the gun unless the pitting goes inside the gun. or is so deep that it greatly reduces barrel or chamber thickness.

10-22-2001, 10:56 PM	#5
TheRomanhistorian User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 301 Thanks: 170 Thanked 88 Times in 64 Posts	Re: Shooter Lugers What would it take to fix the pitting? Just a simple refinishing/replacing of the barrel or what? Thanks for all your help, I'm a newbie and I'm trying to do a lot of shopping around before I am able to purchase my gun (I have a few months yet)...I just wanted to see what I was interested in or what appealed to me. I want my first handgun to be a Luger.

10-22-2001, 11:36 PM	#6
TheRomanhistorian User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 301 Thanks: 170 Thanked 88 Times in 64 Posts	Re: Shooter Lugers Oh and he didn't mean the 1 mag was rare...it was part of another question I asked. I noticed some came with an extra magazine and was wondering if this came with 1 or 2.

10-23-2001, 07:24 AM	#7
Marvin User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Upstate S.C. Posts: 1,132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Is this worthwhile Michael, I know the person with the pistol. He will be honest about the pistol, but it will not be any better than described. Give him a call and ask about the mechanical condition and if he feels it is safe to shoot. For $299, the pitting may be a little deeper than buffing would get out, but I can't say since I have not seen the pistol. If you purchased the pistol for $299 and added another $250-300 for a rework, you would have approx. $550-600 in it. With this much invested, I would recommend that you give Tom Heller a call and see what may be available for the same price range as the pistol would be if reworked. If the price of the pistol is what you are looking for, it is mechanically OK, Just shoot it as-is, or polish it up and use a good quality cold blue. At $299, you can't hurt the value. Marvin

10-23-2001, 08:52 PM	#8
Steve Lempitski User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Old Cape Cod Posts: 238 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Yes That is how I got my shooter. I paid $250.00 for a beat up 1916 Erfurt that came back from WW2. The gun was spotted with rust and pits, and had hardly any bluing left on it. Everything matched on it, the only problem was it had a broken sear spring, and would **** only half the time. Luckily for me, there was a major gun show the following week, I took the pistol there, met a gentleman with many beautiful Lugers; (many of you may know him, his name is Ralph); for $10.00 he took the spring off of one of his shooters for sale, installed it on mine, and then showed me how to completely disassemble and reassemble the Luger. To this day mine still shoots great.