Anyone an authority on Luger?

[686 Shooter]

A few years ago I bought a 1917 Luger from a friend of mine's gun shop. I didn't know alot about Lugers, just knew I always wanted one. This one seems to be in good shape with a couple of small pits, it appears to be a numbers matching gun with the exception of the magazine it is a 9mm and has a 3 digit serial number. I have never fired the gun but it appears to be in very good condition and I would not hesitate shooting it, just never seem to get around to it. Anyone have a "ballpark estimate" what Lugers are selling for?, or trade value? I know actual value can't be determined by a written description, just wondering if Lugers have any value.

 

[deadsquirrel]

PICS

 

[686 Shooter]

Camera is broken, but cell phone pic are better than none

 

[rockhopper46038]

I don't know if he's an INGO member, but Neil Keller at Kustom Ballistics in Decatur is regarded very highly for work on Lugars.

 

[thoffman]

anywhere from 400 to a few thousand depending on who made it and what year it is. just from looking at the pics and knowing nothing about the maker id say 600 for yours if it functions properly.

i had one in about the exact same condition but only a 1937 made by mauser IIRC i got 550 out of it.
but the black widows will bring up to 3 grand. you can get in the book blue book and look up your exact model.

they are an absolute pain to strip and clean though. i shot mine and it had some feeding problems but overall extremely fun to shoot, very smooth too.

there are some good youtube videos for taking it apart correctly.

 

[dondavis3]

I think it's a neat gun.

I wish I had it.

Like you , I've always wanted one ... don't know why just do.

 

[jsn_mooney]

I've got a book I picked up a few years ago that if you pm me, maybe we can figure out what it is. There used to be a guy who set up at the 1500 who dealt in only lugers- I took mine to him and he told me everything there was to know about it.
Come to think of it though, I don't remember seeing him the last couple shows, he was usually on the beginning of a row 4-5 rows inside the doors to the right.

 

[KokomoDave]

There is a guy at Tipton that knows about them but usually wants to buy it from you...

 

[trigger643]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but the pitting looks pretty substantial. It also appears to have been heavily buffed and reblued. The take down lever has been broken. The magazine is about 30-60 years newer than the gun. Is the left grip missing a piece by the safety lever, or is that shadow? 3 digit serial numbers don't mean much on pre-1945 German Military arms as they used 4 digit and a suffix (ex: 1 to 9999, 1a to 9999a, etc), until they got to the end and started over.

80% probability is has a stylized "DWM" on the toggle (if the toggle is original). Otherwise it would say "Erfurt". 1 in 10 million it says "Spandau". If it says anything else or nothing at all, it's not original.

Depending upon the bore, it appears to be shooter grade. On the right day maybe $400.00 +/-, but that's supposing a lot and the pictures aren't the best.

 

[gunman41mag]

I always want a real LUGER, not the one I have (MITCHELL LUGER 9MM)

 

[thoffman]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but the pitting looks pretty substantial. It also appears to have been heavily buffed and reblued. The take down lever has been broken. The magazine is about 30-60 years newer than the gun. Is the left grip missing a piece by the safety lever, or is that shadow? 3 digit serial numbers don't mean much on pre-1945 German Military arms as they used 4 digit and a suffix (ex: 1 to 9999, 1a to 9999a, etc), until they got to the end and started over.

80% probability is has a stylized "DWM" on the toggle (if the toggle is original). Otherwise it would say "Erfurt". 1 in 10 million it says "Spandau". If it says anything else or nothing at all, it's not original.

Depending upon the bore, it appears to be shooter grade. On the right day maybe $400.00 +/-, but that's supposing a lot and the pictures aren't the best.

The toggle on mine said s-42 there are many different things that could be on the toggle not just dwm or erfurt. and the takedown lever doesnt look broke to me at all

you need to get a book and look up the markings or take a picture of the toggle

 

[trigger643]

The toggle on mine said s-42 there are many different things that could be on the toggle not just dwm or erfurt. and the takedown lever doesnt look broke to me at all

you need to get a book and look up the markings or take a picture of the toggle

Below is a picture of my 1917 DWM (it's a Weirmar Rail Police LP.08). Note the checkered button on the end of the take down lever. It is missing on the P.08 subject of this thread.

In 1917 there were 2 manufacturers of P.08, The Erfurt State Arsenal and Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken "DWM". Your S/42, "S-42" is Mauser Manufacture. Mauser manufactured P.08 from 1934-1942 and S/42 appears from approx 1936 -1940 on the toggles.

My 1st series 1937 S/42 P.08 (first series had straw parts, 2nd series had blued parts).

 

[dondavis3]

+1 trigger643

nice guns.

 

[BigD]

Lugers are indeed great guns. The balance of them is perfect - they really lie in your hand nicely when you are sighting down the barrel. For an original in good conditions, I've seen them start around $700

 

[CandRFan]

My 1st series 1937 S/42 P.08 (first series had straw parts, 2nd series had blued parts).

Pretty cool!! Here's my Early Finish S/42 P.08.

1937 was the year that Hitler really began re-arming in earnest. To make manufacture easier and quicker the straw parts were replaced with all blued parts about halfway through 1937.

Trigger643, those are some fine pistols. I need to find holsters for my P.38 and my Luger.

I pretty much agree with trigger's assesment, based on the limited pics and info we have on this Luger. I'd probably add a hundred or so to his value though, just for the "allure" of the Luger. There's a lot that goes into trying to figure the value of a Luger though...the Germans stamped almost every part that they could with the serial number...we'd need a lot of nice sharp pics.

A good Luger resource is "Standard Catalog of Luger" by Aarron Davis. It identifies and prices all models and variations of the Luger.