Here I have a 1917 Artillery Luger for review. Everything is matching except the magazine. Please let me know if the Luger looks authentic. The seller is asking $1,800 US. Thanks for your help!
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By what I can see in the photos it looks correct and original. The finish is not great but it has not been re-blued at least polished and hot blued. I think that the price is very fairComment
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Thank you for your help! It looks like the grips are not matching? I can't find the serial number.Comment
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You may need a mag lite on the grip numbers I think that I see them on each grip but I can not read them. They look like they have been on it a LONG time. Many grips were never numbered even on military contract Lugers but most of these wartime guns did have numbered grips when made.Originally posted by Mp40Bran View PostComment
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Looks like a little "X" on the grips. Also there is a little rust under the grips.Comment
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Rifling looks strong. Bore is dirty could have some light pitting or be near mint. I can see only say that the grips seem to match each other and look to have been on that gun for 100 years.Comment
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JB Bore PasteComment
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I agree with you, I think the bore would clean up much better than what we see. I’d get the loose stuff out before starting with the JB but either way it will greatly improve.Originally posted by 101combatvet View PostComment
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Thank you everyone for your comments and help! Overall do you think it's worth the pick up? Were these artillery Lugers still used in WW2 a lot?Comment
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The 1917 and 1918 made long barrel 08 went almost exclusively to the newly formed infantry assault troops or sturmtruppen. Period orders and directives, now published, confirm this. These long barrel Lugers were not officially allowed as per treaty restrictions so most were rebarreled or scrapped. Some do show up in photos and accounts as being carried in WWII but not official issue. Some seem to have been retained by the Navy and maybe for Luftwaffe dispatch riders pre war for example.
I think that the price is very fair for this one given the finish. In really nice finish condition it would retail for around 3k IMO give or take a few hundred. With matching stock, full leather and holster, rod matching mag and snail drum it would boost up to 7-8k in excellent+ finish.
The devil is in the details when it comes to Lugers and most other firearms for that matter. Most of these 1917s were not beauty queens when they left the factory. They apparently allowed the factories to reduce the number of rust blue cycles they applied during this period in order to speed delivery. They had to arm and re-train hundreds of thousands of troops in the new tactics for the planned 1918 offensive.Comment
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Interesting.... Thank you so much for the information Phild!Comment
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Get a stainless steel bore brush. I wouldn't use a SS brush on a nice bore, but it will help the condition of your corroded bore. It will get down in the edge of the lands and grooves, and give you sharper rifling. Have used them on 1903 Springfield rifles with corroded bores, and made decent shooters out of them.
Brownell's sells them, but most any gun shop should have them.
https://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...-line-stainlesComment
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What are people’s thoughts on the 6 on the side plate to me it looks different then the 6s on the cannon. Does that matter?Comment
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I see what you mean but I think it is ok. It would matter if the side plate was in fact re-numbered are was shown to be from a different pistol even with the same two numbers. This one shows the same finish and scattered pitting as the frame flat. I would not be surprised if this area was cleaned of rust from sitting in a holster for 40-50 years and then touched up with cold blue. This may have occurred 40-50Originally posted by Bullet View Post
Years ago and is now worn itself. That kind of scouring can cause that number to look a little distorted IMO.Comment
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