Matching Service for Luger Side Plates and Magazines

[Bob Hritz]

Since the most common mismatching parts on the Luger are the side plates and magazines, I wonder if the Forum could pin a thread on those needing certain numbers. I know magazines are far more difficult to match, with lettered numbers and certain makers for certain arms, but it may be possible.

I know I need a side plate for an S/42 with number 30.

Bob Hritz

[tharpo]

Try posting your needs on Jan Still's Luger web site or at Lugerforum.com (there is a sticky for missing magazines there).

[Bob Hritz]

I have done that. I thought that might be a useful tool here, but there seems to be little interest.

Bob Hritz

[phild]

This kind of thing exist fot k98k bolts and Japanese pistol mags. I would love to see it, but I have to say that it is very difficult to do correctly. It obviously will only really work if there is a ONE stop one place that everyone will go to to both list and look....otherwise it is just too hard to keep track of. More importantly there is a LOT more than a serial number that has to be considered in order to be correct or even interchange on most cases. A 2 digit with no letter is much easier than a 4 digit with letter of course, but either way there is also a maker to figure out (WaA on a bolt along with a timeframe because the WaA changed many times for most makers) and the same for a mag (even Nambu) and the same for a sideplate.....which for example for a S/42 in most casee with have a number INSIDE that correclates to the first 2 digits of the Luger....and ALL Luger sideplates were handfitted so getting one that fits well is not a slam dunk if if by the same maker the same year much less by a different maker 10 or 20 years earlier or later.....and there is no easy that most collectors can ID a sideplate maker.

Bottom line I would love to see this but it is very hard to do in practice.

I will add that maybe 90? of every mag or part that would be posted is connected to an existing firearm...even though mis-matched.....most people will be very reluctant to get rid of a part untile they can replace it with an equal condition part that works.......so that really makes the entire database just of mags and other parts laying around with no firearm connected to them....that in term rules out a huge % of the pool of mis-matched mags and parts.

[Alan Smith]

Don Hallock (co-author of the recent Mauser Lugers bok) book has been conducting a "matching service" for Luger magazines for 20+ years. I think he participates in some of the Jan Still Luger Forums, so I suggest you look him up over there.

Yes - it is a very involved process to "do it right" by gathering all relevant details associated with each magazine serial number. After all, just because a magazine number "matches" a gun does not mean that the magazine is actually one of the correct magazines for that particular gun; the type of magazine and markings are critical factors.

[Bob Hritz]

Thank you all. It looks like it would be a better idea to look for matching arms from the start. Those I recently acquired were not from a collector, so I am stuck with the quest. At least they will be properly cared for in my custody.

Bob hritz

[IMBLITZVT]

Try posting your needs on Jan Still's Luger web site....

No thanks, those guys are such A-holes I banned myself from that site! Did you know shooting with a wood bottom Luger mag is the same as painting over the Mona Lisa all while this comes up from people trolling in your own WTB ad. I am on a dozen or more forums and have never seen such a bad forum

I have a WWI DWM Luger I bought from a member here. I would love to find a "01" marked trigger to go with the gun. Frankly I don't care as much about the mag. Luger collectors are a little to up tight if you ask me... no other guns value depends so much on so little...

The K98 bolt matching is interesting too! I assume its for all us with RC K98s? Anyone have a link?

[Jerry Burney]

IMBLITZVT..Can you please tell me your user name on Jan Still's Gunboards? I will be more than happy to finish the job and completely erase your presence from our site.
We try to weed out people who have no respect for items we treasure and particularly those who disdain good advice about destroying vintage irreplaceable wood bottom magazines. The members there spend untold thousands of hours answering questions and giving advice to people who ask about Lugers..only to get press like yours because you didn't like what you heard. You have NEVER seen such a bad Forum? That sort of statement is outrageous and I call you a liar.

So I emplore you..either here or by private message give me enough information that you can be removed forever from posting. Even a hint of the name you used and I will hunt for you like a needle in a haystack. If there is anything wrong with the site it's because of people like you.

[IMBLITZVT]

IMBLITZVT..Can you please tell me your user name on Jan Still's Gunboards? I will be more than happy to finish the job and completely erase your presence from our site.
We try to weed out people who have no respect for items we treasure and particularly those who disdain good advice about destroying vintage irreplaceable wood bottom magazines. The members there spend untold thousands of hours answering questions and giving advice to people who ask about Lugers..only to get press like yours because you didn't like what you heard. You have NEVER seen such a bad Forum? That sort of statement is outrageous and I call you a liar.

So I emplore you..either here or by private message give me enough information that you can be removed forever from posting. Even a hint of the name you used and I will hunt for you like a needle in a haystack. If there is anything wrong with the site it's because of people like you.

Boy must have hit a nerve there. Trust me, that forum deserves every bit of bad press I am giving it. I have never seen a board where Mods are trolling WTB ads. Most forums make it very clear its for people buying and selling only, not the guy that likes to comment. I have a very good respect for the historical part of firearm collecting. I own two WWI German Maxims that I also have the nerve to shoot. I take a good bit of care making sure these guns are in first rate condition. I am not out just trashing guns! I am not out dumping 1000s of 9mm through my Luger but when I do shoot it I try to have it as close to original condition as possible. That includes these precious wood bottom mags. I shoot 100 year old cloth ammo belts... I think the wood mag bottom can handle it! What do you think breaks parts more often? A WWI MG or a luger? Which one is worth more on average? What one is rarer? If I just want to shoot a bunch of 9mm, I will take out my Beretta. You guys are crazy nuts over these mags, like you have some right to tell me what I should do with my property. The attacks on me for this were just out of control even after I gave good reason for doing what I do. As a matter of fact, after I banned myself from the forum and said I would not be returning, I received several PMs by members agreeing with me and saying you mag Nazis take things way to far and to please come back. Don't worry I told them I would not be. How can I be a liar about my personal opinion that its a bad forum? Its a personal opinion. I am a member of many forums and have never been banned from one. No need to ban me from that forum, I already banned myself! Your reply almost proves my point... rather than trying to see if I was treated badly, you are only interested in banning me... typical of what I saw when I was posting. In honor of your reply I think I will take the Luger out this weekend and get some video of me shooting it with the wood bottom mag to post on YT with my MG videos just to show how horrible I am for daring to actually shoot these firearms!

[Jerry Burney]

You are not only a liar but have no honor. I asked a simple request..to provide me with your user name so I can permanently remove you from the Forum and prevent you from ever polluting it again. You are the kind of person we DO NOT want participating.
Put on your big boy pants bigmouth and let me grant your wish. To be banned from the Forum..
Somebody commented about not using original wood bottom magazines for casual shooting..OMG! The horror! What a forum! If that's all it takes to have you badmouth the thousands of members who have given so many countless hours of help for free to people who ask then we should close up shop in shame for managing a site like that.
You are a little man. You cry wolf when there is none. Put others down to make yourself look important. Like you have some important information to pass onto others when you and the subject are nothing but petty and insignificant.

camon bigboy..cough it up. I am itching to remove you and all your petty posts.

[Bob Hritz]

Gentlemen, I am truly sorry that my post, here, caused such unhappiness. I have spent some hours reading up on the very important information provided on the Jan Still Forum. I have learned a lot about the P-08 magazines and loading tools and am very grateful for the time and effort so many have devoted to sharing that information.

I am new to the West, Free America, after living much of my life in Chicago. The collectors were very fine people who were willing to share, but I could only interact at shows outside of the city limits. With the forums, I am able to digest what is available and go back to refresh my tired old mind.

I believe every collector sees things differently. I do not shoot the pieces I collect, but I respect that those who do shoot them have that right. Thankfully, personal property rights are a blessing in the US.

Bob Hritz

[phild]

Back to the topic, I think that your best bet would be to continue to watch gunbroker or perhaps ebay (I think they allow these kind of parts now?) for a sideplate with the correct outside number and hopfully in the condition that you need....and one that is not Erfurt proofed (for example) for this S/42 08.

In addition to what has been posted about the challenges of matching services in actually getting a part that is correct....even if the numbers happen to match is that I have found that it is getting very difficult just to find original parts....there are a few sources but it is not like it used to be.

[IMBLITZVT]

You are not only a liar but have no honor. I asked a simple request..to provide me with your user name so I can permanently remove you from the Forum and prevent you from ever polluting it again. You are the kind of person we DO NOT want participating.
Put on your big boy pants bigmouth and let me grant your wish. To be banned from the Forum..
Somebody commented about not using original wood bottom magazines for casual shooting..OMG! The horror! What a forum! If that's all it takes to have you badmouth the thousands of members who have given so many countless hours of help for free to people who ask then we should close up shop in shame for managing a site like that.
You are a little man. You cry wolf when there is none. Put others down to make yourself look important. Like you have some important information to pass onto others when you and the subject are nothing but petty and insignificant.

camon bigboy..cough it up. I am itching to remove you and all your petty posts.

Hmm... you got me curious being so upset by my opinion that the forum was bad. So I actually went back and found the thread. Oh who would have guessed who the Mod was that backed those trolling my WTB Thread, only threatening to ban me before I banned myself. I sure did hit to close to home. Now I understand. I don't feel any need to make any person attacks here against you but lets just say that I found your work as a mod most lacking. It was far more than those suggesting I not shoot a wood bottom mag, as the attacks became person and uncalled for. I have no honor and am a liar because I say that I don't like a forum and find it most unfriendly. I lied about what? Don't even bother as I don't care. I banned myself for a reason. I don't feel the need to give you any satisfaction by helping you in anyway. I will feel no better being officially banned than my self banning.... either way I will not be returning.

Bob, I am sorry, I did not expect to run into the mod from that forum that got so upset about a comment I made. I did not mean to destroy your thread and I will refrain from posting more about that comment. I did find the forum helpful when I was researching about Lugers and before I started posting. There is a lot of good info there. As any generalization, its wrong and they are not all A-holes. Even after I banned myself several wrote in supporting what I had said and several even took the time to PM me. I guess you should just be aware that disagreement with the going thought is not allowed and you will quickly find yourself being personally attacked and banned. There are lots of other forums, I would suggest them over this one. I do respect others way of collecting and those who never shoot a gun are fine in my book. I only ask that others return the favor and respect the way I honor our history by bringing some of these historical guns out and letting people see and shoot them when interested. Hopefully this other poster will be satisfied to post one more reply full of personal attacks and then without a reply from me you can get back to your original post.

[Jerry Burney]

Bob, No unhappiness here. It is unfortunate that someone who has spent a few minutes on a very valuable forum resource such as Jan Still's Gunboards feels they must play the bigshot by badmouthing us. Proof positive that all of the information you have recieved and thousands of others too.. can be smeared but these slanders cannot go un answered. This fellow IMBLITZVT.. hiding for whatever reason, is nothing more than a dungstirrer. He is wrong and is spreading malicious lies for some small sleight by someone we know not who. Anyone can post on these forums. Might have been me for all I know..I think people who shoot wood bottom mags are irrisponsible when good reproduction magazines cost but 30 bucks.

As to your initial inquiry about matching up numbers..it's a hit or miss propisition. There is no certain method except to search high and low. I have a list of numbers I have posted on my computer screen for 10 years and have not come even close to matching a magazine!
On the other hand I bought a 1937 Krieghoff Luger and 2 years later I found the matching sideplate right here on WA. So you never know.

[MikeP]

I dropped my 1910 a few years ago-busted the wood bottom in a zillion unrecoverable pieces.
I quit using originals after that.
Blew up a CYQ P38 I owned for 40 years.
I rarely fire the "good ones" anymore.

Yes, Luger collectors and fans can get snobbish-put up with it or not.
Somethings don't change.
Entering one of those places acting like a dick will get you treated like one.