Appraising a Luger....

[Milsurp Collector]

Here's a couple closeups.

Again, maybe it's the photography, but it looks silver instead of blue. Try taking some pictures outdoors in the shade, not in direct sunlight.

EDIT: Your latest picture shows a shiny, buffed definite refinish.

[sonofeugene]

Here' a couple new pix:

[Varg Vikernes]

Looks polished to me.

maybe, can't really tell

[morrcarr67]

EDIT: Your latest picture shows a shiny, buffed definite refinish.

I'd have to agree

[sonofeugene]

Another

[sonofeugene]

Pix posted on the internet really isn't going to provide anything definitive. Does anyone know of someone in the SF Bay Area that is knowledgeable?

[Varg Vikernes]

I have a buddy that collects mil-surp stuff and is based out of Oakland if you wanna talk to him.

[ZenMastaT]

I would suggest taking it to Mike Krause at Krausewerk in San Mateo (http://www.krausewerk.com/)

He is a world renowned Luger expert and will certainly be able to tell you if the parts are re-finished. For what it's worth it does look like a high polish refinish to me but Mr. Krause could give you a very definitive answer. He isn't there every day though so you may want to call ahead to see if he will be in.

[John Browning]

It is definitely buffed, the corners are way too rounded.

I'd say you have a $700-$800 Luger at best.

[Varg Vikernes]

It is definitely buffed, the corners are way too rounded.

I'd say you have a $700-$800 Luger at best.

For a shooter after being polished and weird grips I would say 500-600

[John Browning]

For a shooter after being polished and weird grips I would say 500-600

I think if you put it up in the trader people would jump on it at $650. You rarely see a functioning Luger in any shape in the sub-$700 range anymore.

[dtelston]

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but if I were in Vegas, I would bet that it's been refinished. If it makes you feel more comfortable, have someone in the bay check it out, but a good thing to look for on old lugers and German wartime pieces in terms of an original finish are the machining marks all over it such as in milsurp_collectors photos above.

During the war, the Germans were spitting these puppies out of the factory left and right and took zero time to buff or work out any of the machining marks. If you are unfamiliar with the term, they are the extremely thin vertical and horizontal lines that can be found on the various parts of the pistol that give off the "strawing" type of appearance to the finish. Once again, milsurp_collector's pictures above are a great reference for what an original wartime Luger finish will look like. Refinishing a Luger without covering up the machining marks is nearly impossible.

Hope this helps...

[zinfull]

Refinished, polished so it is a shooter. I would place a $750+ for a nice shooter.

[sonofeugene]

Well, I just got back from a visit to Mike at Krausewerks in San Mateo. Definately an old school shop. The vibe was good and the Mike was quite personable as well as knowledgeable. I told him my father paid 35 bucks for his Luger and he said he paid the same amount for his first Luger, back in the 60's when he was a kid and first started collecting. He's got quite a collection in his shop. Not only Lugers in various forms, but other old and collectable weapons. It's just fun to poke your nose around and check them out.

Anyway, it's been refinished as you all said. I was kinda hoping for it to be original, but what the heck. Mike also had a look at the original grips which I brought along and stated they were most likely original to the gun. And everyone there got a kick out of the grips my father made. None had ever seen anything like it.

I knew that the magazine was not matching to the gun (from a number standpoint), but did not know that it wasn't even correct for the period. Mike took one look at it and pronouced it a magazine from 1920 and for a Luger made in another country. Or something like that. It's an older sheet metal design and was a little banged up, resulting in the follower sticking in the last bit of travel. It has some value, even though it's a bit beat up, so he offered to exchange it for a period correct extruded magazine. He produced 6 for me to choose from and now I know have a magazine that fits the gun properly and will feed properly as well. He also said that the late model Lugers were fitted with a stronger main spring and shoot best with a hotter load, so I bought a box of Federal HST 147 grain hollow points (a law enforcement load). I'll try them in the Luger, but they're really for my Glock 34.

Mike pronouced it a fine shooter so now I feel OK to fire the thing. 'Should be interesting.

Thanks again, all!

[Bastard]

I would suggest taking it to Mike Krause at Krausewerk in San Mateo (http://www.krausewerk.com/)

He is a world renowned Luger expert and will certainly be able to tell you if the parts are re-finished. For what it's worth it does look like a high polish refinish to me but Mr. Krause could give you a very definitive answer. He isn't there every day though so you may want to call ahead to see if he will be in.

^^^^^ This, just try not to look around the shop too much... can be somewhat dangerous. IMO more so that normal gun shops, but then again most shops don't have $3000 Nazi daggers & such - much less the amount of history on the walls.


maybe I should have finished reading before quoting - oh well, have fun with you Luger.