German Luger Help

[GolfNGlock]

Hello,
I hope I am in the right area for this question.

Can someone help me on the value or selling price of the enclosed Luger pictures? The Luger has S/42 on the top with a G further forward. As far as I can see all serial numbers match using only the last two of the entire serial.

It has two mags, one silver and one blued but those numbers are not the same as on the gun.There is slight wear on the left front of the barrel from holster wear. The barrel is pristine, and the wood is is outstanding condition.
The back of the holster is stamped, OTTO SINDEl BERLIN 1939.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanking you in advance,
Tom
949-496-6858
tombarrett@cox.net

[Paulie Lugnuts]

$1000+

[zinfull]

You have a refinished gun so the price drops to the shooter level. It was made in 1935 and should have certain parts "strawed" and yours does not have that. The holster is a GI cut and not worth much. One mag is correct and the other is an after market. I would pay around $750 for your gun.

[GolfNGlock]

Thank s to all so far. What is strawed?

[SVT-40]

Thank s to all so far. What is strawed?

A finish similar to bluing, however the color when done appears almost as a gold. The safety and trigger as well as a few other parts should be this "straw" color not blue.

Compare the photos below, you will see the different colors on the various different parts. Some regular "blue" some strawed and some "fire" blue. As with most any military firearms when ever you see the same finish over the entire surface thats a good indication that it's been refinished. Now a good re-finisher will be careful to refinish the parts in their original colors. Those pistols are harder to determine if they have been refinished. A bit of good honest wear is a good but not always exact indication of an original finish.

[Marcus von W.]

Asl pointed out above, it is a shooter/re-enactor grade pistol has been refinished, and parts like the safety lever, trigger, take-down lever, mag release, etc. that should have a golden "strawed" color have been incorrectly blued. Also, the grips have been replaced with medium quality reproductions. The repro mag and ruined holster are probably worth around $25 each.

The fact that it is all matching and has 1 real magazine do add a little value and collector interest.

Additionally, it is a nice looking (even if not original finish) 3rd Reich example of the famous Luger pistol and there do not appear to be any import marks. Like the 1911 series pistols, Lugers are popular and sought after items even in lower grades or refinished or otherwise unoriginal condition. I would place it's value in the $750 to $850 range.

I don't know if the current firearms price hysteria carries over into the C&R military handgun field, but if you can find someone who likes it's looks and isn't worried about it being refinished, you might be able to get up to $1,000. Collectble vintage firearms are a strange field - I've seen really scarce and pristine examples of a desirable firearms sit forever or go for very little, while a really crappy, or aggressively and incorrectly refinished/dicked-with example of the same gun goes for a lot more. A good example of this is watching what Mosin snipers go for on Gunbroker - often an obvious replica/fake or a real turd that fell out of Bubba's azz will go for an astronomical price while an outstanding genuine example will generate no interest.

[steamerjames]

Also depends on the caliber, 9mm sells for more than commerical 7.65mm made in 1920's for example. I paid $675 for mine this last Dec.

[GolfNGlock]

Thanks to all of you for the help. What a great group of people with so much knowledge.

Thanks again
Tom

[v/dBrink]

A finish similar to bluing, however the color when done appears almost as a gold.

The straw color is not a "finish" that is applied. It is the result of heat during the tempering process when the hardness is "drawn" to make the part less brittle. It is not done to produce a specific color but a specific hardness.

[tankerman]

How about the stocks, are they numbered, do they match?

[mtenenhaus]

I've been shopping quite a bit for lugers...honestly/unfortunately probably not worth more than $600- 650 or so...but as Marcus notes, sometime you get lucky and someone just has to have one.