German Mauser 9mm Luger, Interarms Question.

[hemi71x]

Anyone on this forum familiar with German Mauser 9mm Lugers that were imported into the states by the Interarms Co. in the 1970's.
I purchased a new Luger that is still in the original box, and has only been test fired at the factory three times in it's life.
Trying to find out at least the year it was manufactured, by the serial number on the firearm.
I know some are going to say, "send an e mail to the Mauser company"
Well i did that, and never received an answer.
Anyone on this forum into these things that know of books, or reference material that you can give me a heads up on.
Thank's.

[zinfull]

I have the book that cover that type of gun. I also own 4 of those NIB and use them for trade. It is hard to nail down dates but I will give you all the info I have. Ser#, type will help.

jerry

[hemi71x]

I have the book that cover that type of gun. I also own 4 of those NIB and use them for trade. It is hard to nail down dates but I will give you all the info I have. Ser#, type will help.

jerry

Jerry.
Thank you.
Serial number is 11.008787

[GWbiker]

From the THR... Jim K......December 19, 2007, 11:41 PM.

The story is interesting. Interarms, the biggest U.S. arms importer at the time, believed there was a market for newly made Lugers. So they persuaded Mauser to obtain the Swiss tooling and resume production. (Mauser's old tooling had been scrapped when Luger production ceased in 1942.)

The guns were forged and machined in the old way, no castings. The first batch (maybe someone knows the exact numbers) were made like the Swiss Lugers, and did not sell well. So, after a lot of work on the tooling, Mauser made another batch, configured like the German P.08. That gun also failed to sell well. As noted, most were bought by folks who kept them as investments, so almost all are new in the box. Going prices for 100% guns are around $800 for the Swiss type, $1000 for the German type.

Actually, the whole thing was a good exercise in what not to do in business. First, never believe market surveys. Everyone asked said they wanted a new Luger; but not many wanted one enough to pay for it. Second, never ever try to sell a reproduction when originals are available by the ton at less cost.

Interarms and Mauser both took a cold bath on the deal. I doubt any company will ever again risk big bucks to try to make new Lugers, at least not the old fashioned way. Even companies that have tried it using castings and other new techniques have failed. The gun is just too complex, too hard to make, and too unreliable for anyone to invest money in trying to revive it.

[GWbiker]

OP, try this link.....

http://luger.gunboards.com/showthread.php?21628-Interarms-Mauser-P-08

[Clee]

I doubt any company will ever again risk big bucks to try to make new Lugers, at least not the old fashioned way.

Actually Krieghoff has made a limited run. Its not a reproduction, its a continuation of their line that was halted in 1945.

Like all things Kreighoff you better have a fat wallet. $17K.

more info here and pics:

http://www.krieghoff.com/ki/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=150

[zinfull]

You have a standard production 29/70 Interarms
Luger. It is a 9mm and they made about 10000 Lugers of that style. The first 2 numbers describe the caliber, 10-30cal, 11-9mm.

They started normal production with ser.# 10.001001 and used it in both 30cal and 9mm. The first 9mm was 11.001052 made in April 1970 and between March 1972 to 1973 Ser#11.005000 to 11.011958. Yours being the 7787th gun made.

They sold in the 1970's for $265. Info from:

*The Parabellum Is Back 1945-2000
MauroBaudino & Gerben van Vlimmeren


jerry

[hemi71x]

zinfull
Thank you for the information.
Now at least i know its a Luger manufactured during that time frame.

I lived in Germany from Feb. 74 to Feb. 76, so my firearm was made a bit before my time there with the USAF.

GWbiker
Thank's for the link to that site.
Will have to browse through it on a regular basis.

[zinfull]

I forgot to add that yours is considered a C&R pistol and is listed that way by the feds.

jerry

[hemi71x]

I forgot to add that yours is considered a C&R pistol and is listed that way by the feds.

jerry

Ya, i'm aware of that.
My FFL guy here in town asked me a few questions about this Luger before the seller sent it to him.
The seller sent us both a big PDL file from the Department Of Justice in regards to this transaction.
The seller didn't have any heartburn with selling to me out here on the left coast, in California.
Not like lots of other sellers that don't want anything to do with us out here.