1918 Luger acquisition + range report

[vanfunk]

Hello All,
Considering it my duty to acquire as many WWI/WWII weapons as I can possibly afford (or not afford, as the case may be), I honorably obtained a 1918 Erfurt Luger yesterday from my local gunmonger. The piece is in original condition, with about 90% blue and plenty of straw left on the smaller parts. All numbers match (except the mag) and the pistol is mechanically perfect. The bore shows an ever-so slight darkening in the grooves which I think I can get out of there with a little JB paste. Upon getting it home and breaking it down, I began removing the accumulations of congealed oil and grease it had been layered in over the years. The internals displayed very little wear, and I remarked to myself how simple the design really is. That and the incredible attention to detail that went into the machining and finishing of the pistol. This thing is really, really well made. It also came with a black leather flap holster which I believe is WWII production.

I put a dab of Militech on the contact points of the mechanism and set off for the range. I started with some plinking at the 50 yard berm and found that the pistol seemed to print about 6 inches high from my POA. I had no trouble bouncing a small detergent bottle around out there. Ammo used was PMC "Bronze" 115 grain fodder. The recoil characteristics are unlike any other auto I'm familiar with. The PMC ammo is loaded a little light, but there was virtually no discernible muzzle flip. Recoil was a quick, light jolt almost straight back into the palm. I moved over to the 25 yard berm to bench 50 rounds through the pistol and was awarded with 1.5" 8-shot groups when I really concentrated (also about 6" high with a 6 o'clock hold). The thing is accurate! There were no stoppages of any kind, and ejection was consistent and very positive. The trigger exibits some spongy takeup, but has a clean, light break that I'd estimate to be ~4 lbs.

I am very happy with this pistol. I'd prefer a 1911 for combat, but the Luger is a very, very well made, accurate, reliable pistol that is fun to shoot. I'm thrilled to have this example in my collection.

I'll post pics if I can get some decent ones on my flatbed scanner.

Anybody else like Lugers?

Vanfunk

 

[Rembrandt]

Can't explain why, but Lugers have always intrigued me...perhaps it's the unusual toggel action and elegant lines. Have a couple of .22 caliber versions in the collection, but it's the Artillery and Navy models that really get my attention.

If you want to go to "Luger Heaven", visit Simpsons Collectors Unlimited in Galesburg, Illinois.....they have a special room with nearly 600 Lugers on display. Not the run of the mill shooters but collector quality pieces.

Here are a few pics that caught my attention...the European's seem to enjoy tinkering with the Luger as much as we do with the 1911.

 

[jacobtowne]

If you think P-08s made at the Erfurt Arsenal are well finished, take a close look at a DWM - they're even nicer.
Here's another 1918 Erfurt, along with a couple of friends.

JT

 

[vanfunk]

Nice pistolas, Guys!
You've just got to love the Luger, don't you? It's just such an iconic profile, intantly recognizable and evocative of so much history. Old military pieces just seem to have more "soul" than modern commercial weapons.

Vanfunk

 

[alamo]

I started with some plinking at the 50 yard berm and found that the pistol seemed to print about 6 inches high from my POA.

That was my experience as well with my grandfather's first issue 1908 DWM. I shot it about 10 years ago. A few years later I recall reading in a gun rag that Lugers are sighted for about 50 yards and that's why they shoot high. I've not read that anywhere since so I'm not sure it is correct.

 

[MCgunner]

My uncle brought one back from Germany after WW2 and my cousin has it, now. It's got a spare mag, Nazi holster with swastika/eagle. I don't know if anyone's fired it, I haven't. But, it gave me the love of the gun just looking at it. I bought an Erma la.22, Luger pattern cheap .22 back in the early 70s. I love the grip angle. That thing was used and turned out not to be so great a shape, though it's a good shooter. I had a smith look it over and get it percolating best he could and now it shoots okay, but still ain't what I'd use for anything other than just plinking. The only thing the gun would need is a little more barrel weight. It does point great, though!

A good Luger is a work of art. They were rather intricate to put together, but artistic as all get out. The P38 is plain ugly by comparison, though it really is a better sidearm, I reckon.

 

[BigG]

I have a 1938 stamped P08 manufactured by Mauser Werke. Also had an old WWI P08 with the date ground off per the Treaty of Versailles. Both are good shooters. I really would like to have one of those collectible ones like Rembrandt shows in his post.

They kick straight back into your forearm is how I describe it.

RE: accuracy. Are you getting the very tip of the front sight all the way down into the tiny rear notch? It's not easy to see when the sights are that fine but otherwise it will shoot high. Both mine shot very well and could easily hit a beverage can at 50 yards.

 

[alamo]

Also had an old WWI P08 with the date ground off per the Treaty of Versailles.

Curious about this, why would the date be ground off? The only thing I've found regarding Lugers & the Treaty of Versailles is that barrels greater than 4 inches weren't allowed by the treaty so they had to shorten it when production resumed after the war.


My 1908 first issue Luger has no date on it and that is correct for it.



Found several items about it, this seems to be representative:

"After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles limited Luger production to calibers of no more than 8m/m and barrels no longer than l00m/m, (3&15/16 inches). The standard military issue Luger barrel length was 4 inches, 1/l6th of an inch longer than the terms of the Treaty would allow, so to conform to the Treaty of Versailles, barrels had to be shortened. Germany chose to produce a Luger chambered in 7.76mm, with a barrel length of 3 & 5/8 inches which became known as Model 1923 and was produced almost exclusively for export outside of Germany. The Germans themselves, though theoretically restricted by the Treaty of Versailles, continued to manufacture 4 inch barreled 9mm Lugers for military and police use inside German borders. DWM manufactured Lugers for the Army and police that were dated 1920, 1921 and 1922 and are most commonly known as the Model 1920. Model 1920 Lugers were of very fine workmanship and appear to have been made entirely of new parts."

 

[BigG]

Hi Alamo,

I don't remember what exactly made the Germans grind the dates off their Lugers but I thought it had something to do with the treaty of Versailles and limitation on military weapons. Maybe one of the local experts can chime in?

It was a DWM.

 

[glockamolee]

"The German Agent chosen for the act of sabotage was well trained. He knew that he had to disable the wireless set just a mile beyond the beach head.

The year was 1942 and summer was ending. Heinrich Mueller was kicking the sand off of his American made Wingtips (part of his disguise). The young voice startled this veteran German Agent.

Halt!! what are you doing at the beach after dark!? asked the young civil defense volunteer with the '03 Springfield.

Heinrich Mueller pulled his 1938 Mauser Werke Luger...