Merry Christmas to me-1938 luger

[HOME DEPOT GEORGE]

I really stepped in ***** today at the gun shop. I just went to look and this was in the case . The top of the barrel is stamped 1938 and it's also marked S/42 on the top. The serial # is 1752 and so far all the parts with numbers are stamped 52, the side under the safety is the word Gesichert and on the other side are two what look like eagles one has a number under it and the other has what look like lightning bolts. Also it came with a holster stamped P-08 on the back and has an eagle with a swastica under it. The finish is so nice we are pretty confident it's been refinished but foe 900.00 OTD I don't care if it was painted red.

 

[GCBurner]

Looks like one of the arsenal refinished ones Mauser rebuilt and rebarreled for the East German police. A bunch of them were imported at pretty decent prices a few years back, and I wish I'd bought one when they were available. The refinish diminishes the collector value a bit, supposedly, but $900 sounds like a fair price for a shooter. B.C. (Before Clinton) they were around $600-$700 at the gun shows, if I remember correctly, and will probably continue to go up; they aren't making any more of them, and the imports have ceased.

 

[JWF III]

Does the magazine serial number match the gun?

If so, I'd doubt it's been refinished. And it definently hadn't been a depot refurb (otherwise serial numbers wouldn't match, or replacement parts wouldn't have a serial number).

Do some more research on it before taking it out and shooting it. If the mag. matches, you may have a $2500-$3000 gun there.

Wyman

 

[HOME DEPOT GEORGE]

The magazine has the number 438 on it below that in this order is a squiggly line a cross and a german eagle with the number 63 under it.

 

[rodregier]

If you intend to shoot it just be aware the P08 lugers like hotter 9mm ammunition. Some of the "white-box" loads are a bit low-powered for reliable function in them.

 

[Jim Watson]

Not necessarily.
A friend has one of those Finnish surplus Lugers and we found that it is most reliable with my IDPA subsonic reloads. I guess we just got lucky with the 145 grain bullet at 890 fps but the round nose and long OAL are a big help.

 

[G27RR]

$900 for an out of focus Luger? Man you got taken.

Just kidding, really nice find. I want one.

 

[HOME DEPOT GEORGE]

Here's some better pics

 

[potmetal]

Ten years ago a pawn shop had a Luger with police markings. All numbers matched and it had about 70-80% finish on it. He offered it to me at $400 and I didn't buy it. I still kick myself about that.
Good find, congrats.

 

[BigG]

S42 was code for Mauserwerke in prewar production. 1938 was the year of manufacture.