'Bout What's It Worth? - 1920 Luger

[Oh Shoot]

Hey y'all...at a friends house out of state, shot a buncha guns today and he has 3 nifty old shootin irons that he's thinkin 'bout selling and buying some modern stuff.

This is a nice old 1920 Commercial Luger, chambered for "30 Luger/7.65 Parabellum", apprx. 7.25" "artillery" barrel apparently manufactured by DWM in Germany. Thing shoots fine, but he doesn't have an orig. mag for it, bought a modern mag that's supposed to be same, fits well, but have feeding probs with jam at ramp, and since we don't have an original mag to compare, don't know if a fluff and buff would help and didn't want to change anything on original finish, even internally, to experiment.

At any rate, he's just wanting to get a realistic idea of what it might bring. I'd call the gun at least an 8 out of 10.

[Garufa]

Magazine issues seem to follow you around!

I'm no expert but I'd say the thing is worth a mint. Lugers are Lugers. Commercial or war-time production regardless. There be 4 digits in the value scale.

That gun is gorgeous.

[Moped]

It is beautiful! I had the pleasure of shooting one that belongs to a cousin of mine up in Virginia! It wasn't an artillery though. Just had the standard barrel on it. Shot wonderful and felt wonderful in the hand! I'd love to have one sometime before I die!

[xd shooter]

It's worth every bit of $.15, but I would give $.20 out of kindness

Seriously that's nice.

[Oh Shoot]

Magazine issues seem to follow you around! ...

Yeah, really. I'm such a Jonah they even cross state lines and rub off on others!

Heck, I "broke" my 10/22 today, and that's pretty hard to do, eh?

- OS

[Warbird]

There was a 6" Commercial Navy, with a Navy Rear Sight which can bring as much as $3k in 98%, which is extremely rare condition. There was also a Commercial Artillery model with an 8" bbl. There was no bbl naturally made in 7.25". So either it was measured wrong by your friend or their was crown damage at some point and the bbl was shortened. That model can bring as much as$4k+. This year despite the economy collectors guns have been above average, though for whatever some types of collectors are not going as well as others. It's always hard to say.

I have rudimentary knowledge of the Luger, no expert here, but a friend of mine is. I would suggest looking at Auction Arms and seeing some prices, not as selling, but what things actually sold for, perhaps even the last few Rock Island, Kull, or James Julia Auctions sales prices.

Other than that the best place to get an idea is a gun show.

Best one soon would be the Missouri Valley Arms Show in Kansas City at the end of June. There will be several of the largest person collections of Lugers anywhere in the country.

[Smith]

Send a PM to gcrookston. He used to collect Luger's and is very knowledgeable on Lugers and their market value.

[Oh Shoot]

.... There was also a Commercial Artillery model with an 8" bbl. There was no bbl naturally made in 7.25". So either it was measured wrong by your friend or their was crown damage at some point and the bbl was shortened. That model can bring as much as$4k+. .....

Thanks for info...the model is definitely Commercial Artillery and it's for sure 8" barrel. He had only measured the "exposed" part of barrel, not all the way back to breech.

- OS

[Guest gcrookston]

I do not believe it is a 1920. But it is definitely a put together. The cannon (upper receiver), is civilian, but the side plate, at least part of the toggle train and safety are military. It was assembled from parts from at least 4 different guns that I see. It has been refinished. Several parts show heavy handed buffing (side plate, toggle link).

It's not an artillery. The barrel appears to be an aftermarket, perhaps of French manufacture sometime in the 1950's or 60's. These barrels were quite plentiful up until a few years ago in various lengths from 2" to 20".

Based on the one picture I cannot be certain, but I believe the frame is also civilian. I would rate it as shooter grade with a value between $700-950. in what appears to be about 90%+ condition as refinished.

For reference below is an Artillery. Note the placement of the rear sight.

Edited June 30, 2009 by gcrookston

[Oh Shoot]

I'm not down there anymore, but he has other detailed pix...

As far as "put together", I remember he said that there are three serial numbers on the gun, two of them match, and the one on the side plate thing you remove to disassemble, is different from the other two.

- OS

[Warbird]

I'm not down there anymore, but he has other detailed pix...

As far as "put together", I remember he said that there are three serial numbers on the gun, two of them match, and the one on the side plate thing you remove to disassemble, is different from the other two.

- OS

That's pretty much the key indicator right there. Not a collector, but a fun gun to own none the less.