Info needed on a German Luger

[Hoss]

Hey guys, I have this german luger, and I was wondering if any of the experts around here could tell me anything about it, or tell me where to go to find more information. I guess the thing I want to know most of all is what caliber because I'm dying to shoot it. A 9mm won't chamber all the way and a .380 is too short for the magazine. I've taken it to 2 gunsmiths and they didn't have any other ideas. One person at a gun show suggested a 380 kurtz because the length is somewhere between those two rounds, but I'm thinking there's got to be a better way than guessing and checking.

Information

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[Bruce McAskill]

Did you try the .30 Luger cartridge?

[villiers]

Lugers were generally made for 9mm Para (Luger) AND 7.75 Para (luger). Both use the same magazine.

[gunner]

Lugers were generally made for 9mm Para (Luger) AND 7.75 Para (luger). Both use the same magazine.

I´m sure you meant the 7.65 caliber.

[villiers]

Typical (for me). YES! (If I only get one thing worng in a message, it´s considered a sussess).

Have just finished re-loading 200 of the b*ggers that I´d filled with rifle powder by mistake.

[Johnny Peppers]

Looks like a post WWI commercial, and as noted probably a 7.65mm.

[JBS]

A little info on DWM
DWM Luger History and Index
A little info on .30 Luger round
7.65×21mm Parabellum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Johnny Peppers]

Sounds like finding the right ammo has prevented firing the Damn gun.

[Hoss]

Thanks, good info. I'll read those links tomorrow instead of working. I mean, during my breaks ...

Johnny, what makes you think that its post ww1 commercial? Serial number or the markings or what?

[Johnny Peppers]

Johnny, what makes you think that its post ww1 commercial? Serial number or the markings or what?

The serial number with letter suffix and better pictures would help determine exactly what it is.

In Jan Still's book "Weimar Lugers", he clears up some of the confusion on the "1920 Commercial" and "1923 Commercial". The 1923 Commercial was actually a continuation of the serial number range used prior to WWI, and continued with the resumption of production following WWI, and was produced from about 1919 to 1921. When the commercial serial numbers reached the 92000 range, the method of serial numbering the commercials changed to the military style with a letter suffix. In 1921 the serial numbers began in the 2000i serial number range, and was given the 1920 Commercial name by collectors. The i letter suffix was applied just as if the letter suffix had been used from the beginning of commercial production in 1900 (1 - 9999 no suffix, 1 - 9999a, 1 - 9999b and so on.