Artillery Luger

[gerry]

Hello all,
I have the chance to purchase this Artillery Luger and just wanted to get some opinions. Seller wants $2500. Everything Matches except the trigger plate. Not having much luck finding the history and info on the Artillery Luger. Looking at prices on internet it seems the 1915's bring more money, are the 1915's more rare than other years?
Any info appreciated,
Thanks,

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Patrick Chadwick]

For that sort of price it has to be perfectly matching, not nearly matching. But they fetch a lot in any condition. Seen from here, the price is not a bargain, but probably achievable.

[villiers]

Are you sure that the trigger plate is mis-matched? Or is it just not numbered at all? As Patrick mentioned, it would not be a premium collectors´ item if not having matched numbers on all the parts (best of all, with two matching mags. Or even with a holster and stock). Other things to look out for are: no chips on the wooden grips, stamps on the back of the two grips, it´s got the finely tunable rear sight, but are the serrations on the rear sight crisp enough to stop the slide from moving?). Condition of the barrel? Of the strawed parts? Original blueing? Or re-worked? Without knowing the answer to all these questions ... I think the price would be considered a bit steep over here.

[Peter Laidler]

Can you possess pistols in Germany Villiers? Can you use and shoot them or are they solely for collecting? Severe restrictions? Do the Police there have amnesties for weapons and are there still many thousands still sloshing around unaccounted for? Thanks

[gerry]

Thanks for the replies. Trigger plate has a number on the backside and its completely different. There is a chip on the grip by the safety, I'm going to check them for numbers. Rear sight serrations are very crisp.

[villiers]

gerry, the side plate numbers are usually in the front edge. Have never seen numbers on the back, so they might not be serial numbers at all. Have looked in on the German e-Gun site. In the condition yours is in, it would probably fetch about 4-500€.

Peter: Yes, condition (in D) is: member of a club in a recognised shooting association (or a registered "collector" or a registered hunter). Limit is two hand guns but more if necessity is proven (for competition purposes). I only own one (a P08, Luger) but can (and do) own any number of additional actions to turn it into an LP 08 etc. and can own any number of grips. There´s no limit on bolt action rifles and no restriction on BP weapons (except registration). Think the laws here are more or less what I´d expect from a civilised country.

[gerry]

gerry, the side plate numbers are usually in the front edge.

Yes the number on the side is 75. Im not too good at math but 500 euro is well under $1000 US? I haven't seen many sold, but I see them on Gunbroker and other sites in worse condition for more than that?

[villiers]

There´s a completely different price range between "shooter" and "collector" guns. The ones I quoted on e-Gun were shooters (mis-matches, re-worked etc). Apart from that, everyone expected Luger prices to go through the roof ... and then Russia started to empty its arsenal of WWII captured weapons. Then people thought that reserves had dried up and prices would rise again. But the economic situation just hasn´t brought this about. Anything around 1.000€ would be the price for a quality (collector) Luger (a Krieghoff, with matching mags, a really good Navy etc)

[Patrick Chadwick]

Lugers fetch much, much more if they are all-matching.
Stamps are cheap.
Unnumbered parts seem to sell online for more than numbered parts.
Honi soit qui mal y pense.

[Johnny Peppers]

The numbers inside the side plate bear no relation to the serial number. The side plate may have been a period replacement, and while still mismatched, not as bad as a mismatch numbered side plate.

As to rarity of the DWM LP.08

1914
1915
1916
1918
1917

There were probably as many 1917 DWM LP.08's as all the other years total.

Price is not totally out of line for a 1915 date, as the same pistol matching except for magazine in that condition would bring $3000/3500.