Luger Value?

[Oscar Zulu]

I have a friend that needs some cash more than he needs his Luger. It is a DWM 1916, numbers match. good bluing with hi edge wear. The straw colored pieces have freckles? Small dark spots. The stocks are ok, no chips, although the checkering is a littlle flattened from use.Great bore, Mag not numbered. Came in a Lowrance full flap holster.
What would a fair price for both of us be?

Oscar Zulu

 

[Bruce51]

Turner's has a several listed on their website in the used gun rack.

They have been there awhile, but since prices, descriptions and photos are shown, the info may be helpful to you.

BLM

 

[jaykellogg]

I paid $600 for my 1921 DWM. I would say wholesale is $6-800. retail would be $800-1200

 

[oberon]

Condition is the key. Some pics would be nice.
Low book on my 1917 DWM was $1400 3 or 4 years ago. The pistol is in 95+% shape. Early commercial mag un-numbered but with '9mm' stamped on the bottom of the walnut base.
Grips good, old, un-numbered but ok with arsenal stamp under barrel.
It is a commercial bring-back and had very little use.
The value of these things is going out of sight.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Any Lugar in fair shape is going up in price again. They took a hit a while back but increasing now. My Black Widow [42] BYF is among them.

 

[goldenlight]

Condition is EVERYTHING. The difference between a 95% and a 97% Luger can be $500 or more, especially for a rare and desirable one

Refinishing really cuts the value. As: in half, or more.

But: They aren't making them any more, and values are increasing, as the economy recovers, and people have money to buy toys.

It's hard to get a good idea, just from a description.

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

Unit markings on the front grip strap increases the value.

Was the firing pin reworked? If not, that adds value, too.

Some of the internals will be stamped too. Gotta be field stripped to know

Proof marks, what kind and how many??

Several Luger forums have really good info available.

 

[sureshotbob]

I just sold a Eurfurt 1917-21 rework with a mismatched sideplate in about 80 % condition to a friend for $750.00 He was happy with the price. Even RC reworks are going over $700.00 today.

 

[H Richard]

At a gun auction last spring, there were 8 or 9 Lugers in various levels of condition and mfg. one brought $950 all the others brought between $1200 and $2000. None of them were in excellent condition, the best being 90%.

 

[handejector]

The Luger guys I know consider the 1916 DWM the most common WW I variant, and the most common war souvenir Luger. I'm surprised no one has mentioned that, cause it affects the value of the 16 DWM.
I haven't sold a Luger in a year or so, but based on the ones I've had, I would not pay 800 for the gun you described. Maybe they are doing better lately.

 

[sheepdawg]

I own a 1916, all matching with some edge wear, barrel slightly frosted, could be fouling might try some Sweets, bluing probably rated 85%, 1937 Hans Romer holster with tool in decent shape, two WWII WaA655 mags, 4 boxes of 1944 issue 9mm. Extra firing pin and spring guide. The strange part is it's stocked with genuine Black Widow plastic grips as appraised by the fine folks at the Luger board. One guy offered me $300 for the grips alone.

I've been offered $1400 for the set up. My Dad left it to me, no way. I haven't shot it in at least 40 years but I remember it being quite accurate. I'm going to shoot it on my first day of retirement which is coming up in three years or so.

As for why the Black Widow grips I can only be sure that they were on it in 1960. My favorite theory is that this Luger was reissued by Mauser with these grips. Since the magazines are Mauser issued this makes sense. The theory I don't like is someone over here put them on it just after the war.

 

[625smith]

Check this web site for all things Luger:

Simpson Ltd

 

[jaykellogg]

Don't let your heart over rule your brain. IMO, Lugers are beautiful desirable guns, but it is very easy to overpay. The one I mentioned above is a very nice Luger, but the LH grip panel has a chip missing by the safety lever and it slides just a bit. It also had a cracked ejector (not a numbered part). That tiny piece of steel cost me $100.

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

Don't let your heart over rule your brain. IMO, Lugers are beautiful desirable guns, but it is very easy to overpay. The one I mentioned above is a very nice Luger, but the LH grip panel has a chip missing by the safety lever and it slides just a bit. It also had a cracked ejector (not a numbered part). That tiny piece of steel cost me $100.

The cracked walnut grip by the safety selector is pretty common for the Lugers that were re-issued. The 1915 model I have has that defect. You have to look really close to notice it, but I do.
I'd replace them, but they are numbered and the numbers match up, so I'm gonna leave it alone.

I believe the last time I shot mine was back in the mid 70's.

A good condition hard shell, flapped holster w/o the weapon will sell for $300-$500 these days. The holster I have had field repairs done on one of the belt hanger straps. The take-down tool slot inside the flap is torn and the stiching around that area is kinda frayed, also.

 

[jaykellogg]

Here is mine.

If you look close you can see the crack in the ejector about 1/4 inch from the RH end. I have replaced that part with one that has real nice straw color. ($100)

 

[Oscar Zulu]

Thanks a lot guys! After reading you comments and viewing some of the resources suggested I figured I paid MSRP for the pistol, if you can pay MSRP for a 97 year old gun! My friend had no idea what it was worth and wanted advice on how to sell it. I tried to make sure he got the most for it. I feel bad about paying a little to much, but not as bad as I would if I had taken advantage of him.
Oscar Zulu

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

Here's mine. My Pop gave it to me @ 1972 to bribe me into shaving off my beard.

So, I hacked it off for a couple of weeks and grew it back. He didn't care cuz he knew I'd never part with it and it would be cared for.

My holster is stamped 1918, made in Chemintz? Germany.

I need the take-down tool, too.

My forward grip strap is marked with: M.G.S.T.34.12.

Here is a good video for quick field stripping. He also tells where to look for the numbers on various pieces.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3N3YEy-6qcE&desktop_uri=/watch?v=3N3YEy-6qcE

 

[2152hq]

Here's mine. My Pop gave it to me @ 1972 to bribe me into shaving off my beard.

So, I hacked it off for a couple of weeks and grew it back. He didn't care cuz he knew I'd never part with it and it would be cared for.

My holster is stamped 1918, made in Chemintz? Germany.

Nice looking rig.
The holster is one not often seen for a WW1 Luger holster. It of the so-called 'Police' type. The flap securing strap pulls up from the body of the holster, passes thru a loop and buttons to the flap.
(Artillery Luger holsters used almost this same idea/style of flap closure)

The standard German Army issue belt holster of WW1 (&2) had the steel buckle fastener on the body of the holster w/the short leather strap sewen to the flap.


Add,,

M.G.... Machine Gun,,
S.T. . Not really sure what it would be. 'S.' was usually a Medic or Medic Support type. I think it's also used to denote a Signal Corp type of operation too.
'T' usually a Supply Unit/Train/Column. Don't know if this goes along with the M.G. though
If any of that put together makes sense. There are so many different markings and variations, subtle differences in that even the height of the character means something different. Plus the different German State Armories decided on somewhat different meanings for some.

34.. could be 34th Regiment. That # is usually found in front of M.G. in the stamping.
12.. probably weapon # 12

All just a guess.
After late 1916, the Germans decided they didn't have to Unit mark the issued weapons anymore. But some were still done, probably for pride and old habits.