Old German Luger?

[BlackBart]

Yep Id be glad to make it a project.

 

[Jackalope]

Well I've had it soaking in the rust remover that was mentioned and it's doing a hell of a job! I'm not sure the barrel can be saved as I can't see the riffle grooves but I should be able to tell better tomorrow when its done soaking and I an start cleaning it properly. I also contacted the that Luger man guy and sent him the same pics so I can have a better idea of how much this is gonna set me back (hoping I don't have to sell a kidney). I also dug out all my old tools for working on model trains like jeweler's files to better clean it up. I figure the more crud and crap I can clean off of it the less work a smith would need to do, may save me a few $.

I'll post some more pis tomorrow when it comes out of its bath and I start cleaning and polishing it up. I have some AWESOME 2 stage metal polish and a nice new buffer wheel to make it shine.

 

[Indiana Jones]

For the love of got no files wheels or dremels. PLEASE. Step away and let the experts advise!

 

[Jackalope]

Thats what I was advised by an expert. I DID NOT go crazy don't worry, it turned out really good. You can see the rifling in the barrel one again! You can also make out that every single part of the thing has 461 stamped on it and where the date stamp would be is a big "G" so it IS a 1935 Luger. Taking it back to the shop to see what they say about it also taking it to another to get a second opinion on it. Wish me luck!

 

[Indiana Jones]

Thats what I was advised by an expert. I DID NOT go crazy don't worry, it turned out really good. You can see the rifling in the barrel one again! You can also make out that every single part of the thing has 461 stamped on it and where the date stamp would be is a big "G" so it IS a 1935 Luger. Taking it back to the shop to see what they say about it also taking it to another to get a second opinion on it. Wish me luck!

Phew. I imagined what some other guys on here have done with dremels and checkering files. Some Freddy Krueger guns haha glad it worked out well! I'd love to see some pictures after the fact. Hold on to this gem. A Luger is next on my list.

 

[Mooseman]

Every time I see this thread title I think of beer.

 

[Jackalope]

Ok here it is all cleaned up and in search of a magazine to see if it can still have any kind of grouping to it at all.

 

[huesmann]

Starting to look decent! Nice job.

 

[Jackalope]

Ordering new grips but saving the originals. Now I just need a damn magazine!

 

[hodgepodge]

That does look pretty good! There may be hope for that old gun. At this point, I can see contacting a restoration specialist to ask what could be done.

 

[ma_deuce]

Ordering new grips but saving the originals. Now I just need a damn magazine!

Mecgar from MidwayUSA.com. But I'd be surprised if you don't need all new springs, and changing the mainspring on a Luger is not for the faint of heart. And be sure to wear good eye protection if you try it.

You'd better also have a good look at all the pins in the toggle linkage, as well as the take-down lever - if one of those goes, you could wind up with a face full of steel.

As a matter of fact, if were me, I'd not shoot it until I had a good gunsmith take a look at it.

 

[KMK1862]

Mecgar from MidwayUSA.com. But I'd be surprised if you don't need all new springs, and changing the mainspring on a Luger is not for the faint of heart. And be sure to wear good eye protection if you try it.

You'd better also have a good look at all the pins in the toggle linkage, as well as the take-down lever - if one of those goes, you could wind up with a face full of steel.

As a matter of fact, if were me, I'd not shoot it until I had a good gunsmith take a look at it.

+1. A firearm in that condition should have the springs replaced. It would suck to get it back in good condition and then have a part break or some injury occur due to a spring failure.

 

[Jackalope]

Oh I plan to replace the springs but thanks for the heads up guys. I had a gun smith look at it and he said it was in good enough shape to fire it. I may take it to my uncle's place who has 4 acres and a nice old tree stump that I can make something to hold it and use a string to run the 1st few mags thru it.

Anything else I should watch for? This is the first time I have done anything like this and any information I can get is welcomed. My father gave up on this Luger but I'll be damned if I will if I can help it.

 

[HT4]

I had a gun smith look at it and he said it was in good enough shape to fire it.

That shocks the heck out of me. There's no way I would ever pull that trigger.

 

[Jackalope]

HT4, The barrel is in decent shape (I have ordered a new one should I just wait and replace it?) as is the internals that are too difficult to show a good photo of. Altho I am building a jig to hold it for its first test firing where a string will replace my finger just in case there is a problem. All the springs are being replaced as I do not want a failure of any kind. Is there anything else you can think I should do?

 

[HT4]

Is there anything else you can think I should do?

Use +P+ ammo, and hope that Darwin is off duty on weekends.

On a serious note, I am not a gunsmith, so take my opinion for what it is worth (not much). Perhaps it is not as bad as the pictures look, but I see all of that pitting on the chamber and mechanism, and can't help but to think that the gun has been materially weakened. At a minimum, there are now lots of convenient spots for cracks to start.

It may be that the gun still has thousants of rounds left in her shooting days, but as a matter of personal risk management, I wouldn't chance it. IMO, the risk/reward scales are tipped to the "I wouldn't do that sh!t if I was you" side.

 

[huesmann]

I'd set it up on a mount, tie a piece of string to the trigger and yank on it from behind cover. If it fires OK a few times, then I'd fire it by hand a few times, then put it on the mantle above the fireplace forever.

 

[Jackalope]

Maybe the gun smith I talked to was wrong, I don't know. He told me that being under water (FRESH water) has never harmed any gun that he knows of to the point where can not be fired. I was told the only thing that would make a gun not safe to fire is if it were in a fire itself.

Either way it looks like I may be shipping it out to be re-blued and gone thru by a Luger expert and then I'll see what he has to say about firing it. But even he has said from the pictures I sent him it looks to be in pretty good shape all things considered.

 

[Dan44]

Is that Mr Green you sent the pix to? Might be worth the $$$ to get back in shape. It is a desired G date.

 

[Jackalope]

Yeah Dan I sent him tons of pics and in his opinion its gone too far and needs the barrel and receiver replaced as he thinks its not safe to fire in its current condition. So I know where to get the parts I just need to save up a little more for them. Looks like the lower is the only part worth trying to save, well that and some of the internals. Looks like my project just turned into a long term re-build.

Oh well at least now I have some bits to try bluing on that don't matter! I'll keep updating as money permits as I have ordered so far all new springs, new grips, 2 new magazine's, and new breach block. I basicly have a Luger model kit to build now.