The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Curios and Relics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 2, 2019, 09:47 AM   #1
Gunnut140
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 1, 2019
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 3
Need help identifying a P08.

I have a chance to buy a luger in 9mm for $800, but I'm having a hard time identifying markings on it. It has been reblued, and the grips are replacement. On the left side of the frame in front of the S/N there is a symbol similar to a starburst with the number 6 in it. Below the S/N on the high point "1917" is stamped. The toggle has been replaced, and is no help. It has an import stamp under the barrel. I know it sounds like a mess, but is it worth $800?

Last edited by Gunnut140; August 2, 2019 at 09:53 AM.
Gunnut140 is offline  
Old August 2, 2019, 10:03 AM   #2
Gunnut140
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 1, 2019
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 3
Photo of left side

Here is a close up
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20190802_095943.jpg (238.2 KB, 124 views)
Gunnut140 is offline  
Old August 2, 2019, 10:06 AM   #3
jonnyc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 1,731
I think the "Starburst" signifies an East German rebuild, but I am not a Luger expert, nor did I sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night. If it is a complete, functioning pistol, $800 is an acceptable price. Not a real "collectible", but an average price for a usable shooter.
__________________
2024 PA Cartridge Collector Show; Aug. 16-17, 2024!!!
Buy...Sell...Trade All Types of Ammunition & Ordnance
PM or email me for 2024 show details.
jonnyc is offline  
Old August 2, 2019, 12:34 PM   #4
T. O'Heir
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 12,453
On Gunbroker, Lugers start at 4 figures. Keeping in mind that the rebluing totally destroyed any collector value. That and Lugers are kind of daft things. They can sit in gun shops for eons with no interest from anybody. It seems like anybody who wants one already has one. Unless you live in an area that has a large population of German descent they're almost impossible to sell in a shop.
Anyway, there's a picture on this forum(post #6) showing the stamp is "the Volkspolizei sunburst".
https://forums.gunboards.com/showthr...-German-lugers
__________________
Spelling and grammar count!
T. O'Heir is offline  
Old August 2, 2019, 09:57 PM   #5
44 AMP
Staff
 
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,677
Intact and functional, rebuild / reblue no collector value. $800 is well within the going rate for a shooter Luger.

Do not use +p ammo.
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.
44 AMP is offline  
Old August 3, 2019, 03:56 PM   #6
Gunnut140
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 1, 2019
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 3
Thanks

Thank you all for your information, and guidance. I was on the fence leaning toward not buying it, but now I think I will
Gunnut140 is offline  
Old August 4, 2019, 12:16 PM   #7
44 AMP
Staff
 
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,677
There are two plusses to actually owning and shooting a Luger, beyond having a piece of firearms history.

The first is you can personally find out if the legendary drawbacks/advantages that we've all read about are real or not.

Second, you get to find out if they apply to the gun in your hands.

Lugers are neat. I've had a couple. I even have a couple .22s. They aren't like any other handgun. Think of them like an antique motorcycle or a biplane (as they are from the same era).

Compared to more modern designs, the sights suck, the trigger pull is usually crap, though some are "fair" unless someone who knew what they were doing has worked on it. Mechanically they can be quite accurate, but shooting them well isn't easy.

But they have a feel unlike anything else. Experiencing that for your self is worth the ride. And, when you get tired of it, someone will buy it for what you paid, or more, nearly always.
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.
44 AMP is offline  
Old August 4, 2019, 12:48 PM   #8
RickB
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 8,511
^^ Agree.
__________________
Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.
RickB is offline  
Reply

Tags
luger help , mauser , p08

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:28 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06808 seconds with 11 queries