I recently came across an old German DWM .30 Luger, not 9mm, which i believe was captured during wartime for it was found in a box in the attic of my grandfather. All numbers on all pieces of the gun match, a small "m" looking symbol is seen under the barrel and around the trigger. (mauser?) it was made in germany for sure. im curious as to how much it may be worth and where i can go to sell or appraise such an item as it was not with any registration papers or anything. any help?!?!?!
.30 Luger pistol, DWM all matching numbers!!!
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Winchester_73
New member
Thats news to me...IMO that is rarely true. A military example, in the same condition, with the same orginality, will nearly always be worth more. Of course there are some very common military variations IE DWM 1918, and there are some more rare and interesting 30 cal examples, but in general, I would have to disagree with the above statement.
Winchester_73
New member
The small M could be part of the SN. A crown/M stamp was a WWI era Navy marking.
"M" would not be for Mauser. If the gun is a DWM, it cannot also be a Mauser. Its kind of like saying you have a Ford Chevy truck - either one, or the other. DWMs are marked with scrollwork on the rear toggle, and Mausers are marked either S/42, 42, or BYF on the top of rear toggle. The Mauser codes were "secret" since production of 9mm lugers violated the treaty of versailles before WWII and then they were kept secret code so the allies could not prove where the arms were being manufactured IE which factory to bomb.
Commercial Mauser Lugers were marked with Mauser "banner", but none were marked DWM. DWM was part of a consortium that also owned Mauser, so Mauser was the successor to DWM for Luger production.
.30 Luger (7.65 Parabellum) was the original Luger caliber, and some pistols in that caliber are very valuable. But most of the Lugers around in .30 Luger caliber were sold here between wars. They are often referred to as "1920 commercial" Lugers, and most were rebarrelled military surplus guns, though nicely refinished and with the military date removed. They were made in .30 Luger because German companies were prohibited under the Versailles treaty from making 9mm pistols except for the police and the small military force.
Once again, it is hard to provide more information without good pictures.
Jim
.30 Luger (7.65 Parabellum) was the original Luger caliber, and some pistols in that caliber are very valuable. But most of the Lugers around in .30 Luger caliber were sold here between wars. They are often referred to as "1920 commercial" Lugers, and most were rebarrelled military surplus guns, though nicely refinished and with the military date removed. They were made in .30 Luger because German companies were prohibited under the Versailles treaty from making 9mm pistols except for the police and the small military force.
Once again, it is hard to provide more information without good pictures.
Jim
Winchester_73
New member
Thx for mentioning that. I didn't think of those for two reasons: 1) Mauser commercials are more scarce than DWMs AND 2) IIRC aren't most (if not all) Mauser commercials actually in 9mm? When he said "30 luger" I automatically thought "DWM". The first German military Mauser made lugers arrived in 1934 and IIRC Mauser did not make many lugers at all before then.
Winchester_73
New member
That rear toggle is displaying the classic "DWM" scrollwork, fyi.
Jim Watson
New member
I'm with JK.
External serial numbers with letter suffix, no date, .30; I think it is one of the many WWI leftovers rebarreled to .30 under Versailles restrictions.
External serial numbers with letter suffix, no date, .30; I think it is one of the many WWI leftovers rebarreled to .30 under Versailles restrictions.
Winchester_73
New member
I see what you mean, but the gun has commercial SN placement. I was not aware that after WWI, finished lugers had all markings removed and then were numbered in a commercial style?
The OP's luger lacks military acceptance proofs on the right of frame. The gun has Crown/N proofing as well, which is the commercial nitro proof. The gun, while having readable SN numbers on parts, still actually has what is considered "hidden" SN placement which is a trademark of commercial lugers. When ascertaining hidden vs exposed (military) look at the side plate and the take down lever. When the numbers are on bottom aka this gun, those are called "hidden". When they are outside meaning visible from a left side view of the gun, the numbers are then "exposed".
Here is "exposed" on my Mauser G date (1935)
Here are the "hidden" numbers of the OPs DWM luger
Baba Louie
New member
NO NO NO NO NO.
Grandfather... Luger... attic... knowledge imparted... ABSOLUTELY A GREAT FIND! (IMO of course... YMMV)
Will you get rich financially off it? Does money count when family and history are involved? (Well, OK if the money is good enough maybe
)A Great Find.
Winchester_73
New member
I agree. I was not at all trying to talk down your luger either. I was trying to analyze its characteristics in order to simply properly identify it. Perhaps we all have missed something, because the pics aren't the best for us. The only thing thats not that great are your pics (no offense).
Despite it being a commercial luger (which you were hoping for something more valuable?) it is STILL a luger. You also said all pieces match, and it lacks import stamps. Its also not refinished. These are all good things. I will probably get some flak for saying this, but any real gun collector, esp military gun collector has a luger. Believe it or not, it bothered me for a long time that my collection lacked a luger until I finally got one. Of course some people may only collect revolvers, BP guns, rifles, etc, BUT if you have any generalist tendencies, if you collect pistols, if you collect historic firearms, a luger is a must IMO.
No offense to the lugerless - just my opinion on the matter.
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Yes, surplus Lugers were reworked to 7.65mm post-WWI. On the OP's pistol, note that the locking bolt (takedown lever) has been ground where the military number was, and the left side of the receive appears to have had the military number removed. The top of the receiver ring, also shows signs of work, though that area usually was nicely refinished. But the military style number with the suffix was retained and the new barrel marked accordingly.
Jim
Jim
Baba Louie
New member
I'll trade you a gen 2 Glock 17 straight up, even throw in a few extra magazines AND the tupperware box it came in. Probably worth $450 or so... 
(me own opinion following... sell off grandfathers bring back Luger?
You're a better man than I sir. Plus, I guess you'll have to change your screen name then too eh?)
Take some good photos. Go over to lugerforums. Post a WTS or WTT (you could do it here as well mind you). A local gun shop will offer you about half of it's actual worth, but that is one method of deciding on a value you can live with.
Good luck. Hope you get something of equal value. (but I has me doubts, some things are worth more than money. IMO again)
(me own opinion following... sell off grandfathers bring back Luger?
You're a better man than I sir. Plus, I guess you'll have to change your screen name then too eh?)Take some good photos. Go over to lugerforums. Post a WTS or WTT (you could do it here as well mind you). A local gun shop will offer you about half of it's actual worth, but that is one method of deciding on a value you can live with.
Good luck. Hope you get something of equal value. (but I has me doubts, some things are worth more than money. IMO again)
I'm not disagreeing with anyone but I'd like to mention that the one and only Luger I ever owned was a 1920 Comercial model, the reciever bridge was marked 1917 and had British proof marks.
It was in VG or a little bit better and I paid $400 for it at Ammo Depot in Dallas in 1999. I dont think Mickey really knew what he had as I sold it to Mr. Wolff that always used to have a table full of them at the DFW shows for $600.
I agree that every serious gun collector should have at least one Lugewr and this one was mine.
IMO a Luger is like a beautiful woman that wont screw and can't cook.
\
Super sensitive to ammo power and OAL, a trigger pull like pulling a cat off a cedar shake roof by the tail and an overal dislike of dust and dirt.
It didn't live up to all my boyhood dreams, for sure.
It was in VG or a little bit better and I paid $400 for it at Ammo Depot in Dallas in 1999. I dont think Mickey really knew what he had as I sold it to Mr. Wolff that always used to have a table full of them at the DFW shows for $600.
I agree that every serious gun collector should have at least one Lugewr and this one was mine.
IMO a Luger is like a beautiful woman that wont screw and can't cook.
\
Super sensitive to ammo power and OAL, a trigger pull like pulling a cat off a cedar shake roof by the tail and an overal dislike of dust and dirt.
It didn't live up to all my boyhood dreams, for sure.