www.MG42.us

Hi Group,

I'm new here and to having my own Luger which I acquired a few days ago. I've had guns all of my life and always wanted a decent shooter. I believe that I've found exactly what I've wanted. I've tried to do my own due diligence over the last few days and have learned some things from the web. I'll describe the gun the best that I can and add a few pictures. Also, I'd like to ask for recommendations regarding books/references. There appears to be many more books available regarding the Luger than I can afford to buy, or have time to read. So, anyway, on to the gun.
1. It has had the receiver and barrel replaced. The finish on the barrel and receiver is a much more modern blue than the rest of the parts.Top of the barrel is marked "1940" and the replaced parts are serial numbered 8286 on the left side of the receiver, 8286 on the bottom of the barrel in larger numbers and what looks like 8,82 in smaller numbers below it and there are very small Nazi proof marks on the right and left side of the barrel near its base.
2. The serial number on the front of the action is 3751 with something that looks like a lower case "l" below it.
3. It's marked P.08 on the left rear of the receiver.
4. A lot of the visible parts are marked 51.
5. There is a very small Nazi proof mark on the left side of the toggle at the joint.
6. It is marked "byf" on the top of the toggle.
7. There are three Nazi proof marks at the front of the receiver on the right side. Two are very small and have the number "655" stamped below them. The last proof mark, closest to the barrel, has no numbers underneath it.
8. The bottom of the magazine is wood. It is a little beat up but it looks like the numbers 4444 across at the center then some sort of tiny marks below.

I really like this gun and hope to get out and shoot it soon. I've bought a box of Lellier & Bellot 7.5 g 115 grs ammo. These are the lightest loads that I could find at the local shop. Any advice about ammo or loading would be very appreciated too.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Steve

Other than the mismatch its a great luger. You probably won't get the gun to cycle properly with the lightest loads you can find and S&B is weak. The guns were built to work with standard european ammuntion and a lot of the US spec ammo is too weak to properly cycle. You will likely find stovepiping or short cycling with the fired case jammed into the back of the barrel or the upper receiver. I wouldn't recommend going to hot or very heavy bulleted ammo but normal 125gr ammunition might be best. I've run winchester white box ammo in my lugers and submachineguns with great results. Stay away from Czech or british military ball, as they seem to have reached unreasonable pressures from storage problems and may damage your gun. There was a load of SAKO manufactured Finnish military ammo that came in some years back which worked very well.

Hope that helps
Frank

Winchester in the white box... great Luger ammo.

Wood bottomed magazines were used in WW1 Lugers. Proper for yours would be aluminum bottom. The internal spring is a different style, so you may have better luck with the correct type magazine. The wood bottom magazine is more valuable by itself than an aluminum bottomed magazine anyway.

I have 3 operating manuals for the Luger available. These will show you how to disassemble and shoot the Luger. Most of the other books around will bore you with details about proof marks and the countless variations. Interesting to a point, but not much help for a shooter.