1920 Luger - The Firearms Forum

hstout1143 · 02-26-2012, 10:27 PM

Trying to figure out how much I need to insure this for.

hstout1143 · 02-26-2012, 10:32 PM

More pics

Jim K · 02-27-2012, 03:04 PM

How about info on the caliber (7.65 or 9mm?) and a pic of the top of the gun, with the date marking?

After WWI, Germany was hard up for hard cash and one way of getting it was to turn its thousands of military weapons into commercial arms. But the Versailles treaty banned manufacture of pistols in the military 9mm caliber, so the Lugers were rebarrelled to 7.65 Luger (not 7.65 Browning, which is the .32 ACP) and sold on the world market. That appears to be one of those guns.

Jim

rhmc24 · 02-27-2012, 04:10 PM

I'm interested, too. Looks like my 1920, also with holster and two mags numbered to the gun, 9 mm. Mine I think is a little better with a bit more blue, fairly strong straw and a crisp holster dated 1941.

hstout1143 · 02-27-2012, 04:39 PM

The info I have on it is a 1920 .30 cal DWM commercial Luger, there isn't a date on top.

Jim K · 02-27-2012, 09:48 PM

I have one also. They are pretty common and are kind of the "bottom line" of Lugers. Still, they bring around $600 or so. As shooters, though, they are excellent. The 7.65 Parabellum (.30 Luger) feeds well, gives less ammo problems than the 9mm guns and, with low recoil, is a pleasure to shoot. Of course, the ammo is expensive compared to 9mm.

Jim

wonderwhippet · 02-28-2012, 01:33 PM

Insure it for about $1100, and that will give you good coverage. dIncidentally, 1920 Lugers were not made with matching numbered maagazines, just blank bottoms.

rhmc24 · 02-28-2012, 04:43 PM

I have no idea whether the mags were originally numbered to the gun or not, it's that way now. It has markings on the front grip strap indicating 'politzeiwehr bayern'. I knew owner who was a WW2 vet and know the gun since ca. 1950, long before Lugers were collectible. I doubt it was a 1920 manufactured Luger, the date is very lightly stamped. Others speculate about the date being changed for some reason, such as it being a recycled WW One military that got assigned to Bavaria Police and later recalled into the Wehrmacht.

Jim K · 02-28-2012, 06:19 PM

After WWI, the German government wanted to round up all the ex-military arms that were in civilian hands (lotsa luck - as you might excpect, they didn't get even a small percentage of them). They first passed a law giving a reward for turned in guns, and got quite a few; then they cancelled the reward and got fewer, in spite of severe penalties for illegal ownership. Worse, some of the guns turned in for the reward were "recycled" by the police to get another reward. To prevent that, surrendered guns were marked "1920", the date the law was passed. The date itself is not important, it was just an ownership or property mark. The result was the so-called "double date" Luger, with the original manufacture date (e.g., 1916) and then the "1920" date below that.

In addition, new Lugers were made for the police and dated 1920 for the actual year made; those normally have only the 1920 date.

All those were in 9mm, which was allowed to the Reichswehr and the police, and were still in inventory in WWII. During the latter war, many police Lugers were taken over for military use and the police issued pocket pistols, captured weapons, and even old ordnance revolvers and the like. That, I have heard, caused a lot of weeping and wailing by the police.

The Lugers in 7.65mm came about as I described previously.

Jim

rhmc24 · 02-28-2012, 07:18 PM

Per Jim K --- In addition, new Lugers were made for the police and dated 1920 for the actual year made; those normally have only the 1920 date.

All those were in 9mm, which was allowed to the Reichswehr and the police, and were still in inventory in WWII. During the latter war, many police Lugers were taken over for military use and the police issued pocket pistols, captured weapons, and even old ordnance revolvers and the like. That, I have heard, caused a lot of weeping and wailing by the police. ---

Looks like mine is as Jim K describes. Mine has only the one 1920 date, a 9mm and marked police service.

02-26-2012, 10:27 PM	#1
hstout1143 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: California Contributor Posts: 1,735	1920 Luger Trying to figure out how much I need to insure this for. --> Last edited by hstout1143; 04-22-2013 at 10:23 PM..

02-26-2012, 10:32 PM	#2
hstout1143 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: California Contributor Posts: 1,735	Re: 1920 Luger More pics Last edited by hstout1143; 04-22-2013 at 10:21 PM..

02-27-2012, 03:04 PM	#3
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: 1920 Luger How about info on the caliber (7.65 or 9mm?) and a pic of the top of the gun, with the date marking? After WWI, Germany was hard up for hard cash and one way of getting it was to turn its thousands of military weapons into commercial arms. But the Versailles treaty banned manufacture of pistols in the military 9mm caliber, so the Lugers were rebarrelled to 7.65 Luger (not 7.65 Browning, which is the .32 ACP) and sold on the world market. That appears to be one of those guns. Jim Last edited by Jim K; 02-27-2012 at 03:08 PM..

02-27-2012, 04:10 PM	#4
rhmc24 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ardmore, OK Posts: 520	Re: 1920 Luger I'm interested, too. Looks like my 1920, also with holster and two mags numbered to the gun, 9 mm. Mine I think is a little better with a bit more blue, fairly strong straw and a crisp holster dated 1941.

02-27-2012, 04:39 PM	#5
hstout1143 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: California Contributor Posts: 1,735	Re: 1920 Luger The info I have on it is a 1920 .30 cal DWM commercial Luger, there isn't a date on top. Last edited by hstout1143; 04-22-2013 at 10:25 PM..

02-27-2012, 09:48 PM	#6
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: 1920 Luger I have one also. They are pretty common and are kind of the "bottom line" of Lugers. Still, they bring around $600 or so. As shooters, though, they are excellent. The 7.65 Parabellum (.30 Luger) feeds well, gives less ammo problems than the 9mm guns and, with low recoil, is a pleasure to shoot. Of course, the ammo is expensive compared to 9mm. Jim

02-28-2012, 01:33 PM	#7
wonderwhippet Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,583	Re: 1920 Luger Insure it for about $1100, and that will give you good coverage. dIncidentally, 1920 Lugers were not made with matching numbered maagazines, just blank bottoms.

02-28-2012, 04:43 PM	#8
rhmc24 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ardmore, OK Posts: 520	Re: 1920 Luger I have no idea whether the mags were originally numbered to the gun or not, it's that way now. It has markings on the front grip strap indicating 'politzeiwehr bayern'. I knew owner who was a WW2 vet and know the gun since ca. 1950, long before Lugers were collectible. I doubt it was a 1920 manufactured Luger, the date is very lightly stamped. Others speculate about the date being changed for some reason, such as it being a recycled WW One military that got assigned to Bavaria Police and later recalled into the Wehrmacht.

02-28-2012, 06:19 PM	#9
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: 1920 Luger After WWI, the German government wanted to round up all the ex-military arms that were in civilian hands (lotsa luck - as you might excpect, they didn't get even a small percentage of them). They first passed a law giving a reward for turned in guns, and got quite a few; then they cancelled the reward and got fewer, in spite of severe penalties for illegal ownership. Worse, some of the guns turned in for the reward were "recycled" by the police to get another reward. To prevent that, surrendered guns were marked "1920", the date the law was passed. The date itself is not important, it was just an ownership or property mark. The result was the so-called "double date" Luger, with the original manufacture date (e.g., 1916) and then the "1920" date below that. In addition, new Lugers were made for the police and dated 1920 for the actual year made; those normally have only the 1920 date. All those were in 9mm, which was allowed to the Reichswehr and the police, and were still in inventory in WWII. During the latter war, many police Lugers were taken over for military use and the police issued pocket pistols, captured weapons, and even old ordnance revolvers and the like. That, I have heard, caused a lot of weeping and wailing by the police. The Lugers in 7.65mm came about as I described previously. Jim

02-28-2012, 07:18 PM	#10
rhmc24 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ardmore, OK Posts: 520	Re: 1920 Luger Per Jim K --- In addition, new Lugers were made for the police and dated 1920 for the actual year made; those normally have only the 1920 date. All those were in 9mm, which was allowed to the Reichswehr and the police, and were still in inventory in WWII. During the latter war, many police Lugers were taken over for military use and the police issued pocket pistols, captured weapons, and even old ordnance revolvers and the like. That, I have heard, caused a lot of weeping and wailing by the police. --- Looks like mine is as Jim K describes. Mine has only the one 1920 date, a 9mm and marked police service. Last edited by rhmc24; 02-28-2012 at 07:20 PM..