Need Advice on Post-War Mauser Luger

[Brownsalamander]

I'm considering trading my Colt combat elite and some cash on my end for a post war Mauser Luger in 9x19. It is blued, and looks to be in good condition. Comes with box and original stuff. Two mags come with it and it has wood grips. Looks to be an inter arms import. It has a grip safety.

This is my first Luger. Anything I should know? Is that a good deal or keep looking?

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[Legion489]

Best advice is run it by a expert first or get a bunch of Luger books and read up on it/them. Know what you are looking at, if parts are right color, finish, marked right, if the "original stuff" is, etc. Lugers are fun guns, sometimes cranky as US ammo is weak compared to European ammo (they expect you to know what you are doing and if you blow yourself up doing something stupid the courts do not bail you out for being an idiot) but always on everyone's wish list anyway. Had a bunch of Lugers, wish I still did.

 

[Brownsalamander]

Best advice is run it by a expert first or get a bunch of Luger books and read up on it/them. Know what you are looking at, if parts are right color, finish, marked right, if the "original stuff" is, etc. Lugers are fun guns, sometimes cranky as US ammo is weak compared to European ammo (they expect you to know what you are doing and if you blow yourself up doing something stupid the courts do not bail you out for being an idiot) but always on everyone's wish list anyway. Had a bunch of Lugers, wish I still did.

Shooting standard 9mm wouldn't be an issue with this would it?

 

[Legion489]

Lugers are a law unto themselves. They were made by all sorts of companies, under all sorts of conditions, with all sorts of hand fitting, with all sorts of... well you get the idea. Some will work well with pretty much everything (if this happens you might want to dump some money on the local Church as God blessed you. Don't piss Him off!), some will only work with certain bullet weights at certain speeds (most German stuff has heavier bullets and higher velocity than US stuff), some won't work with anything until you get some hot German 9mm ammo made only for one year at a small factory that went out of business just before you bought your Luger. The only way to tell is get a bunch of ammo and take it to the range and try it. In general? Think heavier bullets and higher speeds. There are no bad Lugers, only ammo it doesn't like. Find what it likes and enjoy.