Guns International #: 101385114
Seller's Inventory #: CM20-325

Category - Luger Pistols - Military Pistols - German

Category
Luger Pistols
Military Pistols - German

WW1 German Military 1915-Dated DWM Artillery Luger in 9mm Luger ** Handsome All-Original & Matching Example ** SOLD

Description:
This is a very nice all-original WW1 Imperial German Military Artillery Model Luger made by DWM in 1915.  This gun is completely all-matching except for the magazine, which is a proper WW1 wood-bottom Luger magazine numbered to another gun.  Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken or DWM made a total of only 15,000 of these Artillery Model Lugers in 1915, a great deal less than were made in each of the following years until production was stopped 1918.  These early-production guns exhibited a higher degree of fit and finish than the later guns, and also had fine-tune adjustable sights which were dropped on later models.  The German Artillery Luger is one of the most recognizable guns in the entire world and was the ultimate "war trophy" for our soldiers in WW1.  This 8" inch barreled Artillery Luger was designed for Imperial German Artillery troops that were not able to carry the standard issue GEW 98 Mauser rifle due to the large combat load that they were required to carry and the limited space on an artillery carriage.  The Artillery Luger was designed with a 8-position tangent rear sight and a stock lug on the rear gripstrap in addition to the longer barrel.  It was issued with a leather holster/harness and wooden board stock that could be attached to the pistol to turn it into essentially a carbine.  The long barrel, which gave the 9mm round more velocity, combined with the adjustable rear sight and shoulder stock gave this Luger tremendous defensive firepower and exceptional range for a 9mm weapon, important when an artillery position was in danger of being over-run.  A 32-round snail drum magazine was also issued with some of these Artillery Lugers, further enhancing it's combat effectiveness and giving it tremendous offensive capability as well.  Today the Artillery Luger is sought-after by collectors and shooters alike, with all-original examples becoming harder and harder to find as well as more valuable each year.  This 1915 DWM example is a very attractive example in 100% functional condition.  The original factory blue finish still shows a lot of attractive finish with only minor finish wear and some areas of prior surface rust, to be expected on a combat-used weapon that is 105 years old.  As you can see from the pictures, the patina on this Luger is handsome and even, with no real bad spots or eyesores.  The original factory yellow "straw" finish on the trigger, ejector, safety lever, and magazine release still shows some nice bright color in places, particularly in the protected areas.  The bore in this Artillery Luger is very good, with nice strong rifling throughout the 8" inch barrel and only some minor frosting in the grooves.  The lands of the rifling are sharp and bright and there are no major imperfections visible.  The factory original checkered Walnut grips on this DWM are in very good condition overall, showing wear consistent with the rest of the gun but free from any cracks, chips, or repairs.  Both grips are numbered to the gun and tight to the grip frame without any wiggle in them.  The toggle action on this Luger is slick and smooth, and it locks into battery perfectly when racked.  All of the controls on this gun are in perfect working order, including the adjustable sights and last round hold-open.  This DWM Artillery Luger comes complete with one original WW1 production wood-bottom magazine that is in very good condition and 100% functional.  If you have been looking for a WW1 Artillery Luger that is all-original, un-molested, and looks like it has seen some combat, this 1915-production DWM example would be an excellent choice.  It still has enough condition to be an excellent long-term investment but could be shot at the range or farm without feeling guilty.                 

SOLD

Manufacturer: Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM)
Model: Artillery Luger
Serial Number: 4251
Caliber Info: 9mm Luger
Bore: Very Good
Condition: Very Good
Barrels: 8" Inches
Manufacture Date: 1915