Which Luger style handgun

H

Home3

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
5   0   0
Location
Toronto
I would like to get a Luger style pistol for target shooting. The original ones are price prohibitive (at least for target shooting). I am aware of a few modern versions of this style like Stoeger and Erma, but they all have awful reviews. Low quality, flimsy, sub par workmanship, inaccurate to name a few.

Just wondering if anybody can recommend a quality, modern version of these magnificent handguns (9 mm, not 22s). Thanks
 
Not really a target shooting kind of pistol and full of expensive machined parts.

The pistols of that era that are relaible, economical and can be made to shoot well (trigger jobs, etc.) are the Browning High Power, or Inglis and a Colt 1911 or one of the many clones.

The Luger is one of the pistols I don't have, but if I did (do) get one, I won't shoot it much. Don't want to break a numbered part like I did on my Broomhandle.
 
I'd buy a luger, they're not that bad unless you want a numbers matching collectors item. I saw one the other day with a new barrel for about $600, the barrel was replaced to move it out of 12.6
 
GANDERITE said:
Not really a target shooting kind of pistol and full of expensive machined parts.

When you say "Not really a target shooting kind of pistol" are you saying that Luger style pistols are inherently not suitable for target shooting or you are referring to the high price of the original 1930-40s Lugers in today’s market?

I am not looking at a original 30-40s Luger. I guess, I was hoping that there are quality copies of the original design that are being produced today at a reasonable price/quality. Kind of like 1911 design where some of the recent copies are better than the original and are available at a reasonable price.
Click to expand...
 
There used to be many europeen gunsmith that converted Luger pistols for target shooting... Haven't seen one for sale in quite a few years.

luger.jpg


The Luger design was dropped because they cost too much to produce... that's probably why nobody ever bother to bring them back into production. (Except Mauser who did a special run in the early 90's, but they ain't cheap)
 
Expensive machined parts could be the reason why they are not being reproduced by reputable manufactures and that is a shame. However, as I said in my first posting, there are (or until recently, were) some manufactures reproducing this design, among them: Mitchell, Stoeger, Erma and AIMCO. Unfortunately, non comes with a good report card. Maybe I should look for an original mismatched Luger for around $400.
 
Home3 said:
Expensive machined parts could be the reason why they are not being reproduced by reputable manufactures and that is a shame. However, as I said in my first posting, there are (or until recently, were) some manufactures reproducing this design, among them: Mitchell, Stoeger, Erma and AIMCO. Unfortunately, non comes with a good report card.
Click to expand...
I think you've answered your own question. Any cheap Luger clone is liable to be a POS - you get what you pay for. The only high-quality Luger clone that I'm aware of is the Mauser special-run that sillymike mentioned, and it would cost you more than the original (provided you were able to find one).
 
capp325 said:
I think you've answered your own question. Any cheap Luger clone is liable to be a POS - you get what you pay for. The only high-quality Luger clone that I'm aware of is the Mauser special-run that sillymike mentioned, and it would cost you more than the original (provided you were able to find one).
Click to expand...

Agreed. I have now come to conclusion that the right way to go with Lugers is to buy a good shooter grade original Luger. There are no quality clones.

Now a new question: How similar is Walther P38 to a Luger in terms of design, reliability, performance and ....etc. I did some research on them and I read somewhere that Walther P38 was designed as a replacement to Lugers (by Nazi Germany) as Lugers were to expensive and too complicated to produce? Sort of like a simplified Luger. Is that true? How comparable are these two guns in use?

Price wise, Walthers are somewhat cheaper but they both go for more or less same price on the Gunbroker. However, there are always more Walthers up for sale and in better condition than Lugers. I have seen P38s produced post war (Up to 1968).
 
On 19 May 1942, SIG tested five contemporaneous service handguns for accuracy in preparation for the development of their candidate for the next Swiss service sidearm, eventually adopted as the Pistole 49 and designated commercially as the P210. This is what they got in 8 shots fired at 50 meters:

* Walther P38: 12.0cm from rest/14.5 cm offhand
* Radom ViS35: 18.5cm from rest/17.0 cm offhand
* Colt M1911: 30.0cm from rest/42.0 cm offhand
* 9mm Luger 06/29: 5.5cm from rest/11.5 cm offhand
* 7.65 Luger 06/29: 5.8cm from rest/9.0 cm offhand
 
Most Luger's are prohibited because they have a 4in. barrel ,if you are not grandfathered and have 12(6) on your RPAL you are out of luck. Any other longer barreled Luger is a collector item and usually very expensive. To use a Luger as a target pistol is okay, you can use any gun to shoot targets, but there are other pistols in 9mm that have better sights and will be more accurate than a Luger. Also to use a 100 to 64 year old firearm to shoot any amount of ammunition out of, when there are no or few new parts available , will render it unfireable in a short time. If you want a Luger appearing and sort of feeling gun , get a Ruger MK1, 2 or 3 .22 pistol, they are cheap( $319 new) , accurate , obtainable, parts are available and you actually CAN target shoot with them. To view all the different firearms in the world goto http://world.guns.ru/main-e.htm then if you need more info google the name of the gun, there is lots out there.
 
Last edited:
Home3 said:
Now a new question: How similar is Walther P38 to a Luger in terms of design, reliability, performance and ....etc. I did some research on them and I read somewhere that Walther P38 was designed as a replacement to Lugers (by Nazi Germany) as Lugers were to expensive and too complicated to produce? Sort of like a simplified Luger. Is that true? How comparable are these two guns in use?
Click to expand...
Totally different guns with very little in common. Personally, I would much rather have a Luger.
 
sillymike said:
Beside the fact that they are both striker fired
Click to expand...


NO, they are not both striker fired. P38 is modern design double action with safety that blocks firing pin, and with hammer. Falling block locking system while the Luger is whole different story. For example 92F is of P38 design.
 
Home3 said:
How similar is Walther P38 to a Luger in terms of design, reliability, performance and ....etc.
Click to expand...

As several others have mentioned, there is no similarity between the P08 and the P38. There is not even a common feel -- I find the Walther grip angle too vertical for my taste and the grip too long for its width. The Luger has always felt just right in my hand (and the artillery model twirls perfectly, like a baton :dancingbanana:).

FWIW, in the latest version of King Kong, the Captain uses a Stoeger 6" stainless steel Luger to kill a headhunter/cannibal shortly after they land on the island. :sniper:

Now I am curious. Does anyone know of any other design that used the bending-knee action that Luger copied from Borchardt?
 
As far as .22's, the Stoger lugers are pretty neat, I have 4. Two with steel frames two with alloy frames. One of the alloy framed guns is the "Target" version with very robust fully adjustable sights. I also have one of the Erma .22's, the LA .22. The EP 22 had a different firing pin design and a lighter bolt.
All point naturally an are a hoot to shoot. I, when CIL had the program, actually got my Bronze and Silver patches using the Erma!!

Scott
 
I find my Stoeger .22 luger very accurate (its not the target version) but it can be a picky b@$tard when it comes to ammo. The only stuff it will reliably feed(in order) are stingers, AE 40gr copper plated HPs (Not the AE 40gr solids, they jam every round) and dyna points. I'd like to polish the chamber some day as I've heard that improves reliability for these.

It is very fun to shoot though, I love seeing the toggle move up and the casings fly out, it's very nostalgic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom