DWM Model 1917 Artillery Luger, Holster, Shoulder Stock, Blue 7 7/8” MATCHING Semi-Automatic Pistol, MFD 1917 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2,716.00
LSB#: 160301MP01
Make: DWM
Model: 1917 Artillery Luger
Serial Number: 3154b
Year of Manufacture: 1917
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine
Markings: The top of the rear sight base, the rear face of the sight, the left rear of the elevator, the right side of the slider, extractor, sear bar, sear bar safety, the top of the front toggle and the back of the rear toggle, the locking bolt, the left side of the trigger and the left sideplate are marked “54”. The left side of the frame just behind the trigger is marked “Y and the inside of the sideplate is marked “t”. The top of the front toggle is also marked with “DWM” in script. The chamber is marked “1917” at the top and “3154” on the left side. The underside of the round part of the barrel is marked “3154 / b / 8,83” and the front end of the frame just behind it is marked “3154 / b”. The well at the front of the frame is marked with an “N” in a circle, “2” and “3”. The top right side of the hold-open latch is marked “54”. The bottom of the barrel at the chamber is marked on the left and right sides with “6” and on the bottom of the lug with “N”. The left underside of the rear toggle link is marked “7”. The right side of the chamber is marked with three crowned proofs which appear to be “T, S and S”, and an Eagle. These proofs are as shown on line 10 page 234 of ”Luger Variations” by H.E. Jones. The 5th mark, a sideways Eagle, is marked on the right side of the barrel just in front of the frame, and there is another Eagle on the left side of the breechblock. The left side of the frame under the safety is marked “Gesichert”. The underside of the left grip panel is marked “54” and “H”. The underside of the right grip is marked “54” and “3”.
Barrel Length: 7 7/8”
Sights / Optics: This pistol is mounted with a blade front sight that is dovetailed into a base on the front barrel band and has a serrated and ramped rear face. The front sight has a windage adjustment via a screw on its right side with two holes for a spanner wrench. The tangent artillery rear sight is flat topped with a “V” notch and the elevator has graduated markings from 1-8. The elevation can be fine-tuned via a spanner wrench adjustment. The sights are known as the “Fine Tuning” Artillery Sights.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut. The left grip shows oil staining and moderate wear in the checkering that is worn smooth at the bottom edges of the grips. There is a sharp bruise near the bottom of the right grip that punched a hole completely through the grip. There is a light mar in the center of the left grip and both grips have spots of what appear to be dried grease in the grooves of their checkering. The grips are tight on the frame. The grips rate in about Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: The pistol is blued. The trigger, safety, locking bolt, ejector and the right side of the magazine release are straw colored. The sear bar safety is “In The White” and the sear bar spring has a fire blue finish.
Finish Originality: The finish is original.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly gray with light wear in the rifling. There is moderate erosion in the grooves from the muzzle back as far as we can see.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its finish. There is surface loss at the front of the barrel band and on the edges of the frame, receiver and sideplate. There is thinning on the front toggle, front strap, backstrap, and the top surfaces of the receiver. There are a few tiny spots of extremely light pinprick surface erosion on the top of the front toggle and a strip down the backstrap, with tiny spots of surface frosting sprinkled over the sides of the receiver, frame and sideplate. There are a few tiny marks and a small ding in the top of the rear toggle along with spots of surface loss. The serrations of the toggle knobs are sharp and the knurling on the knobs and the serrations in the safety show light wear. The knurling on the magazine release and takedown lever is sharp. The grip screws are sharp and the markings are clear. The markings are clear. Overall, this gun rates in about Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The barrel and receiver are tight to the frame. The action will not lock back with the magazine that comes with the pistol, but it does lock back with two other magazines we tried. We have not fired this pistol.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a total of one magazine with a tin plated finish and a wooden bottom piece. The bottom piece is unmarked. The body of the magazine shows surface loss and the side edges of the bottom piece are disfigured. The magazine is slightly loose in the frame, and will not lock the slide back. The magazine is in about Fair condition. The pistol also comes with a vintage black leather holster flap holster with cleaning rod, attached to a wooden shoulder stock via a leather harness. The outside of the holster is a separate piece of leather that is stitched to the back of holster. A separate piece of leather is sewn to the back surface of the holster and to the inside surface of the top flap to act a hinge. The back of the holster also has a horizontal strap sewn to it with a spacer in the middle so that a leather pieces can be passed through on both sides of the spacer. There are remnants of a strap sewn to the outside of the holster for securing it to the harness/shoulder stock, but most of the strap is torn off and missing. There is a pouch for a cleaning rod sewn to the front face of the holster and a pouch for a tool sewn to the inside surface of the top flap. There is also a pull strap on the inside of the holster, but the strap is torn loose from where it was sewn to the inside of the holster. The holster shows surface loss along the front of the cleaning rod pouch and there is a hole through the outside of the holster near its top and another through the bottom of the top flap. The outside of the holster shows numerous surface cracks in the leather, along with several handling marks and scuff marks in the leather. The hinge has a small crack starting on both its front and rear edge. The stitching is intact except for the flap over the cleaning rod, which is only held by one or two threads and there are two rows of empty holes across the front of the top flap where a strap was sewn. The holster is in about Fair to Good condition. The cleaning rod has a barrel shaped wooden handle and is threaded at the other end for use with a patch. The rod is finished “In The White” with a few spots of discoloration, but no pitting. The handle shows a few light marks. The rod is in about Fine Plus condition. The shoulder stock is flat, with two wide slots near the butt for the harness and a metal tang at the front for attaching to the pistol. The tang has a serrated lever on its left side for locking the stock to the pistol. The tang is marked with the serial number of the pistol “3154 / b”. The tang is blued and shows surface loss on its edges and thinning on its surfaces. There is a mark in the left side of the stock that could be a crowned mark or it could just be a bruise. There are multiple dings, bruises and lighter handling marks covering the surface of the stock. The stock is in about Very Good condition. The harness is dark with oil staining, is cracked in at least two places and there are at least four ends showing that have broken off. the harness is in about Fair condition.
Our Assessment: This Artillery version of the Luger pistol is also known as the “Long Barrel P.08”. It was the first Luger to use the 32 shot snail magazine. With its “Fine Tuning” front and rear sights, which is auto-calibrating for windage drift due to bullet spin, this pistol is probably second to none in long range accuracy. This pistol has its original finish and the serial numbers are all matching, except for the magazine, which is un-marked. The pistol is in about Fine condition with 80% of its finish remaining. The receiver is tight on the frame. The artillery models are always collectable: they are a very interesting looking weapon that almost everyone wants to own. To complete the package for the collector, this pistol comes with an original holster, cleaning rod, shoulder stock and harness. The shoulder stock is serial numbered to the pistol, which has all matching numbers except for the magazine, which is unmarked. This is a really nice pistol, and it’s not very often that you get one with a matching shoulder stock. This is sure to end up in a collection of Lugers alongside its P04 and P08 cousins.
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This C&R eligible pistol CAN be transferred in California and CAN be sold to a California resident as a private party transaction at our shop in Simi Valley. All cartridge firing handguns (even C&R’s and antiques) sold to a California resident must be DROS’d. This does not apply to out of state buyers.
