The Trooper had buggered screws and no grips. I found the grips at Numrich for $40, and recut and blued the screws. The gun shows a fair amount of honest wear, but what you can't see is that it has a ONE pound SA pull. The SAA has abysmal cylinder fit. I will probably be sending it to Peacemaker Specialties for a hammer and Dremel treatment at their spa for model P's. And yes, the LP08 came with the stock and holster. 9mm. Those Germans were a bunch of sissy boys. 9mm. But, they had a sense of humor, it's sighted out to 800 meters!
My shooting partner's family let me pick and choose, that's how I got the LP08 and the SAA. The Trooper was something I picked up cheap a few months ago that I got to practice revolver 'smithing on. Can't wait to get some rounds through the Luger. This particular gun has fine adjustment screws for the front sight windage and rear sight 50m setting. DWM was not really into making battle pistols, they were a maker of fine target guns. The lucky bastards who were issued these phenomenal examples of German engineering died knowing they had a fine pistola well protected and carefully strapped into the luxurious leather holster at their side.
I haven't done any real research on it yet. I believe it's very early 1917. I haven't even had time to check to see if the stock is numbered to the gun. The magazine is not (but is correct tinned steel with wooden base), and the holster is marked 1915. Finish is unusually good compared to most of the Lugers I've handled. Fit is of course flawless. I just talked to Peacemaker Specialties. I feel sorry for anybody with shallow pockets who wants to turn a 3rd generation SAA into a shooter. The gun as it came from the factory isn't even worth taking as a gift. Timing and fit are about like the pot metal capgun I had as a kid.
You have some very nice guns to remember your old shooting buddy. He can rest knowing that they are in good hands. For the SAA, contact Jim Alaimo at Nutmeg Sports http://www.nutmegsports.com/ . Jim ran the custom shop at Colt for a long time. The work that he turns out is second to none. And, because it has that horse on the side of it, it won't be cheap.
Thanks Geezer! Though I'm starting to get cold feet myself over the cost of getting it into shooting shape. We cataloged the nearly 150 guns in his collection last Friday. Mostly Winchester lever guns over 100 years old. About a dozen super high condition M1903's including 2 snipers with Unertl's, 4 national match. And a pair of 1860 Henry rifles. Among the pistols there is a triple-lock, a shooting master, a Bekeart, and a half dozen rare 1911's. As much as I wanted the 1911's, I talked his son into keeping them.
Wow, the Luger is amazing. I had one many years ago and I just loved to look at it. Lugers have to be the sexiest guns ever made.
Okay, I'm taking the Manson Chamber Reamer to it today. Who wouldn't want a 45 Luger? Guess I'll have to be satisfied with a smoothbore too, since I have no idea how to cut rifling. Time passes... Damn. Forgot about the magazine.
