John Martz

John Martz is the name associated with one of the most extraordinary and technically demanding specialties in all of American custom gunsmithing: the conversion of full-size Luger pistols into compact, shortened configurations known as Baby Lugers. Martz, a retired airline pilot and passionate firearms craftsman working in Lincoln, California, spent decades perfecting the art of creating these incredibly difficult custom pieces, which require the reduction and re-engineering of the Luger’s complex toggle-lock mechanism into a dramatically shortened format without compromising function or safety.

The Luger pistol, with its intricate toggle-link operating system, is notoriously unforgiving of dimensional changes. The toggle mechanism operates through a precise geometric relationship between its components, and altering barrel length and frame proportions while maintaining correct function requires deep understanding of the pistol’s mechanics and extraordinary machining skill. Martz developed specialized techniques and tooling over many years to make these conversions possible, and the Baby Lugers he produced are widely regarded as some of the most technically impressive custom pistols ever made by a single craftsman.

Beyond Baby Lugers, Martz also produced other Luger variants, including carbine conversions and other specialized configurations. His work attracted the attention of serious collectors and Luger enthusiasts worldwide, and his pieces command significant premiums on the collector market. The functional reliability of his conversions, achieved against considerable mechanical odds, testifies to both his technical skill and his deep understanding of the Luger’s design.

John Martz embodies the best traditions of American individual craftsmanship, a skilled amateur who developed professional-grade expertise through years of dedicated effort, producing work of exceptional quality recognized and admired by experts across the firearms community.