1921 DWM VoPo / RC Luger

mrerick · 04-02-2014, 03:05 PM

Last weekend, I acquired a 1921 chamber dated DWM VoPo / RC Luger, one of the last military Lugers made in Berlin.

This one has a Weimar military unit marking for the 5th Battery of the Seventh Division Artillery Regiment, weapon 42.

Unit mark: "5./A.R.7.42."

"5.42." is also on the rear of the frame.

Formed in January , 1921, the 7th Division was from Munich.

This Luger has an "X" marking the rear axle pin, which is not numbered to the gun (75 instead of 86). All other numbered parts are matching.

The trigger side plate is numbered in both the military and commercial style, with numbers on the bottom and the side.

The grips are plastic VoPo replacements with the bullseye decoration.

It also came with two magazines and a loading tool. The magazines, numbered to the Luger, have a "1" and "2". One was a E/37 accepted FXO magazine, the other post war manufactured and marked with "2/1000".

When manufactured in 1921, the receiver was accepted with the Weimar Eagle / WaA4 marks on the right side of the receiver. The Breech Block is also accepted with Eagle / WaA4 marking.

The barrel has been replaced, and the Barrel has a Crown/N proof marking.

The rear and forward toggle have Crown/N proof markings.

The receiver and the frame are marked with a Shield / Crown / U acceptance marking. The shield symbol is present on the front left of the frame above the trigger guard, overstamped with the number "8".

While it's been completely refinished, the edged remain sharp and do not show major evidence of buffing. The replacement barrel's rifling looks new.

It looks like it may have been unissued after the RC / VoPo rework. The bottom of the barrel is import marked E.C.C.S.A Pennsauken.

Can anyone help identify the shield above the Crown/U, and also help identify the importer, and likely timeframe of this import?

Thanks... Marc

Some pictures are attached....

sheepherder · 04-02-2014, 03:28 PM

ECCSA is the import mark of the Cross Roads Gun Shop, Pennsauken, New Jersey. You can Google it for more info, but they closed down years ago.

Dwight Gruber had a comment on a similar VoPo/RC Luger -

http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...-Guy-Questions

mrerick · 04-02-2014, 07:43 PM

Looks like they were in business between 1984 and 1987. There was also a news story about a shipment of Lugers that had been held in customs for some reason... This might have been one of those. In any case, I expect that was probably the period it was imported in...

Marc

saab-bob · 04-02-2014, 08:47 PM

Marc
Nice gun! Lots of history there.
I have never seen brown VOPO grips before. Is that unusual?
Bob

mrerick · 04-02-2014, 09:15 PM

The plastic has a mottled look, almost like bakelite. I think that the color rendition in the photos is pretty accurate...

That said, this is the first VoPo / RC I've bought. I don't have others to compare it to...

Marc

sheepherder · 04-02-2014, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrerick

There was also a news story about a shipment of Lugers that had been held in customs for some reason...

IIRC, that went to court, and Cross Roads eventually won, I think...Some time back...I vaguely recall seeing pics of crates of guns...

I raised that question about brown VoPo grips about a year ago...Someone said they were made in brown for one year only...IIRC...My mind is a terrible thing to waste...

Ron Smith · 04-03-2014, 09:37 AM

The C/N marked barrel is a East German DDR manufactured replacement. The E/C over U is the DDR acceptance stamp, not often found still intact on VoPos, usually found stippled out , or defaced. It's also unusual to find them with two acceptance stamps.

The finish isn't actually a re-blue, per say. The Russians "Dipped" them in a hot salt bath to preserve them, usually without removing any of the original finish.

The 7th Artillery Regt. underwent many re-organizational transitions beginning in 1934. It finally became the 43rd Heavy Artillery Regt. in 1938. This is possibly the unit that the Russians captured this Luger from.

04-02-2014, 03:05 PM	#1
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,901 Thanks: 1,372 Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts	1921 DWM VoPo / RC Luger Last weekend, I acquired a 1921 chamber dated DWM VoPo / RC Luger, one of the last military Lugers made in Berlin. This one has a Weimar military unit marking for the 5th Battery of the Seventh Division Artillery Regiment, weapon 42. Unit mark: "5./A.R.7.42." "5.42." is also on the rear of the frame. Formed in January , 1921, the 7th Division was from Munich. This Luger has an "X" marking the rear axle pin, which is not numbered to the gun (75 instead of 86). All other numbered parts are matching. The trigger side plate is numbered in both the military and commercial style, with numbers on the bottom and the side. The grips are plastic VoPo replacements with the bullseye decoration. It also came with two magazines and a loading tool. The magazines, numbered to the Luger, have a "1" and "2". One was a E/37 accepted FXO magazine, the other post war manufactured and marked with "2/1000". When manufactured in 1921, the receiver was accepted with the Weimar Eagle / WaA4 marks on the right side of the receiver. The Breech Block is also accepted with Eagle / WaA4 marking. The barrel has been replaced, and the Barrel has a Crown/N proof marking. The rear and forward toggle have Crown/N proof markings. The receiver and the frame are marked with a Shield / Crown / U acceptance marking. The shield symbol is present on the front left of the frame above the trigger guard, overstamped with the number "8". While it's been completely refinished, the edged remain sharp and do not show major evidence of buffing. The replacement barrel's rifling looks new. It looks like it may have been unissued after the RC / VoPo rework. The bottom of the barrel is import marked E.C.C.S.A Pennsauken. Can anyone help identify the shield above the Crown/U, and also help identify the importer, and likely timeframe of this import? Thanks... Marc Some pictures are attached.... Attached Thumbnails __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

04-02-2014, 03:28 PM	#2
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,182 Thanks: 1,398 Thanked 4,440 Times in 2,328 Posts	ECCSA is the import mark of the Cross Roads Gun Shop, Pennsauken, New Jersey. You can Google it for more info, but they closed down years ago. Dwight Gruber had a comment on a similar VoPo/RC Luger - http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...-Guy-Questions __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

04-02-2014, 07:43 PM	#3
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,901 Thanks: 1,372 Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts	Looks like they were in business between 1984 and 1987. There was also a news story about a shipment of Lugers that had been held in customs for some reason... This might have been one of those. In any case, I expect that was probably the period it was imported in... Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

04-02-2014, 08:47 PM	#4
saab-bob User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 459 Thanks: 774 Thanked 143 Times in 87 Posts	Marc Nice gun! Lots of history there. I have never seen brown VOPO grips before. Is that unusual? Bob __________________ "I think,therefore I own guns"

04-02-2014, 09:15 PM	#5
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,901 Thanks: 1,372 Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts	The plastic has a mottled look, almost like bakelite. I think that the color rendition in the photos is pretty accurate... That said, this is the first VoPo / RC I've bought. I don't have others to compare it to... Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

04-03-2014, 09:37 AM	#7
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	The C/N marked barrel is a East German DDR manufactured replacement. The E/C over U is the DDR acceptance stamp, not often found still intact on VoPos, usually found stippled out , or defaced. It's also unusual to find them with two acceptance stamps. The finish isn't actually a re-blue, per say. The Russians "Dipped" them in a hot salt bath to preserve them, usually without removing any of the original finish. The 7th Artillery Regt. underwent many re-organizational transitions beginning in 1934. It finally became the 43rd Heavy Artillery Regt. in 1938. This is possibly the unit that the Russians captured this Luger from. __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...