Vickers Dutch East Indies Luger

[Herb]

Bill, thanks for the photos, and Pete for opening them up. Bill, I've been having a problem with my magazine, Hugh was very generous by giving me a new base spring for mine as it had rusted away, but I just couldn't seem to figure out how it fit the base. I downloaded the photos of his and studied them but it still didn't jive. Scroll up to the photo he posted of his mag bases and note the difference between his and yours, especially the slot running fore and aft in the wood, that is what mine is like, not at all like his which doesn't have that slot. Mystery solved, I think I can get it to fit now, thanks for the post, it has really helped and I appreciate it. Next mystery, why the heck is the spring there at all, the base won't come out without removing the pin just like a normal mag base anyway? The condition of your Vickers is about what mine looked like the day I got it, and I spent many hours removing rust from the inside and outside before I got it to look acceptable. Your grips are in much better condition than maine are which are missing some pieces here and there. A very nice example that's hard to come by as it is also one of the 6,000 destined for the Dutch East Indies. I'm curious about the barrel date of 1923 though as supposedly these Lugers were delivered in 1922 and if de Vries is correct the first inspection and/or barrel replacement would not have been due until about six or seven years later. Does your barrel still retain the original British proofs on the underside?