The RW stamp on Mauser lugers

Dwight Gruber · 12-07-2005, 11:49 AM

Pat,

This mark is controversial. For many years it has been associated with Mauser. It has been identified as the mark of Mauser Factory principal inspector Richard (?) Weiss (Walter, 1986); and Costanzo notes that it is found on the middle toggle link of 1938 through 1941 models.

In the August 2005 issue of AutoMag Jim Cate presents it as present on Saur drillings and postwar Mauser HSc, and assigns it the meaning "Werksreparatur". In the October 2005 AutoMag Alan Burnham notes its presence on a WWI era Rheinmetall Dreyse, and reports that Dr. Prof. Rolf Gminder asserts that the letters signify "Werks-Revision".

I have a Simson rework of a 1908 First Issue DWM http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...son+AND+rework wich has the RW mark stamped underneath the rear toggle. The part itself may originate at Erfurt, and in any case there is no evidence that the gun ever got anywhere near Mauser. Although the presence of this mark on this pistol does nothing to confirm any particular theory, it does tend to reinforce speculation that it is something other than a Mauser-specific mark.

It is worth noting that some of the examples reported are not of the same configuration as the traditional RW monogram; mine, however, is.

--Dwight

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12-07-2005, 11:49 AM	#4
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Pat, This mark is controversial. For many years it has been associated with Mauser. It has been identified as the mark of Mauser Factory principal inspector Richard (?) Weiss (Walter, 1986); and Costanzo notes that it is found on the middle toggle link of 1938 through 1941 models. In the August 2005 issue of AutoMag Jim Cate presents it as present on Saur drillings and postwar Mauser HSc, and assigns it the meaning "Werksreparatur". In the October 2005 AutoMag Alan Burnham notes its presence on a WWI era Rheinmetall Dreyse, and reports that Dr. Prof. Rolf Gminder asserts that the letters signify "Werks-Revision". I have a Simson rework of a 1908 First Issue DWM http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...son+AND+rework wich has the RW mark stamped underneath the rear toggle. The part itself may originate at Erfurt, and in any case there is no evidence that the gun ever got anywhere near Mauser. Although the presence of this mark on this pistol does nothing to confirm any particular theory, it does tend to reinforce speculation that it is something other than a Mauser-specific mark. It is worth noting that some of the examples reported are not of the same configuration as the traditional RW monogram; mine, however, is. --Dwight