French 22 Luger ?

Deejay · 06-10-2019, 04:17 AM

Although the question was asked six years ago, I felt I could shed some light on the matter, as I happen to have done some research on this subject quite recently.

As you might know, European gun laws are much more stringent than U.S. ones - French gun laws, though they are not the toughest gun laws in Europe, used to be less restrictive in the late 80s and early 90s, when you could buy or order a semi-auto 22. LR rifle provided you were 18 or more. In late 1987, a law (or more precisely a "décret") was passed that liberalized the sale of single-shot .22 LR pistols and revolvers provided they were more than 28 cm (11 inches) long. This is when the story of single-shot .22 LR Lugers begin.

The model lfid was asking about was first advertised in late 1989, even though the first models seem to have been made in 1988 (IJ year code from the Cologne proof house on the guns), and imported by Monsieur Edouard Mosser into France, or more precisely Alsace, a province which has always been closer to Germany both geographically and culturally.

These single-shot "Luger 22" pistols were made in West Germany by Fritz Barthelmes Sportwaffenfabrik GmbH (Heidenheim-Oggenhausen), most probably from the Record Mod. 08 blank-firing pistols the company was producing at the time.

What I find puzzzling is the fact that Fritz Barthelmes was able to call his .22 LR pistol a "Luger" - I thought that Stoeger owned the rights on the name Luger.

There were apparently two versions of this Luger 22: the early one and a Mk II version, but I am at a loss as to the changes that may have been made, as I own neither of these pistols.

Judging by the proof marks I could see here and there on the Internet, this handgun was still in production in 1998 at Enser-Sportwaffen, that is 3 years after they were classified as restricted firearms in France!

06-10-2019, 04:17 AM	#2
Deejay New User Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: France Posts: 4 Thanks: 3 Thanked 20 Times in 3 Posts	Although the question was asked six years ago, I felt I could shed some light on the matter, as I happen to have done some research on this subject quite recently. As you might know, European gun laws are much more stringent than U.S. ones - French gun laws, though they are not the toughest gun laws in Europe, used to be less restrictive in the late 80s and early 90s, when you could buy or order a semi-auto 22. LR rifle provided you were 18 or more. In late 1987, a law (or more precisely a "décret") was passed that liberalized the sale of single-shot .22 LR pistols and revolvers provided they were more than 28 cm (11 inches) long. This is when the story of single-shot .22 LR Lugers begin. The model lfid was asking about was first advertised in late 1989, even though the first models seem to have been made in 1988 (IJ year code from the Cologne proof house on the guns), and imported by Monsieur Edouard Mosser into France, or more precisely Alsace, a province which has always been closer to Germany both geographically and culturally. These single-shot "Luger 22" pistols were made in West Germany by Fritz Barthelmes Sportwaffenfabrik GmbH (Heidenheim-Oggenhausen), most probably from the Record Mod. 08 blank-firing pistols the company was producing at the time. What I find puzzzling is the fact that Fritz Barthelmes was able to call his .22 LR pistol a "Luger" - I thought that Stoeger owned the rights on the name Luger. There were apparently two versions of this Luger 22: the early one and a Mk II version, but I am at a loss as to the changes that may have been made, as I own neither of these pistols. Judging by the proof marks I could see here and there on the Internet, this handgun was still in production in 1998 at Enser-Sportwaffen, that is 3 years after they were classified as restricted firearms in France!