Test Luger on GB

[Edward Tinker]

Albert, unless you disagree with the newest information supplied in Central Powers, the actual range is the Bannerman range, NOT 6100-7100...


I beleive the point is that unless a document is found that states that DWM sent sn's 6100-7100 (or even a mixture of numbers from xxxx to xxxx equaling a 1,000 lugers); the best data is the lugers actually sold and documented by the US gov't to Banner; which has listed sn's.

Any lugers outside of the Bannerman listing is an "exception"; a possibility, not a probability.

The quote from Jan Still's website:

In 1905-1907 the Springfield Armory called in most of the M1900 Test Lugers; 770 were sold to Francis Bannerman and Co. at public auction (in about 1910). Reportedly, some of the Lugers did not survive the tests and were destroyed by the Army. The reported serial range for these 770 Lugers purchased by Bannerman are 6167-96, 6282, 6361-7108, and 7147. Kenyon, Costanzo, and Reese report a serial range of 6100 to 7100. In 1910 the Springfield Armory reported 321 Lugers in 7.65 mm repaired. In 1911 the Rock Island Arsenal reported 306 Lugers in 7.65 mm repaired (Scott Meadows, U.S. Military Automatic Pistols, 1993, page 386). Copyright Jan C Still

This shows 330 lugers "missing"; were these sold, destroyed, canibalized, or stolen. My SWAG is that a percentage were stolen, a percentage were given away as gifts, and a percentage were canibilized / destroyed. From most to least n that order. But that is just an educated guess. It is hard for me to beleive that 330 were so damaged they were destroyed as that is a 33% destruction rate and they were being tested by solders, not tested for proof loads...


PS: I like your 6100-7100 as I own one right in the mid 6000's and sold one to a friend in that range too


Ed