Is this a rare Swiss Luger?

[Vlim]

I think that is a good example of the way the Swiss tend to work (or at least did, they did change their methods during the last decennia): Overengineering their products to such an extent that they are excellent target pistols, albeit a tad on the expensive side, and not much better as a purely military sidearm than many solutions that cost only a fraction of their guns.

By the time they won a world championship, neither DWM nor Mauser were actively manufacturing lugers so not a lot of comparison possible there. If you look at the early 1900s, you will notice that many championships were won using DWM pistols.

During the development of the 9mm 06/29 the Swiss were shocked when they found out that an old DWM performed better than their solution

I like the 06/29 because it is a milestone in the Parabellum development, although not the prettiest one. But with all its intended improvements it is not a better gun than any other Parabellum pistol, just a more cost-effective solution (according to Swiss reasoning, at least).

The SIG P210, although a newer gun, never did manage to obtain the accuracy of the Parabellum pistol, which is somewhat painful as well. And I doubt it was much cheaper to make either.

[Michael Zeleny]

The 9mm SIG P210 is somewhat less accurate than the 7.65mm W+F 06/1929. When both are chambered for the same round, the difference is negligible. In over three decades of shooting I never found a 4" 9mm Luger that could be relied upon to cycle any commercial load, out of any available magazine. The cannon assembly of the P08 is far too light to handle the recoil impulse of the standard 9mm load consistently, with any reasonable springing arrangement. Modest improvements realized by lengthening the barrel or narrowing down the bore to the original 7.65mm dimension cannot suffice to adapt Hugo Borchardt's toggle action design to modern military service. Sooner or later, almost every autopistol manufacturer reverted to the Browning lilting barrel, short recoil design. The Swiss were ahead of the curve in 1947.

[Michael Zeleny]

I just bought this pistol from Holts and will review it in this space upon import.

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

I just bought this pistol from Holts and will review it in this space upon import.

It took me over six years to get my hands on this 9mm Para W+F P06/29 serial no. P26292. A full comparative multimedia review to follow.

[Stucki]

The 10 Pistols 06/29 with SN P26291 to SN P26300 were 9mm test guns of the Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F). They were used for precision tests in Dezember 1943. Four of the 9mm pistols performed as good as the Pistols 06/29 in caliber 7,65mm, six of them were worse (but still not to fare away from the precision of the 7,65mm pistols). The Pistol SN P26292 was one of the worse six...

These tests were quite successful, because one year earlier, tests with other Pistols 06/29 in 9mm showed much worse results (comparable to the precision of a German 9mm Pistol 08, which was tested in 1941 by the W+F).

The test pistols from 1942 had the following SN: 50921, 50922, 50925, 50927, 50929, 50940 and 2. The pistol with SN 2 was an old gun which was already used for tests some years before and performed much better than the other ones. Nothing more is known about it.

Alexander

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Stucki

The 10 Pistols 06/29 with SN P26291 to SN P26300 were 9mm test guns of the Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F). They were used for precision tests in Dezember 1943. Four of the 9mm pistols performed as good as the Pistols 06/29 in caliber 7,65mm, six of them were worse (but still not to fare away from the precision of the 7,65mm pistols). The Pistol SN P26292 was one of the worse six...

These tests were quite successful, because one year earlier, tests with other Pistols 06/29 in 9mm showed much worse results (comparable to the precision of a German 9mm Pistol 08, which was tested in 1941 by the W+F).

The test pistols from 1942 had the following SN: 50921, 50922, 50925, 50927, 50929, 50940 and 2. The pistol with SN 2 was an old gun which was already used for tests some years before and performed much better than the other ones. Nothing more is known about it.

Alexander

Thank you, Alexander. Is this info published anywhere?

[Stucki]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

Is this info published anywhere?

not to my knowledge - it's based on my research in the Swiss Federal Archives.

I'm working on different publications - but my Swiss Luger story is not written yet...

The last thing I have published is a small book about the Swiss pistol trials 1892-1900 (but it's in German - see below)

Alexander

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

It took me over six years to get my hands on this 9mm Para W+F P06/29 serial no. P26292. A full comparative multimedia review to follow.

I can't wait to hear why it took so long. After the event at the Fort Lauderdale airport this week, it'll probably be the last to be imported.

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

I can't wait to hear why it took so long. After the event at the Fort Lauderdale airport this week, it'll probably be the last to be imported.

I dropped the ball, natch. Kudos to Holt’s for hanging on to my Luger. They are the best auction house I deal with.

[Ron Wood]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

It took me over six years to get my hands on this 9mm Para W+F P06/29 serial no. P26292. A full comparative multimedia review to follow.

Michael,
Congratulations on acquiring one of the very few authentic 9mm Swiss. Well worth the 6 year wait.
Ron

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Ron Wood

Michael,
Congratulations on acquiring one of the very few authentic 9mm Swiss. Well worth the 6 year wait.
Ron

Thank you, Ron. This one is a keeper to accompany my National Match W+F Lugers. I am planning a 4K video to test fire them side by side at the Burro Canyon range.