John,
Sorry to say all further inquiries to SA have been dead ends. I continue to record reported US Test Lugers and have a total of 289 Bannerman guns reported to date (I just picked up a new number for the data base today!)
Ron

Thanks Ron, good job!

I'd like to share a litte bit of the history behind my (possible) US test Luger.

When Germany invaded Norway in April 1940, my father (the local sheriff, ex-officer) supposedly gave it to his uncle. Where it came from and why he gave it to his uncle we have no clue. My father went on to Sweden and then to the UK, from where he in 1943 returned in parachute in charge of an SOE/Linge Company operation. But that's a different story.

This is where I start guessing. My grandfather worked in the USA from 1903 to 1906, mostly on the East Coast as far as I've been able to determine. I believe the Bannerman guns were put on the market in 1906, my grandfather could have picked one up, brought it back to Norway and passed it on to my father. Were these guns sold in regular gun stores? From Bannerman stores? Other places?

Balder

http://forum.lugerforum.com/album.php?albumid=562&pictureid=2954

Gentlemen,

Once again I'm moving up this old thread (originally from 2003) to see if anyone can tell me more about the Bannerman sales of US test Lugers.

Balder

The pistol was more than likely sold out of Bannerman's establishment at 501 Broadway, NYC. There was so much material that came and went out of this location, that Bannerman built a "castle" on the Hudson River to store much of his goods. When the Broadway location was renovated, they found that Bannerman had used everything from rifle actions to cannon as "rebar" reinforcement in the floors of the building!

Here is a bit of history.

http://www.bannermancastle.org/banne...-broadway.html