My First Imperial - 1918 DWM
 

Gentlemen, I received my very first imperial today!! 2nd luger purchase and I'm only 28 so I have a feeling there will be plenty more down the road. Anyway, I purchased this one from another user on this forum (I'd say who it is but he might not want me to, so I'll just say he's well known here and was recommended to me for purchasing an imperial).

Not that I need to tell you experts, it's a 1918 DWM 1717e. Totally stoked!!! I know more about Mausers than I do imperials, so anything you guys see that's either GOOD or OFF, please let me know! I don't know if I want to fire this one? What do you guys think? I've read on past, old threads, that the luger/forum elders suggest I replace certain numbered parts before taking it to the range. The photos are pretty high def so might have to dump in quite a few posts.

P.S., received my re-aligned barrel on my BYF yesterday from GT and it now shoots dead on, or at least LEAGUES better than before! It's been a good couple days for this lug' noob

cheers,
James

side

markings

Were these supposed to be numbered to the gun?

I had to downgrade the quality of these photos to fit on the site :/

Top

Ive read the FAQ completely through, so this suffix is legit but I'm curious if anyone knows what month, roughly, it corresponds to? Thanks.

rear

this one is a little sunny, sorry.

I read thru the FAQ and I think I understand this right, but the squirrel mark was a spandau proofer assigned to the DWM factory? Did I get that right? Thanks.

I know on the BYFs, the inside is supposed to have a number pertaining to the serial, but on imperial DWMs? I don't see much of anything.

Hopefully this all looks good.

I have no idea what any of the marks on the receiver are

also, might have another barrel re-align for you G.T. :) :cheers: :thumbsup:

And just for fun, because this is my 1st SECOND luger ;)

Last one! I won't hog up any more server space. I have plenty more photos of various other parts, if needed to identify or verify. Thanks, everyone!

Hi James,
Congratulations, your 1918 DWM looks all original and very nice. Grip numbering at DWM was very erratic towards the end of the war, and no, that's not a squirrel proof mark. it's an eagle. Do they have flying squirrels in Michigan?
Regards, Norm

Thank you, and awesome! Glad to hear. I'm just trying to understand that proof mark; I think the FAQ referred to it as some sort of squirrel, but a post by Klaus from 2012 was (I think?) calling it a Spandau proof, meaning an Erfurt inspector was assigned to the Spandau arsenal to oversee DWM production? I'm slightly confused on that part.

Of course we have flying squirrels. Doesn't your state??

Also, those numbers can be VERY hard to see at times on wood grip panels. They MAY be there. Also, there are no hidden numbers inside of the DWM sideplates. That was a later Mauser brainstorm.
Looks like a great gun!
dju

Ok, I'll look harder and thanks for the sideplate information! :thumbup::cheers:

Very nice looking Luger. Good purchase.

I agree. An exceptionally nice looking Imperial Luger. A nice addition to ay collection.

The DWM eagle on your receiver and breech block are test firing proofs. There should also be a similar eagle on your barrel. TH

So that's specific to DWM then, correct?

Good to know I did well then :thumbsup:

There is a serial number inside the DWM sideplates . Generally the first 2 digits of the serial number. Or may be just one digit. All my WW1 DWM"S have this. May be difficult to find. Bill

Hard to see, and harder still to photograph.
Norm

That is an eagle, not a squirrel. It is the Imperial eagle firing proof, in the style used under Spandau(Berlin) oversight at DWM.

Unfortunately that is not the original side plate, has the correct "17" on the outside, but the "40" on the inside is indication it came from another pistol originally.

That side plate wasn't mine from my original post. This one is though and I did find the 17!

Ok, got it! Thank you

Ahh, I see you were right haha.

I see, I found it!

"Flaming squirrel" is more fun...as long as we know what it really is!

lol this is where I got the squirrel thing from

Where is that from?
I would not put much stock in what ever else is there if they don't know an eagle from a squirrel.:eek:

It's from the FAQ download you guys always mention for us new guys ;)

page 40 and 41

Sorta' looks like a moose, ala Bullwinkle.