Navy Mark
 

Does this navy Eagle/M mark look correct? It is on a G date with a serial number that falls within the proper range.

No... I'm pretty confident it is a fake, but then again I am not a Navy Luger expert...

Check out the Navies reported in Weimar Lugers by Still.
The E/m is a little different and the 717 is quite a few #s earlier than the first reported G date.

But then, Weimar times were odd.

Here is one from legacy that sold recently (see link below). I think they started in the d block. This one is later with a higher inventory number. I zoomed in on its Eagle/M and it is a little different from the other example. So, wonder if the markings can vary......maybe with pantograph marks more so than stamps?


https://www.legacy-collectibles.com/...uger-2069.html

Zoomed more and side by side

if you ask me, (and you didn't), 1220 "looks" real,717"looks" faked.

The one with N 717 has what look like chicken feet...

Here are two others that look different than the first two. These look more ornate and have eyes. Feet are also different.

The other "eagles" appear to have more detail than 717.
It is obvious that they vary, tough call.

All the what appear to be "authentic" M marks have curved legs on the "M". The apparent fake has straight legs. That and the chicken doesn't "look right". But that's just my observation and judgement call. YMMV.

It seems they all are different. But would that be expected if pantographed by different people or even the same person that changed it from earlier eagles? Possibly making it more ornate over time.

Or it could be a mechanic boosting a perfectly good G date to turn it into a rarer gun. Apparently the estimate is 700 of them in the d, e, and f blocks.

If you want to be certain that you are not buying an expensive fake then avoid Third Reich Navy Lugers altogether. That's what I do and I'm a Navy Luger specialist! I would give the same advice to anyone contemplating buying a "Death Head" Luger, they too have pantographed markings. Simply put, there is no sure way of distinguishing good from bad.
Norm

Here is yet another that has its own characteristics

Norme,

That is great advice since it sure does seem hard to tell an original.