LugerForum Discussion Forums - Another Russian contract pistol...

Out there on the internets for sale...$8500 opening bid. SN-345.

From the ad description:
One of the rarest of the foreign contract Luger pistols, reportedly 1000 1906 pattern Lugers were manufactured for delivery to Imperial Russia, and very few made it back out again. Details on the exact destination or intended use of the pistols is under debate; some hold that it was a commercial contract piece, others that it was an explicit government contract. Either way, they went to Russia and for the most part stayed there, not being exported back out or released for surplus sale in any notable quantity, leaving only a scant number (possibly low double digits) available on the American market. Overall mechanical features are typical for the 1906, with a set of fixed sights, thumb and grip safeties (safe in upper position), and a smooth back strap, along with the "DWM" marking on the front toggle link and serial numbering in the "commercial" pattern. Most of the distinctive features relate to the markings, particularly the chamber crest of a pair of crossed Mosin-Nagant rifles, Cyrillic markings are present on the extractor ("Charged") and the upper safety position ("Fire"), in place of the "GESICHERT (safe)" and "GELADEN (loaded)" indicators on the upper safety position and left side of the extractor, respectively, and an engraved five-pointed crown over an "AF" monogram on the backstrap below the grip safety; the recipient has not been identified, but the crown pattern is suggestive of unknown nobility. The grips are checkered hardwood, with straw and niter blue finished small parts and a nickel finished magazine with a hardwood base.

60% of the original blue finish, showing areas of brown and gray patina, scattered pitting on the barrel and receiver, and mild handling marks overall. The grips are very good, with a chip absent from the left side near the safety switch, and mild dings overall. The grips panels are numbered "47", 2 digits off from the primary serial number, the magazine base "814", and the takedown latch is unnumbered, otherwise visible numbers are matching. Mechanically excellent.