Proper 1917 Navy mag?
 

This question got lost in the noise, so I thought I'd make it its own topic.

What is the proper magazine for a 1917-date Navy?

I believe I have read that they got away from the concentric-ring bottom by 1917, but I'd like something a little more authoritative than my memory.

--Dwight

I have read that the concentric-ring wood magazine was used on all 1914 Navy's numbered to the gun as well as unnumbered to the gun.

Dan

Dwight,

I asked the same question in a posting two days ago and did not get any response. [img]frown.gif[/img]
Hope you do better than I did.

In looking through all my Luger reference books, I found several pictures of 1916 and 1917 Navy Lugers, some with concentric ring magazines and some with plain. There does not seem to be any real pattern, and several of the 1917 Navys had the concentric ring magazine.

I could not find any definitive statement regarding the use of the concentric ring type.

I have purchased an unmarked concentric ring magazine from Tom Heller which has the Navy Crown/M marking but no number. It appears that these might have been produced by DWM as armorer replacements.

Luke

Luke,
The late Pat Redmond had a lot of information on the Navy Lugers and he indicated that the standard base magazine with the Navy type markings came into use in 1917. I don't think he ever determined if the use of the concentric ring magazine ever went out entirely. Navy Lugers with the original matching numbered magazine are rare. I have a friend that has around 10 Navy Lugers that he has bought over the past 25 years, and only one pistol has a matching numbered magazine. Most were bought before boosting became common place.

To make matters even more confusing, I have two 1920 Navy commercial models that have concentric ring mags. The bases are not numbered but are marked Cal 9mm in ornate script.


I suspect that the variety is a result of what was on hand on any given day, especially towards the end of the war. <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />