Versuchsmodel V015
 

Dear Friends,
I am glad to introduce to you the Parabellum Versuchsmodel number 15 (V015).
This gun was initially in the Prof. Dr. Gminder Collection (as you know Prof. Dr. Gminder was the manager of the Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH gun division of Mauser in the Parabellum re-introduction period) after which it passed to another important German collector. Two days ago I have received the V015.

A couple of weeks ago I spoke with Prof. Dr. Gminder about some topics, among them also the V015.

The history is nice; therefore let me share it with you.

Prof. Dr Gminder recalls that not more than 50 Versuchsmodels have been produced for testing specific features.

The V015 has been produced at the end of 1969, beginning of 1970. You can notice that the configuration is like the one discussed for the prototype #19 (10.00.0019), the 19th pistol made. The differences between these early configurations and the standard configuration are explained in the following topic opened by me a while ago and already stuck in the post WWII area:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=16956



When Mauser management decided to commemorate stocked frame Luger (Carbine, Navy and Artillery) the main problem was the stock lug and the lanyard ring. Because of time and cost it was not possible modifying the production tools to introduce a stocked frame for a really small number of guns.

For this reason, the Mauser engineers decided to weld a stock lug to the existing frames and rework them to insert the lanyard ring.

In order to validate this solution, they decided to prepare a Versuchsmodel. Note the discoloration of the weld areas around the stock lug. The change in hardness, a result of the welding, creates the plum color of the bluing in those areas.

A few Versuchsmodels were still available years after in the Mauser Versuchsabteilung (Mauser research and development shop), they simply selected one and modified it in order to receive the stock lug and the lanyard ring.
Then a specific stock attaching iron was prepared and this received the number 5 (last digit of the V015 serial number).

The pistol in this configuration was then submitted to tests to verify the reliability of the solution, and then it joined the collection of remaining Versuch models.

When Prof. Dr. Gminder asked to keep this pistol in his collection an unnumbered spare Mauser Artillery Commemorative stock was added to complete the gun.

The Mauser Company was always used to take pictures of the relevant pistols and also the V015 had this honor. In fact the black&white picture is coming from the Mauser archive.

When I saw this pistol, my mind immediately goes to the Swiss 06/29 prototype V21 with the stock lug too, made in 1929 by W+F.
40 years after the history is repeated and the nephew of the V21 comes out.

I hope you enjoy the pistol and the history too.

Cheers,
Mauro

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Mauro, Nice find and history. The only V prefix prototype that I've seen, was a 6" barrelled post war P38. TH

Beautiful Mauro! I will "sticky" this posting for archive purposes as per your request as this is very special Mauser Commemorative.

Thank you my friend,
Appreciated...

Ciao,
Mauro

The worst bit is that he won't let me shoot it :D

Exactly :thumbup::thumbup: