Magazine Identification - Need Help, Please
 

Just received the Imperial magazine shown in the image below. The serial number is clearly 6843, and the suffix appears to be a lower case German "u" character.

In "Imperial Lugers" on page 15, Jan Still lists reported serial numbers for Imperial Lugers, and ONLY the 1917 DWM LP08 shows serial numbers in the "U" range.

Am I correct in reading the suffix as a German script "u" ?

Does anyone have later information on serial number ranges for Imperial Lugers?

Thanks for your help.

Luke

Luke, I concur that this is definitely a lowercase "U"... for whatever help that is to you...

Luke,
* I'd vote for an "a" suffix. The height of the two vertical legs of a "u" are usually the same height. This one shows the r/h vertical leg terminating higher than the l/H leg. Also, the r/h leg seems to have an arc emminating from near its top curling left over to what should have been the top closure of an "a" with the left leg.
* IJMHO.
* Check out the suffix letters in the Technical Info section of this Forum. See which is closer.
* Of course, you could always offer this mag to me and let me worry about the suffix. A dichotomy I'd like to contemplate.
* Hope this helps.
Respectfully,
Bob:D

Compared it to an "a" I have, I vote for "a"...

As long as we are voting here, I guess I might as well throw my support behind the "a" candidate. Looks like the die that struck it may have been damaged causing the missing part of the arc.

Thanks for the inputs. I was pretty certain that it was a "u" but the "a" is certainly a possibility if the die was damaged.

As to the other part of my question, "Imperial Lugers" indicates that in all the Imperials reported only the 1917 LP08 went as high as the "u" suffix. Anyone have any later data?

Luke

No data on the "u question" but it is an "a". Probably a chipped dye.