Authentic WWI Loading Tool?
 

Bought this Loading Tool off ebay for $50 hoping it was not a reproduction. I have been looking for a WWI tool, not a WWII, and this was as close as I've gotten in the past six months to finding one at this price. The width of the tool is 2.5 mm, fits my magazine perfectly, and it has the number 474. stamped on the tool. Now the questions: Is it WWI vintage? Who is the manufacturer? Is the number the original pistol's SN?
Appreciate any help on identifying this tool.

Here is Loading Tool next to one of my magazines:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/lugerlt1.jpg

Here are close-ups of the tool:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/lugerlt2.jpg

The tool appears to be the right contours for an original... but Your photos do not show the small offset lip inside the hole that is supposed to maintain the connection to the magazine button when it is in use.

If this lip is not present, I would have to judge your tool to be a reproduction... Do you have any other tools with which you can compare the construction of the hole?

John,
There is an off-set lip inside the hole, I just couldn't get a clear picture of it. This is the only loading tool that I have--I've looked at reproductions at gun shows, and a couple of real ones, and this looks like the latter, except those were of WWII vintage.
The tool fits great on the magazine, with the off-set lip fitting right in behind the button. Other than some minor pitting on the screwdriver end, and some staining of the metal, it seems solid and in good shape.

Probably Weimar Police...Jerry Burney

If the lip is present then the tool is likely genuine original... the number on the tool is also likely the number of the gun it was issued with...

I haven't seen that many tools with the serial number on them, but I have seen some...

As Jerry said, Weimar Police. It was common for some units to put either the serial or the unit weapon number on the tool. I have 2 or 3 tools that match my weimar era police.

A DWM tool will usually not be marked, while a Erfurt tool would have a crown letter on it.

Ed

A couple of pictures of an Erfurt skate key for reference. The lip is vaguely visible.

PS If someone owns the Erfurt matching this number let me know.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...tool_copy1.jpg

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/erfurt_2_copy3.jpg

A very nice original tool....

Thanks, I keep looking for the Erfurt it goes with, and the holster and . . .