1920 dwm
 

Picked up the Luger recently. Appears to be a 1920 DWM made for the Army. Should the rear toggle pin be marked with the last two digits of the serial number? Also should the grips be marked on the inside? Thanks.

The rear toggle pins were not marked until Mauser took over production. Nice looking piece.

FN

Does the frame of your pistol have the "a" suffix stamped under the serial number?

The frame also has the "a" suffix. The rear toggle pin is marked with the last two digits of the serial number. Didn't think that was correct. Suppose someone thought it should have and added it. I don't see any markings on the inside of the grips except for perhaps a z.

I would not call the toggle pin being marked "wrong".

Could be someone who thought it would make it right, or if it went through rework or an armorer after 1934, it would have been added.


Ed

Should the grips be marked on the inside? Also what type of magazine should it have. Presume wood base but should it have the serial number and "a" suffix. The one it came with looks to be WWII vintage. It has a serial number with an "x" suffix and a Eagle 655 acceptance mark.

dutch,

It prolly should have the wood based mag. But there's some uncertainty about when the metal bottoms started to come in. That was around or shortly after this piece. You appear to have a type II army. 1936-1940. We'd have to see the whole mag body and any markings on it. You may be able to trade that straight across for a wood bottom.

FN

Attached are a couple of pictures of the magazine. Hope this helps.

Type 2 Army. Blued Body, Aluminum Base

SE5 Stick Eagle 655, Late 1939 Code 42, Early 1940 Code 42

Any other marks on the mag body?

No other marks on the mag body that I can find.

FYI, I have 2 DWM with markings as indicated:

1920 rear toggle pin is marked with last two serial numbers, grips unmarked.

1921 rear toggle pin is marked with last two serial numbers, grips are marked.

Both guns have unmarked three flute striker pins, indicating a later replacement part.

Both guns appear original parts.

Thanks for posting; I love the Reichswehr era weapons as there were not many made.

Thanks for the insight. So, this piece would have been produced in 1920 and has a Type II Army magazine from 39/40? Sounds like the magazine should have been one with a wood base with the corresponding serial number?

I don't see much discussion of these produced for the Army. Seems much more discussion of commercial models during this time period.

You are right about the magazine. Ideally the mag would have a wooden base, nickel tube and matching numbers. My two DWMs came with after market magazines. It seems that the wood base mags didn't last long.

Most Weimar era lugers with have unnumbered grips and rear axels and unfluted FPs unless reworked. TH