Holster Info
 

Is there a source of information to id the correct holster for a particular Luger?

Re: Holster Info
 

In Sam Costanzo's book 'World of Lugers Proof Marks' he shows the different holster manufacturers' marks, and the Waffenamt codes by year of manufacture. I am not aware of any means by which the holsters were 'matched' or that any one was 'correct' for any particular Luger. You get issued, or buy, your Luger and you get issued, or buy, a holster for it. I am no authority on holsters, but this is my understanding.

Re: Holster Info
 

In Sam Costanzo's book 'World of Lugers Proof Marks' he shows the different holster manufacturers' marks, and the Waffenamt codes by year of manufacture. I am not aware of any means by which the holsters were 'matched' or that any one was 'correct' for any particular Luger. You get issued, or buy, your Luger and you get issued, or buy, a holster for it. I am no authority on holsters, but this is my understanding. If you have,say, a 1940 marked Luger, it would be possible to find a 1940 holster by the corresponding Waffenamt code for that year.

Re: Holster Info
 

Herb offers a good and concise explanation--you get a luger and you get a holster. The relationship between the two was not an official issue. In general, the later lugers of the 1936-1942 period appear in holsters of the same or a close year. More than half the time, when I see a holster not the same year as the luger, the holster is of a later date. If the luger is WW1 or Weimar period, the luger could appear in many different holsters of many different years. I have seen 1920's lugers in 1941 dated holsters and WW1 lugers in 1911 dated holsters, etc. all over the map. There is one exception to this loose set of rules--Weimar police lugers often had a property number on the grip strap that was also stamped on the holster, therefore, mating one luger to one holster. It is not uncommon, though, to see the holster or luger number marked out and a new number stamped in its place. Equipment saw lots of use in Germany in those years.


One minor correction, the WaffenAmt marking refers to an inspector's number, not a year. A single WaA number can appear on many years' holsters.


dm