1921 Luger identification
 

Hello all,
I'm very new to Lugers and had an opportunity to pick up my first 9mm the other day. After my excitement dissipated my curiosity improved. All the lower pieces and barrel are marked 219, the slide is 33.

Can you help me identify what my gun is?

Here are some pictures, please let me know if there is anything you can share...

Darrell


http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...ps16d196c8.jpg

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...psfe57234f.jpg

http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/d3...ps82cae5ec.jpg

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...ps82cae5ec.jpg

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...ps824acc1e.jpg

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...pseceeaf54.jpg

Your gun is a Weimar era Luger with a mismatched toggle and aftermarket sideplate. It was built from parts, so it will not be of much interest to a collector, but looks like it would make a good shooter.
The plug on your magazine bottom looks either damaged or perhaps a home made replacement.

Congrats to the addiction called Luger ownership. They are like eating one peanut!! Looks like a good shooter from what I can see. If you do chose to shoot it, first break it down for a good cleaning and inspection, then a good lube. Stick with std. velocity ammo like Winchester White box 115gr FMJ or PMC 115gr FMJ. You might also want to pick up a good aftermarket mag or two, and Mec-Gar make the best ones available......Oh, and welcome to the forum.

Nice find....an early commercial that was routed into army use. Too bad its mismatched but its still a niceun. congrats thanks for sharing

I believe this was a military luger all along. I don't see anything that indicates a commercial pistol. Am I missing something?

It certainly bears military markings and numbering pattern. Does it appear that the top has been ground down and the 1921 being a re-stamp? That part puzzles me.
dju

Many thanks to everyone for the great information. Very complex info, you guys are really experts.

I don't think it was ground down, here is a good picture of the top. What makes it a military instead of commercial? There is a small mark on the barrel, I didn't note what it is but it is very faint.

Also I made a mistake, the 219 is on the barrel and lower, the pivot pin and other pieces are marked 19. Except for the 33 the top toggle. I don't understand 219 serial number, it does not appear to have any suffix mark anywhere?

I haven't cleaned or oiled it yet, is there a serial on the firing pin too? I've ordered a new mag so I can run this a little, really looking forward to shooting my new gun.

Darrell

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...psb67048f2.jpg

Military. NO "N Proof" and the Date is Manufacture, Not Property.

Alan:
Were they manufacturing military sidearms in 1921? I was under the impression that the Treaty stopped all that and they were just using WW1 Military guns or maybe conscripting commercial guns. So the 1921 date stamp, military markings puzzles me.
Education please, oh professor.
dju

You are correct? This is what happens when you post too early in the AM.

David,

The last vestige of DWM military production dates to 1920-1921, and was halted due to the IMKK arrival and activity in 1921. The volume "Police Lugers" has full details.

-Dwight

Thanks, Dwight. I'm glad I'm not completely senile yet.

So isn't the 1921 date a bit of a rarity?
dju

Not common but I wouldn't say rare.

clarification
 

sorry I meant that these pistols were "interspersed" with early weimar commercials

During 1920 and 1921 DWM (BKIW) produced Lugers with five digit serial numbers that were dated 1920 and 1921 that were intended for the military and police. Almost all of these bear Dove, Dove/WaA4, E/ArA4 or crown/G proofs and acceptance stamps. Those dated 1920 are reported interspersed with commercial Lugers in the 83970-85260 serial range and those dated 1921 are reported interspersed with commercial Lugers in the 85473-89572 serial range. Estimated dated Army and police production is 1500.(Weimar Lugers, page 13-14)

In reality the police and reichswehr got about 40.000 pistols from DWM in 1920 and 1921.

From '50 Jahre DWM':

"An order from the Reichswehr and Security Police for 40.000 pistols provided work for a part of the factory until May, 1921."

The 1920- and 1921-dated DWM Lugers for the military and police were produced with 4-digit serial numbers and no, a and b suffixes as was the practice for Imperial military production. In addition, 1920-dated Lugers with n suffixes were also produced. Commercial Lugers produced in the same time period bore 5-digit serial numbers in the range 75000 - 92000 (Weimar Lugers, p. 15). While contemporaneous, the commercial and military/police production were separate.