Navy well markings
 

What are the proper well markings for a 1917 dated Navy in the 43XXa range?
TIA.

Hi Jon, Welcome to the forum! If it helps, here are the well markings on 1917 Navy # 5302.
I maintain a data base of all known Imperial Navy Lugers, about 1,500 guns, and I'd like to add yours to the list. If you send me an email with your guns full serial number, I'll send you the link to the list.
Regards, Norm
normrab@comcast.net

Norm, is there a "proper" well marking? I have always been told and observed that the markings are too haphazard to pin anything down on most DWM lugers I have seen.

Is there concensus that navies are marked consistently?

Hi Ed , I collected a bunch of photos of Navy well markings a few years ago and concluded that it was a research dead-end. So you're right, there's nothing of value to be learned from them, at least in my opinion
Best regards, Norm

Thank you Norm, it is an area that I wondered about and looked at collecting also. I do wonder if years ago if someone like the Simpson's or Shattuck had collected minute' details if we would know more (something I am not the best at doing myself ;))

Ed

There are a variety of marks in the well - however the evolution over time is consistant as documented by Goertz & Sturgess. The 1917 Navy has several alpha or numeric stamps in the well, but the last one should be a capital N in a circle as shown in Norm's photo. The 1916 ones have the N, but without the circle.

Hi, from Navy 1917 #4013