Controversial Russian and Bulgarian
 

A friend and I were talking, how many folks own a Russian or Bulgarian luger?

all answers are completely confidential.

What if one has two?
Should you distinguish between the 1906 or 1908?

There is no option for "none of the above" either...

I assumed that folks did not answer would have none of the above :)

added 1906 and 1908 option

What about us 1900 owners???? :)

Three guns here... a total of four serial numbers represented.

If you own or have owned or know of a Bulgarian, please take a look at these lists and make sure your gun is represented. If not, please get in touch with me!

1900 - http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...8-found-so-far

1906 - http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...5-found-so-far

1908 - http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...s-and-counting

Likewise, if you own or have knowledge of a "Russian" (Crossed Rifles) 1906 Luger, please check this post and make sure your gun's serial number is listed.

http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...356#post303356

bump

What is controversy all about? Can some one provide short educational input to uneducated.

Thanks!

SIGP2101

In brief... there are questions as to whether the Lugers (mostly Model 1906s, there are a few 1900s as well) which are adorned with Crossed Rifles on the chamber were intended for a "Russian" contract or customers as identified by various authors and labeled as "Russian" years ago before many such guns were known. The Crossed Rifle markings are inconsistent and appear to be largely engraved rather than stamped. In the case of the 1906 "Russians", their safety markings and internal markings are identical to 1906 Bulgarian contract guns (although they are 9mm, not 7.65mm like the Bulgarians). They differ in the Cyrillic writing on the extractor. Some argue that both markings are Bulgarian and therefore they are all Bulgarian guns. Some (including Gortz and Sturgess) say they were manufactured in the same production run because so far, there are no overlaps in serials between the 1906 Crossed Rifle ("Russians") and 1906 Bulgarians.

http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...356#post303356

It makes a difference because the "Russian" guns seem to carry a much higher premium in the marketplace than the equally rare (actually rarer) 1906 Bulgarians, and several fakes have been identified.

I hope this is a fair, although brief, treatment of the subject. There are lots of threads on this at luger.gunboards.com, some of which have been closed due to commentary that gets a little too personal.

There's a fair amount of discussion here too. Do an Advanced Search for username 'Imperial Arms'. :)

Here's one -

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=26929

Oh, here's a good one -

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=22692

It takes a spirited discussion to uncover the truth...If you can handle the truth... :p

Thanks gentlemen!