10000 serial numbered guns
 

Guys,

This may be a sensitive topic since common belief from older books and collectors was that Lugers and P.38's were made in 9999 blocks with a letter added for the next 9999.

However emperical evidence has shown up over the last 10 years with the availability of information and photos posted on websites like this that the guns were made in 10000 blocks, when the stamping machine turned over to 0000 a 1 was stamped to make the serial number 10000.

For a large factory making guns in 10000 blocks was easier to keep on a ledger for inventory purposes.

So presented here is Spreewerk P.38 guns serial number 1h and 10000h the begining and end of the block. Much harder to collect than consecutive numbered guns. In my opinion it is the only set in existance :)

The P.38 community has accepted the fact the guns were made in 10000 gun lots, several 10000 serial number pistols and mags have been reported over the last few years from Walther, Mauser and Spreewerk.

An AC41 mag has been shown so we know Walther was making these guns in 10000 lots as early as 1941.

Enjoy the Spreewerk gun serial 1h and 10000h, the 1h gun is a Russian capture I got from FGS in 2000 but how many guns serial number 1 have you ever seen or 10000?

Also notice the additional "h" on serial number 1h was stamped in the exact location of 10000h and restamped in the correct location for 1h. Must have been a "rookie" worker after the serial numbers went from 10000g to the "h" block and then restamped ... not "bounce" struck!

Several Lugers have also show up with serial number 10000 and number 1.

Mark

Wonderful! That is way beyond cool.
Ron

Very nice. I've seen a G-date Luger with a 10000 serial number.

Mark, I am one who says 9999 - it is not something I am invested in, just easier to say. I have not owned a 10k one but have seen 9999 and 10000 ones, more so P38.

My personal belief is simply that sometimes it was 9999 and the next was 1 and sometimes it was 10000 and then 1 --- My feeling is based on there not being a lot of either, nor have I seen documentation on it.

that said, I do not mind saying 10,000 and then #1

Ed,

You and I go back a long time and there is not much written about the 10000 serial numbered guns or the 1 numbered guns.

I used to also believe serial ranges ran to 9999 but for a large factory making guns in 9999 ranges and randomly stamping a 1 in front does not make much sense?

It is more logical to believe 0000 is not a serial number so 10000 is a block number. No 0000 guns have ever turned up but the stamping machines went to 0000 when they turned over.

10000 lot guns are easier to keep track of, the Germans were meticulous about records and adding a 1 randomly doesn't make sense.

So that is all I have but I think the evidence is clear here ... 1 serial numbers as rare as 10000 and I firmly believe they were made in 10000 lot blocks :)

Mark

Mark, I am more convinced than I was yesterday - good research :)

Just an "interesting" bit of trivia, the Japanese produced their rifles in blocks of 10,000; but they started at "0" and went to "9999", then added a character in a circle to the beginning to mark the next block- similar to the letter suffix. Yes, "0" number rifles are known.

I have no doubt that the Germans also produced 10k pistol blocks, starting from #1 and to 10,000.

Quite logical.

To have two pistols in the same block, beginning and end of serial block, is simply unbelievably lucky. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these treasures. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Here's one with two matched mags. Owner wants to sell but not yet.

It's funny how we gun collectors always seem to get our toes in the pictures of our guns...I've noticed this on about 5 forums; never fails to break me up... :roflmao:

Not my toes. I use nail polish.

George....this is one really nice looking Luger. Not only does it have the truly great serial number, but condition is superb as well. AND...it is a G DATE with two matched mags. Do not let it get away from you.

From what I've read, it seems that Mauser went to 10000 with Lugers but did DWM, et al.?

IIRC there is a K date out there with a 10K serial number.

Mag at Simpson's

http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_in...fafaddc985c472