Magazines with SN's - When did it start
 

Hi all,

I have a 1916 Luger with one wood base magazine and one serial numbered magazine.

As an aside I picked up a 1916 holster, belt and buckle.

When did they start putting serial numbers on the magazines ?

Are there differences in wood base magazines that you can identify year made or a number of years a particular style was manufactured ?

I am assuming if there is no way of telling when a wood base magazine was made that any wood base mag could be considered "matching".

Thoughts gentlemen ??

Thank you for any input !!!

German military guns's mags were probably marked from the beginning in 1908. Commercial mags were not.

No way to tell year made beyond what a serial number and suffix would give away for when made. IIRC, Erefurt and DWM mags have distinctive crimps/follower stops at the top.

One would strive first for "period correct," then come as close as possible in number within a production block of the same suffix letter.

1916 Military magazines should be numbered to the pistol; DWM commercial magazines were not numbered- you could have one of these commercial mags or a later made substitute.

If you post good close up pictures of the magazine tube crimps at the top, the button, and the magazine base, you may get better info on your particular magazine.

Actually the first numbered magazines started with the Navy models in circa 1904.

magazine SN's
 

Thanks for input guys!!!

Where would a 1916 magazine have its SN and are there pictures available of what the lips would look like ?