My First 1914 Army
 

Good shape for four years of service!~

what does the unit mark stand for?

Infantry Regiment 172, Company 11, weapon number 3

Nice first issue , Eric !!

Here are the thirteen, only a year before.A greater quality~

My '13 is not as pretty but it shoots well

Lucky 13s!

The stock lug appeared in the middle later one. 1913 was the first year appearance of stock lugs! What its use???

According to Gortz & Sturgess, it was to simplify and standardize production. It reduced the number of different frames required for different models and once the Navy dropped the grip safety and used the short frame, most Lugers could be built on the same frame. It was, of course, necessary for the LP.08 and Navy Lugers to use a stock. After WW1, the Finn short barrel Lugers were sometimes used with a stock.

G&S do question why the lug was continued after WW1 when both Navy and LP Lugers used with stocks were never again produced.

For 20 years I've been asking the question!

I believe the stock lug became a convenient mounting point for the many hand-fitting operations involved in Luger production. You could get a more secure fit than using a block in the magazine well

That is the the best theory!

That, and no-one ever altered the blueprints to remove it, so it kept getting built that way. If you ever have questions, you always follow the blueprints.