1912 Erfurt, Unit Marked
 

Subject gun is an Erfurt, chamber date 1912. Serial number is 454, which puts it very near the beginning of production that year; estimated 1912 production is 21,000 units (Still, "Imperial Lugers", p.15).

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/LefTop.jpg

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/RighTop.jpg

This Luger is unit marked 67.RMG.35. meaning that it served with the 67th Infantry Regiment, Machine-gun company, as weapon #35.

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/UnitMark.jpg

This pistol is a perverse combination of excellence and frustration. It is somewhat better than 85% of its original finish, and 40% straw. All the serial numbers match, including the grips, and all the small parts are inspector stamped, as per regulation--except--yes, you observe correctly, someone put an Artillery barrel on it!, a commercial barrel to boot ("Germany" stamped beneath the sight on the right side, no numbers or proofs) reducing the pistol to marginality as a collector's piece; the sideplate is commercial, as well. Although the trigger number is the wrong size and a very different font, and looks like it has been ground and re-stamped, under magnification faint remnants of the original 54 are visible.

A holdopen has been added. There is one Revision Commission stamp, on the front of the trigger guard.

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/Composite.jpg

I am told that the magazine which came with this Luger is an armorer's replacement--it has two inspector's marks, and no serial number. The inspector's mark is just visible on the grip screw in this picture, as well.

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/Magazine.jpg

--Dwight

I never met a Luger I didn't like ! Nice Gun Dwight...

Dwight, gotta be positive. I bet if you can get the rear, middle, and front sights all ligned up at once it would be very accurate but elevation might be difficult. There was an artillery luger for sale a while back with a short barrel hence no rear sight, ya'll need to get together. Here it is:

http://www.gunsandammoauctions.com/a...p?Item=9188306

rk

RK,

I have enough trouble keeping the front sight aligned with -one- rear!

I hate to break up a gun which is fundamentally this nice. It has been suggested that this Luger is legitimate as a Weimar commercial modification, and this perspective is growing on me--I may just leave well enough alone.

--Dwight

I had a 16" arty that probably came through Pacific Arms in the '20s. It still had the P08 rear toggle with sight. Alot of what they did (PA) was to solicit customers to send their pistols in for modification. This piece could well be one of those.

George,

Did the long-barrel have a standard artillery sight, or did it use the gun's own toggle sight? Was it stamped with Pacific Arms anywhere?

--Dwight

Here is a picture of it, hope you don't mind George, but I believe you sold this puppy,

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/...8_MVC_021F.jpg

Ed

It had an artillery sight (not fine tuned), the barrel was marked "GERMANY". It was not marked to Pacific Arms but was identical to what was offered in their catalogue. They also offered various barrels as well as a "tune-up service" if you sent your pistol to them.

Hello George,

I cannot make it quite out on your old long barrel, but it looks like the original rear toggle sight was still there...(?)...

Hello Dwight,

On a fast read of your original post; one could carelessly go away reading too fast and assume the 1912 Erfurts were LP-08's...when they were only P-08's. Erfurt LP-08's did not appear until 1914 and no others from Erfurt (except a controversial 1915 Erfurt LP-08 and a 1917 Erfurt LP-08...).

Just thought we might want to clarify this point...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />