1923 Russian
 

Is there such a thing as 1923 Russian? If so, how are the serial numbers place, commercial or military style? Would they have a small letter after the number? What is the serial range? Are there other identifying features other than the backward Crown/N? 9mm or 7.65?
Thanks, Tony

Tony, Harry Jones shows a model like that on page 178 and 179 of Luger Variations. It looks much like a 1920 or 1923 Commercial but where the crown N would be on the front of the left receiver is a Crown over a BACKWARDS looking N, must be a Cyrillic letter. The slant of the N is not from top left down to bottom right but from top right down to bottom left. Barrel length is 3 & 5/8" in caliber 30 Luger, SN 1 digit without small letter, he only says one is documented so the authenticity is a bit dubious IMO. DWM toggle marking, no chamber marking. The picture shown almost looks like the sear bar is either in the white or strawed? Also this backwards N under a crown is also shown in CONSTANZOs proof book (page 184) as a 1923 DWM Russian proof on left receiver reworked by DWM and sold to Russian on a limited contract basis in both 30 and 9mm and are EXTREMELY RARE, WATCH FOR FAKES, only 4 observed.