Hold Back Latch
 

I have a standard commercial model 9mm brought home from WWII. Investigation of proof marks shows it was a police rebuild in the early 40's...Eagle/N and Eagle/U over stamping earlier proof marks. Serial numbers don't match, but it has been a fun and accurate shooter for almost 50 years. It never had a hold back latch. I have looked at several schematics, and will be damned if I can see where it would slip in on this pistol.

Were any commercial models made without this feature?

Sorry that no one apparently saw your post and answered before today... but you have basically answered your own question...

You stated that the serial numbers don't match, and it is therefore very likely that your grip frame is one that never received a retrofit to include the holdopen as required by military order around 1916 (and remember your gun is commercial by your description so that military specs really don't apply). I would guess that any police rebuild on your pistol happened BEFORE your parts got mixed with another Luger...

This excellent illustration from Gerard Henrotin's E-book on the Luger Mechanics shows where the holdopen sits in it's recess behind and to the side of the magazine well...

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

While this is an inconvenience, it is hardly a reason to spend the money to have the holdopen recess machined into your frame or to swap your frame for one that has a holdopen device... of course unless you want to :)

Thanx so much....