Interesting Swiss
 

Hello Everyone,
At a gun show this past weekend I came across a 1927 Swiss that was threaded at the end of the barrel. This is the first time that I have seen anything like this. The person who was selling it said that the threads were for a silencer. Was there ever a silencer made for a Luger? Are there any around still and does anyone have a picture of this? Were the threads put on at the factory or was this done by someone else? It had DWM stamp and a 3 digit number w/holster. Price was $3500. Any answers will be appreciated. Thanks for your help.
Sid.

Sid, this was brought up a while ago, and although I am sure that silencers were made for Lugers, the feeling was that the threading was for a 4 or 5mm (22) for practice for the range.

This is what I remember the discussion was about, I imagine a search for the word "threads" or "threading" might show this information.

I think I remember something about that. I will check it out on Monday when I get back to a computer. Thanks.
Sid.

Sid,
If the front sight was still on the barrel and the threaded portion was forward of the muzzle and considerably smaller than the diameter of the barrel, it was a subcaliber insert that Ed mentioned. All pictures of real silencers that I have seen (never been fortunate enough to see one personally) required removal of the front sight. The sight and barrel band are threaded and can be removed, the silencer is then screwed on to the barrel where the sight was. An excellent picture of such a setup is in "Kenyon's Lugers at Random", page 363. According to Kenyon, probably very few factory silencer rigs were produced. The purpose of a silencer may not be as sinister as might be assumed. I think they were intended mainly for noise reduction for indoor or urban target shooting.

Sid, there definitely was a scilencer for the Luger. See pages 132-145-146-and 147, Datig's The Luger Pistol, and pages 247 and 248 of Walters The Luger Book.

Ron, thanks for the info about the location of the threaded portion of the barrel. The threads were in front of the sight. I was able to handle this and remove the cap to see where the location of the threads were.

Herb, thanks for your reply also. I do not have any of these books. Would it be possible for you to post these photos?

Again thanks both of you.
Sid.

Hello Sid,

Here are the photos Herb referenced in the Datig and Walther books :

http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/silencerluger001.jpg

http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/silencerluger002.jpg

It looks like the front sights are still on the pistols fitted with silencers...

Regards,

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

The front sights are on the examples shown, since neither uses a threaded attachment. I can't find the reference, but I believe the Maxim silencer used a bayonet type attachment with a split collar that rotated around the front sight base to secure it. The silencer shown in Walter is fitted to the barrel insert of a .22 cal. coversion unit. Thanks for digging up those pictures, I had completely forgotten about them (too many things to try to remember plus the onset of CRS syndrome). [img]frown.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

Pete, thanks for posting the photos. I appreciate the time and effort that you spent on this. I tell you, every day I learn something new. Thanks.
Sid.

If memory serves me right, there was a forums Luger of the Month Luger with a silencer a while back. Maybe someone could contact Dok for it. I think there was a nice write up and an excellent picture.
Big Norm

I recall years ago having an opportunity to purchase a 9mm "Maxim" brand scilenser for a luger. But at the time, living in California, I would have had to have a Class 3 MG FFL to own it legally, so I passed.

Our very own John Dunkle is the proud owner of a Luger that the front sight screws off so that a silencer may be screwed on. It was the Luger of the Month one time on the old forum with a nice writeup about it by John.
<img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />