info on 1918 luger
 

I am writing on behalf of my partner who is doing research on his deceased father. His father was given a luger at the end of WWII that is dated 1918 and has DWM 82 on the top of the chamber. Underneath the barrel there is the stamping 3282 and what looks like a lower case cursive (letter L) and the numbers 882. There is stamping on the right side that is in german with 3 letters (not quite sure what they are but they all have crowns over them the last two look like s's and then the german eagle. My partner has photos of this that he has taken as a boy and is currently trying to track down his father's memorabilia and the whereabouts of this gun but is very interested to know the history of this if anyone has any information.

regards

Kel

[quote]Originally posted by kel:
<strong>I am writing on behalf of my partner who is doing research on his deceased father. His father was given a luger at the end of WWII that is dated 1918 and has DWM 82 on the top of the chamber. Underneath the barrel there is the stamping 3282 and what looks like a lower case cursive (letter L) and the numbers 882. There is stamping on the right side that is in german with 3 letters (not quite sure what they are but they all have crowns over them the last two look like s's and then the german eagle.&lt;Snip&gt; regards Kel</strong><hr></blockquote>

Kel, you have described a standard German military Luger manufactured by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) in 1918. The "82" on the chamber top should also appear on the back toggle link, top of the extractor, sear bar, sideplate, locking bolt (take-down lever) and safety lever. The numbers "82" are the last two digits of the serial number and help keep the same parts on the correct pistol. The number "3282" will appear on the left side of the receiver and under the barrel. The frame will have the number plus the suffix letter "l".

The full serial number is "3282 l", the last being the small letter "L". When recording the serial number for ID purposes, be certain you include in the information the following: "3282 l, DWM, 1918 and 4 inch barrel in 9mm". That's because somewhere there is a 1917 DWM with a serial number "3282 l" and possibly other years as well.

The three Crown-over-Letter stamps you see on the right side are inspection stamps. Each indicates passing an inspection at a specific manufacturing step. The Eagle is the DWM Eagle. If the pistol had been made by Erfurt, the Eagle would have been different.

Lastly, the "8,82" stamped under the barrel indicates the bore diameter in mm's. The bore diameter is the distance from the top of a rifling land to the top of an opposing land.

I hope this information helps.

Very nice run down Doubs!

Welcome to the forum Kel [img]smile.gif[/img]

More information is on the left of www.lugerforum.com under Tech Info and General Info.

Pictures and other markings can give more feedback, once you can find the gun and we will help research it!

[quote]Originally posted by Doubs:
<strong>

Kel, you have described a standard German military Luger manufactured by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) in 1918. The "82" on the chamber top should also appear on the back toggle link, top of the extractor, sear bar, sideplate, locking bolt (take-down lever) and safety lever. The numbers "82" are the last two digits of the serial number and help keep the same parts on the correct pistol. The number "3282" will appear on the left side of the receiver and under the barrel. The frame will have the number plus the suffix letter "l".

The full serial number is "3282 l", the last being the small letter "L". When recording the serial number for ID purposes, be certain you include in the information the following: "3282 l, DWM, 1918 and 4 inch barrel in 9mm". That's because somewhere there is a 1917 DWM with a serial number "3282 l" and possibly other years as well.

The three Crown-over-Letter stamps you see on the right side are inspection stamps. Each indicates passing an inspection at a specific manufacturing step. The Eagle is the DWM Eagle. If the pistol had been made by Erfurt, the Eagle would have been different.

Lastly, the "8,82" stamped under the barrel indicates the bore diameter in mm's. The bore diameter is the distance from the top of a rifling land to the top of an opposing land.

I hope this information helps.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Thanks doubs for your information. I was astuonded to see the interest that is on the internet regarding these weapons. Are people really serious about collecting these things??? It seems a different thing to want to collect. And they all seem to have such varying values. Maybe if we are ever in dire straits we can try and find this one lol never sell if we do a nice peice of family history apparently it is still in the leather holster as well!!

is there anyway to be able to trace the owner of this pistol once we find it and confirm the markings at all?

Not very likely Kel... most records of the type necessary to know this information was lost after both world wars...

Usually the best you can hope for is the original capture papers, but they are normally kept with the weapon.

A great piece of history... treasure it and pass it on to your future heirs...

By the way, the Luger SHOULD NOT be stored in the holster... The leather will absorb moisture in the air and cause rust and/or pitting.

[quote]Originally posted by kel:
<strong>Are people really serious about collecting these things</strong><hr></blockquote>

Kel, "serious" doesn't -begin- to describe the crazed passion for collecting Lugers! If you've explored online you've no doubt noted what people are willing to pay for some of them, and for many of us money is the least of the attraction.

Stick around long enough and you may get 'bit' by this bug, too...

--Dwight