1918 DWM with Zn marking
 

I didn't know where to post else, though I think I am in the wrong section, because it didn't seem as a unit marking to me:

a local gun shop sold an deactivated luger, DWM 1918, all parts matching, in a 2-3 condition, nothing special.
The only thing I discovered was the marking "Zn" over the "1918" in the same fonts type like the 1918 and in the same manner beaten in so I think it was no "field-modification".
I was wondering what this "Zn" could mean..

Perhaps one of you knows?

Could you please post a photo of this marking?
Regards,
John

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by JohnF:
<strong>Could you please post a photo of this marking?
Regards,
John</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Thats the problem: I did not have a camera with me and it is already sold..
I wanted to buy this piece and decided then to another one.
Now I think I should have taken the mysterious "Zn", I have never seen something like this before.
I can only describe it: it is in the same font type and the same manner beaten as the 1918, has the same size like the 1918 and was directly over the year stamp. Both markings were filled with wite color.
It didn't look like these 1920-proberty stamps you can somethimes find, it was in a better quality beaten in.
The gun had no unit marking and was in a condition I would rate as used.

I made up my mind and now I could imagine it as a marking for "Zossen", a German town, but I don't know of something special in Zossen..
Perhaps it could be a marking of a local B�¼rgerwehr, a citicens guard.
Perhaps a Freikorps, a freecorps?
But that is digging in the dirt, I could be totally wrong.. and I fear I am.
But perhaps somebody knows?

Karmas, I've forgotten the exact definintion of your "Zn" chamber marking, but I do recall that it was discussed in great detail some years ago in Automag, and the general consenus was that this was a military rework facility. Tom H.

@Lugerdoc: Wow, that brings me on a new trail!!
Thank you very much for this comment, now I know where to search.
Can you remember, in which year it was discussed?

From John Walter's Luger Book... "Zn. Above the chambers of P.08: probably 'Zielmunition' (i.e., suitable only for aim-training purposes). Many German rifles were also converted to use rimfire ammunition, often in conjuntion with barrel-liners. Note: claims that 'Zn' is 'a year code for 1927' (this was apparently 'M') or that frames are 'zinc' (chemical symbol Zn) are mistaken."

Thank you very much, trigger643!

Let me be bad and pop up an ancient thread ;)

This weekend, a forum member brought a Zn 1918 to show me at Allentown. I really should have taken pictures. I told him, I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT THESE!! But I don't think I have ever seen one in real life. Unless Bill M had one?

Ed

Heeres-Munitionsanstalt Zeithain

Geo, not very common

Ed it was my gun here are some pics there is also a post on Jan's sight under Zn marked Luger Kevin http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...75d=1455758875

Another crown/RC? They be comin' outta the woodwork, mon... :D

Kevin, its a nice one :)

Thanks Ed my wife and I enjoyed meeting and talking with you and your son thanks again Kevin

I Searched on Jan's site for a topic like that and couldn't find it, although I did find several of your posts/threads with your Zn avatar. Do you have a direct link to your Zn thread??? :)

Try this http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...-marked-Erfurt kevin

Aha! vBulletin Search engines are terribly literal; Erfurt instead of Luger makes a big difference! Thanks! :thumbup:

Also, I'm a moron... :( :crying: :rolleyes: