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Johnny Peppers · 08-24-2001, 11:27 PM

Ken,

The letter suffix was started on the military Lugers where production was high. The first 9999 pistols for a given year had no letter suffix. The next 9999 pistols had an a suffix, the next 9999 a b suffix, and so on with the normal exception of the j as it hard to distinguish from the i. It was a means by which serial numbers could be kept to a maximum of four digits, yet still give each pistol a unique serial number. In WWI this started over at the beginning of each year, but in WWII they did not start over at the beginning of the year. They continued the suffix uninterrupted, but did change the date over the chamber.

08-24-2001, 11:27 PM	#2
Johnny Peppers User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Calion, Arkansas Posts: 1,042 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Letter Suffix Ken, The letter suffix was started on the military Lugers where production was high. The first 9999 pistols for a given year had no letter suffix. The next 9999 pistols had an a suffix, the next 9999 a b suffix, and so on with the normal exception of the j as it hard to distinguish from the i. It was a means by which serial numbers could be kept to a maximum of four digits, yet still give each pistol a unique serial number. In WWI this started over at the beginning of each year, but in WWII they did not start over at the beginning of the year. They continued the suffix uninterrupted, but did change the date over the chamber.