Hi Pete, Hi G.,
I think that the Swiss cross doesn't have any meaning. I own several P210 with the BP marks and Swiss crosses although they are police pistols with a P serial number and never have been in army service.
The lifecycle of the Lugers in the Swiss army is like this:
Last Lugers issued to officers about 1950 (the P210 came in 1950 as P49). Officers have been promoted at the age of aprox. 22 (service in Switzerland begins at the age of 20). Service duration of an officer was about 33 years ('till the age of 55), so the last Lugers left army service in the 80ties. Normally, officers kept their personal sidearm for the whole service time! After service, they could keep it for free. The P mark was added then, first with two digit year and later P without year; sometimes, the P mark has been forgotten.
In the 90ties the Swiss army sold 06/29 Lugers for 1200 Swiss Franks (aprox 900$) directly to collectors. Also some spare parts have been sold *g*
BTW, the P210 IS the best service pistol! Did you ever have to shoot 6 rounds in 1 minute and the f****** Luger (Swiss 1900) jammed after the first? So one hit and five times zero... It was at a Feldschiessen in the 90ties and since then I'm using a P210 for events where only Swiss army pistols are allowed...
The new swiss army pistol (SIG P220 or P75) is designed for 25m and it has definitively no fun factor.
Tom.
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