Dave,
It is generally believed that the 9 on Lugers was the result of a widespread misinterpretation of directives specifying C-96 pistols in military service, which were 9MM, were to be so marked to differenciate them from those in 7.63MM.
Unit armorers, being GIs, did what they thought the commander wanted, but they did it their way, resulting in many, many individual interpretations and many variations in markings.
Tom A
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