Re: DUTCH CONTRACT PIECE
Whether the barrel was added at the factory, or as a re-work - or even after the war in the USA, obviously has a direct bearing on its value. To that point, Dutch factory re-works should have at least the following marks: A â??GSâ? on the right-side of the frame (or less commonly found - an etching of 5 concentric marks) along with the year of the re-barrel/re-work on the TOP of the barrel near the breech. Also, I believe all re-barreled Dutch Lugers were done in 9MM, as they were re-worked for Military use and re-issue only (including Indonesia). My guess is that your's is a Mauser/DWM barrel added after the war - and would be easy to tell is it has a different number on the bottom of the barrel...
To that point, I have been told there was a US company that re-barreled Dutch Lugers in the 1950â??s during importation, and replicated the CROWN N mark on a smaller scale then found on the frame â?? but they did not serialize the barrels in any way (to the Lugers serial number) - but again, might have fit a used .30 bbl at that time...
The Dutch ordered a total of approximately 4000+ Lugers, and a total of four lot shipments were sent to fill the 4000 total order. From a collectorâ??s standpoint, I'll bet this is one from that initial 4000 order, but a serial number would be the only way one could tell. The most desirable Dutch Lugers are the Trial Models (test Lugers), the Dutch Navy Lugers and pieces from the final production lot appropriated by wartime Germany for their own troops.
Only the Trail Dutch Lugers (I believe) were .30 Luger - and believe me, I'm sure they all left the factory with "matched" barrels.. ;^)
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