LugerForum Discussion Forums - View Single Post - Borchardt-Luger Controversy

Kyrie · 07-29-2002, 07:11 PM

[quote]Originally posted by Herb:
[QB]Big Norm, If memory serves me correctly, Georg Luger, while working for Loewe on the Borchardt, came up with the design for the 'Luger' which was following the absorbtion of Loewe by DWM. QB]<hr></blockquote>

Hi Herb!

The Borchardt pistol design was owned by Hugo Borchardt, in the form of various patents. Loewe, and later DWM, had the rights to market the pistol but did not own the design.

DWM brought George Luger in because the Borchardt pistols simply wasnâ??t selling as it existed and changes were needed to make it more marketable. The reason DWM involved Luger was Borchardt disagreed that the pistol needed changes and refused to cooperate in any changes to his design.

The sales problems were due to the size and weight of the Borchardt. DWM was marketing to the biggest of customers - the worldâ??s armies. At this time (circa 1900) self-loading pistols were the coming thing and many national armies (including that of the Germany) were thinking of transitioning from revolvers to self-loading pistols. This was an absolutely huge market; several times the size of all commercial markets combined. The problem with the Borchardt pistol is no one wanted a small rifle as a sidearm :-)

So enter Georg Luger.

Georg Luger made two changes in the Borchardt design; he changed the recoil spring and reduced the length of the cartridge. The recoil spring change was from a wound leaf spring to a straight leaf spring, moved from an overhang at the rear of the pistol to the grip frame. And that about sums up Georg Lugerâ??s contribution. He did not invent or design a new pistol - he just made minor (in the mechanical sense) changes to reduce the size and weight of the pistol.

Once this was done the pistol became potentially very marketable, and potentially hugely profitable. It was at this point that Hugo Borchardt was slowly squeezed out. The improved pistol was first offered as â??an Improved Borchardtâ?, then as the â??Borchardt-Lugerâ?, and finally as the â??Pistole Parabellumâ?. This essentially removed Hugo Borchardt as an interested party, and saved DWM big mark royalties that should have gone to Borchardt as the pistolâ??s inventor.

Hope this helps!

Warm regards,

Kyrie

07-29-2002, 07:11 PM	#7
Kyrie User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 757 Thanks: 0 Thanked 212 Times in 101 Posts	[quote]Originally posted by Herb: [QB]Big Norm, If memory serves me correctly, Georg Luger, while working for Loewe on the Borchardt, came up with the design for the 'Luger' which was following the absorbtion of Loewe by DWM. QB]<hr></blockquote> Hi Herb! The Borchardt pistol design was owned by Hugo Borchardt, in the form of various patents. Loewe, and later DWM, had the rights to market the pistol but did not own the design. DWM brought George Luger in because the Borchardt pistols simply wasnâ??t selling as it existed and changes were needed to make it more marketable. The reason DWM involved Luger was Borchardt disagreed that the pistol needed changes and refused to cooperate in any changes to his design. The sales problems were due to the size and weight of the Borchardt. DWM was marketing to the biggest of customers - the worldâ??s armies. At this time (circa 1900) self-loading pistols were the coming thing and many national armies (including that of the Germany) were thinking of transitioning from revolvers to self-loading pistols. This was an absolutely huge market; several times the size of all commercial markets combined. The problem with the Borchardt pistol is no one wanted a small rifle as a sidearm :-) So enter Georg Luger. Georg Luger made two changes in the Borchardt design; he changed the recoil spring and reduced the length of the cartridge. The recoil spring change was from a wound leaf spring to a straight leaf spring, moved from an overhang at the rear of the pistol to the grip frame. And that about sums up Georg Lugerâ??s contribution. He did not invent or design a new pistol - he just made minor (in the mechanical sense) changes to reduce the size and weight of the pistol. Once this was done the pistol became potentially very marketable, and potentially hugely profitable. It was at this point that Hugo Borchardt was slowly squeezed out. The improved pistol was first offered as â??an Improved Borchardtâ?, then as the â??Borchardt-Lugerâ?, and finally as the â??Pistole Parabellumâ?. This essentially removed Hugo Borchardt as an interested party, and saved DWM big mark royalties that should have gone to Borchardt as the pistolâ??s inventor. Hope this helps! Warm regards, Kyrie