[Ron Wood]

The 1904 Navy has the same overall appearance as all subsequent Navy models. It had a grip safety and Crown/M proofs. However, like the 1903 Commercial, it was a true transition from the 1902 to the 1906 configuration. It has the "long" old model frame with stock lug and still has the laminated flat mainspring. It retains the toggle lock but the toggle knobs are flat rather than dished and the checkering on the knobs was at 90 degrees rather than 60 degrees as became standard. The breech block was the most marked change from the old model configuration. It is of the 1906 new model configuration incorporating the improved extractor, and of course the receiver is new model also to accommodate the breech block.

I have recorded 27 serial numbers over the years, ranging from serial number 36 to 1150. The serial numbers appear to occur in "blocks" so it is hard to say if there actually were over a thousand produced. The production serial numbers may not have been contiguous.

Like all rare Lugers, there is considerable controversy over authenticity of the existing examples. Generally speaking, an "original" 1904 Navy probably has the true transitional Luger features, i.e. the flat 90 degree toggle knobs, a one piece toggle latch (as opposed to the three piece latch of the 1900 and 1902 Lugers) and the "wide" extractor "ears". There are examples that have the three-piece latch and narrow ears, and this is where the controversy enters in, and I am not prepared to weigh in on one side or the other. Just presenting what I have observed.