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Unread 10-29-2002, 01:22 PM   #17
Imperial Arms
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Malta, EU
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Ron,

We did not expect you to solve this controversy or courteous and healthy debate, but only to help with your views!! Thank you for your wealth of information and knowledge. I wonder what kind of 'soup' we will make in the pot! I shall try to give my opinions or comments to answer a number of questions.

The information provided by Johnny statting that "The only Model 1900 Test Pistols listed by serial number by the Ordnance Department are 6167, 6196, 6282, 6361, 6541, 6601, 6602, 6885 and 7018" shows a excellent defined serial range which likely spans between 6100-7100, and the "Supposedly one document from the Bureau of Accounting provides evidence of the serial number range being 6099 to 7098" gives further strong evidence of the correct serial range. Why do we have to accept information four years after the trials from Bannerman with his purchase of 780 Test Test Trial Lugers which could slighty 'contaminate' the original facts? Who knows whether he obtained an AE 1900 Luger such as #7147 from another source besides the US Government and accidently included it in his records, therefore, 'stretching' the serial range? There could have been replacements or 'mixing' over a span of four years but these pistols would be in no doubt separate to the original shipment of 1,000 pistols. With reference to Johnny's research referring to "Pistol number 6052 was a presentation piece to William F. Reed (Bender pg. 527) who was chief US inspector of the Test Eagles. Pistol number 6054 was presented to G. H. Powell (Kenyon "LTMNP" pg. 50) are both are reported to be identical to the Test Pistols in that they have the TD numbered on the round and have no GERMANY or no proofs", it is quite understandable that these two pistols fall just before serial #6100 because they were 'pre-production' US Test Lugers and first issued as as presentation pistols to the two officers.

With referecne to Ron's statement "Hans Tauscher communicated in August of 1901 that the 1000 test pieces would be delivered in two lots of 500 each before the end of September. Yet the weapons were delivered in lots of 800 and 200 near the end of October.", and accepting the fact that the actual delivery date of the two shipments were three days apart, it is my opinion that DWM was able to easily produce and deliver 1,000 pistols in a consecutive serial range and, interestingly, the two blocks of pistols #6167-96 and #6361-7108 obtained by Bannerman in 1905 can easily support this fact.

When I took a statistics course in university, I learned that there was a method to calculate the margin of error for a data pool to determine if those specimens that fall outside the area should be included/excluded in the data pool. Unfortunately, I forgot how to perform this special calculation but maybe somebody on the Forum can do such a calculation based on the figures provided by Bannerman. It had to do with ranges of separation and surviving specimens which could give valuable percentage results as to whether to include/exclude a piece which falls outside the data pool.

I would like to add another bit of information concerning the US Test Lugers. If my knowledge serves me well (Ron, please help me here), I believe that the US Government returned a quantity of US Trial Lugers before the 1902 Cartridge Counter Lugers were delivered in 1903. If this is the case, I wonder what could have been the serial numbers of these pistols and why the US Government did not accurately report or account this information? I apologize if I have made an error regarding this part of information.

Well fellows, who said this interesting debate is finished? This specific topic should be given a gold medal and I believe that Ron never expected to write a marathon response on this forum!

Cheers,
Albert
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