LugerForum Discussion Forums - View Single Post

drbuster · 08-11-2002, 06:18 PM

It is to be recalled that Jan Still's Imperial Lugers maintains that 1914 4" P.08's were few in number (7000) and were in the "ns", "a". and "b" suffix blocks. My previous post thread was to explain my apparently original matched 1914 #9912 "q" and one recently sold by Ralph #5523"r". A possible explanation now emerges: On page 147 of John Walter's "The Luger Story" (2001 edition), he states: "A mystery is presented by the absence of properly authenticated Erfurt-made Pistolen 1908 dating from 1915, though the customary handful of guns with mismatched parts has been found. The factory may not have made pistols in 1915 (which is feasible, if unlikely); or, alternatively, the guns delivered in 1915 were actually dated 1914. Analyzing serial numbers seems to show a tremendous increase in output in 1914-so did the factory simply make more basic components than could be assembled, proved and finished in the relevant year?" If all this is true, My Erfurt "q" and the other one "r" were indeed made in 1915 and dated 1914. Thus Jan Still is absolutely correct in his book. I will still be bringing the piece to Reno! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

08-11-2002, 06:18 PM	#1
drbuster User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Mateo, California Posts: 1,432 Thanks: 2 Thanked 71 Times in 56 Posts	1914 Erfurt dilemma II It is to be recalled that Jan Still's Imperial Lugers maintains that 1914 4" P.08's were few in number (7000) and were in the "ns", "a". and "b" suffix blocks. My previous post thread was to explain my apparently original matched 1914 #9912 "q" and one recently sold by Ralph #5523"r". A possible explanation now emerges: On page 147 of John Walter's "The Luger Story" (2001 edition), he states: "A mystery is presented by the absence of properly authenticated Erfurt-made Pistolen 1908 dating from 1915, though the customary handful of guns with mismatched parts has been found. The factory may not have made pistols in 1915 (which is feasible, if unlikely); or, alternatively, the guns delivered in 1915 were actually dated 1914. Analyzing serial numbers seems to show a tremendous increase in output in 1914-so did the factory simply make more basic components than could be assembled, proved and finished in the relevant year?" If all this is true, My Erfurt "q" and the other one "r" were indeed made in 1915 and dated 1914. Thus Jan Still is absolutely correct in his book. I will still be bringing the piece to Reno! [img]tongue.gif[/img]