Joshua,
You have a very nice example of the 1928 Dutch contract Luger. It is marked on the right side of the receiver with a KL inside a circle. This is generally accepted to be read as KOL for Koloni?«n, or â??coloniesâ?. The â??49â? markings on your Luger are the last two digits of the serial number and will be found on various small parts. There is a date marking on the top of the barrel just forward of the receiver. It is difficult to tell from the photo, but it appears to be â??1936â?. This indicates the date that the barrel was placed into service. In other words, this is the last time the weapon was arsenal re-worked and a new barrel was installed.
The brass plate on the left side of the frame is a property mark. The â??Dep Mâ?, as well as I can interpret it, stands for the â??Depot Company of the Garrison Battalion, Southern and Eastern Areas of Borneoâ? (depotcompagnie garnizoensbataljon zuider- en oosterafdeling Borneo). The number 54 is the weapon property number.
The serial number range for the 1928 contract is 10182 to 14001. Your Luger should fall within that range. The official Dutch designation for the Luger is "M11" as 1911 was the date of the first contract for the Luger as a standard sidearm for the Netherlands.
Most of this information was obtained from â??The Dutch Luger (Parabellum) â?? A Complete Historyâ?, a most excellent reference written by Bas J. Martens and Guus de Vries (1994). I hope it answers some of the questions you have concerning your fine Luger.
Ron
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If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction
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