Ed,
I am confused...here (as usual...).
I thought the # 1 luger was the one in the Matthews/Meadows book and had the 55* grip angle. The "back-up" gun at the US Trials was # 2 and had the 60* angle. This speculation always made a sense to me...that is, George Luger would bring two different prototype models in case the Trials shooters did not like the "feel" of one gun in their hands...Luger could pull out a different model if needed...
The un-numbered luger with the 60* angle (the un-numbered gun) may have been the factory leave-behind as folks are speculating and ended up in the Norton Collection...other .45 luger frames (with both types of grip angle styles) remained in Germany to surface later...possibly frame # 21 as well, that was fashioned into a carbine later...
M. Reese mentions holding a # 5 in his book and I keep hearing rumors of a # 14 in Europe, as well...
A. Weiss is quoted as stating there were no more than 6 pieces in .45 caliber...
WILL WE EVER KNOW...???
Regards,
Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />