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Unread 02-10-2005, 10:39 AM   #3
John Sabato
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It soon become apparent that only Parabellum pistols available from Germany were new 7,65 mm M/20, 9 mm Parabellum pistols were manufactured in Belgium but they were much more expensive and had longer delivery times. Finns accepted the 7,65 mm version, first shipments of 2,000 pistols arrived in July of 1922. Year 1923 another 2,000 pistols were bought and at that time pistol was officially named as "M/23" for Finnish Army.
I think the author is in error... if you look closely at the context above, the entire discussion is about Luger pistols. I think the author's premise that only 7.65MM pistols were available from Germany is correct because of compliance with the Versailles treaty on limitiing production of military weapons. Perhaps, there was a rebarrelling operation in Belgium to get around this??? but I doubt it.

Gerben has an rare book copy of "DWM, the first 50 years" printed in 1939, that may contain some information on foreign military sales during the treaty period that may shed some light on your question... but I don't think that the quote above involves any other pistols besides Lugers...

Just my
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