I just received my newest addition to my artillery collection - a 1914 DWM artillery (serial #262) w/original bluing and strawing. What makes this one sorta special is that this is my first Luger with unit markings. On the front grip strap there are markings 67.R.M.G.97. I think this is a machine gun marking. I am not certain if the capital 'R' is for a reserve unit.
The gun has usage wear on it with some dents on the bottom of the barrel. But I will still put it in the high 80% to low 90% bluing. There is 'GERMANY' export markings on the left and right side of the frame rails but no importers markings. The strawing MAY be redone but not badly. All numbers match, including the one on the base of the front blade sight and the firing pin. The grips look original but the full three digit serial numbers are stamped underneath both grips. All other marked grips that I have seen just had the last two digits of the serial numbers stamped there. Maybe because this is a three digit numbered gun they decided to go crazy with their stamps.
The bore has light pitting but the rifling is very good. The only thing that someone did to the gun, that is definite, is that the locking pin under the barrel has been filed down in front to make the locking bolt easier to unlock the receiver from the frame.
I have to stop my insane fixation with the 1914 DWM artilleries. This make four of them that I have. Doug Smith thinks that I am trying to corner the market. I can't afford to do that. Sometime, in the near future, I am thinking about unloading one of my other 1914 DWM artilleries. Oh Cripe!! Ed Tinkers going to yell at me again for not posting pictures. I hope he is not reading this post.
Anybody out there have a wood bottom magazine with my serial number on it.
Big Norm
