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Dwight Gruber · 09-16-2015, 12:01 AM

Part 4 of 5

In 1921 the firearms company of Krieghoff, Suhl, purchased several thousand standard Parabellum pistols for resale into the commercial market, in direct competition with DWM’s own commercial sales. The total number of the sale is unknown. Various sources suggest that all or nearly all of the i suffix production were sold to Krieghoff, but this is demonstrably not true. These pistols are identified by the stamps KRIEGHOFF SUHL located above the lanyard staple at the rear of the frame.

Most of the reports are of pistols in 7,65mm, but there are a few in 9mm. Many have GERMANY export marks, and they are proofed with the commercial c/N. Randall Gibson, in “The Krieghoff Parabellum”, notes that some are found with Suhl-pattern commercial proofs, but this is not reflected in the Commercial Database.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732

Krieghoff back-frame marked Parabellum sn 7045i bears a 1921 chamber date.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732

Krieghoff back-frame marked Parabellum sn 7078i has no date above the chamber.

The KRIEGHOFF SUHL stamps on the frame of these pistols are uncharacteristically sloppy and crude for such a fine quality firearms manufacturer as Krieghoff. There are actually two separate stamps involved. The KRIEGHOFF stamp has a broken O and the second horizontal of the F stamp is broken off; it is found stamped separately, sometimes near the expected letter location, and sometimes quite far away. Gibson reports it to occasionally be missing entirely. SUHL is stamped more heavily, and the two stamps are characteristically very poorly aligned,

The KRIEGHOFF SUHL stamps are always haloed, and the absence of halo is always symptomatic of a reblue. The stamps on sn 7078i (above) are haloed, but it is difficult to tell in the photograph.

With 54 reports, the Krieghoff back frame pistol is by far the most common i suffix variation in the Commercial Database. Almost a third of them are reported with 1921 dated chambers

Standard Parabellums in the i suffix range appear to be in a minority. Of the 35 unspecified reports in the database, only four are reported with 1921 dated chambers. As the unspecified entries may simply reflect the lack of reported data, it is likely that most of them represent something more than a standard pistol.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886

Standard Parabellum sn 5869i has a chamber dated 1921.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886

Standard Parabellum sn 9995i is unremarkable in all ways. As it is five pistols from the end of the i suffix production range, it provides a fitting finish to this Alphabet Commercial i suffix survey.

09-16-2015, 12:01 AM	#4
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,889 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,281 Times in 423 Posts	Part 4 of 5 In 1921 the firearms company of Krieghoff, Suhl, purchased several thousand standard Parabellum pistols for resale into the commercial market, in direct competition with DWM’s own commercial sales. The total number of the sale is unknown. Various sources suggest that all or nearly all of the i suffix production were sold to Krieghoff, but this is demonstrably not true. These pistols are identified by the stamps KRIEGHOFF SUHL located above the lanyard staple at the rear of the frame. Most of the reports are of pistols in 7,65mm, but there are a few in 9mm. Many have GERMANY export marks, and they are proofed with the commercial c/N. Randall Gibson, in “The Krieghoff Parabellum”, notes that some are found with Suhl-pattern commercial proofs, but this is not reflected in the Commercial Database. http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732 Krieghoff back-frame marked Parabellum sn 7045i bears a 1921 chamber date. http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378732 Krieghoff back-frame marked Parabellum sn 7078i has no date above the chamber. The KRIEGHOFF SUHL stamps on the frame of these pistols are uncharacteristically sloppy and crude for such a fine quality firearms manufacturer as Krieghoff. There are actually two separate stamps involved. The KRIEGHOFF stamp has a broken O and the second horizontal of the F stamp is broken off; it is found stamped separately, sometimes near the expected letter location, and sometimes quite far away. Gibson reports it to occasionally be missing entirely. SUHL is stamped more heavily, and the two stamps are characteristically very poorly aligned, The KRIEGHOFF SUHL stamps are always haloed, and the absence of halo is always symptomatic of a reblue. The stamps on sn 7078i (above) are haloed, but it is difficult to tell in the photograph. With 54 reports, the Krieghoff back frame pistol is by far the most common i suffix variation in the Commercial Database. Almost a third of them are reported with 1921 dated chambers Standard Parabellums in the i suffix range appear to be in a minority. Of the 35 unspecified reports in the database, only four are reported with 1921 dated chambers. As the unspecified entries may simply reflect the lack of reported data, it is likely that most of them represent something more than a standard pistol. http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886 Standard Parabellum sn 5869i has a chamber dated 1921. http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442378886 Standard Parabellum sn 9995i is unremarkable in all ways. As it is five pistols from the end of the i suffix production range, it provides a fitting finish to this Alphabet Commercial i suffix survey. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Dwight Gruber; 09-16-2015 at 12:49 AM.