Quote:
Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair
Odd that an Erfurt firing pin is fluted
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After some more research Jerry here is my answer to the above:
The Finnish Army aka SA were generally 'friendly' with Germany due to its shared hatred of Russia. This relationship remained friendly until about 1940 when the 2 countries fell out over Finland's objection to Germany staging it's all out war on Russia from its Finn/Russian border thus putting the fragile peace between Russia & Finland in jeopardy. The Moscow Armistice, signed on 19 September 1944, demanded that Finland break diplomatic ties with Germany and expel or disarm any German soldiers remaining in Finland after 15 September 1944.
The peace treaty that ended the war in March 1940 left Finnish independence intact. It was the reckless act of joining the Nazi attack on the USSR that endangered Finland’s national existence and cost tens of thousands of lives. In 1944-45 the Red Army could have occupied Finland with impunity, but Stalin chose not to, mainly because Finnish leaders admitted their error and pledged neutrality and friendship with the Soviet Union. “Finlandisation”, as it was called, enabled Finland to remain free of Soviet domination and communist takeover.
Up to and until that time Finland worked in Harmony with Germany including all military ordinances regarding weaponry including firing pins.
The following paragraphs were sourced from pg. 1074 Green edition, Vol. 2, Pistol Parabellum - Gortz & Sturgess.
"For the Reichswehr, alterations of firing pins of pistols in official inventory was ordered to be made by a directive dated September 17, 1930. The job was to be carried out by unit-level armorers, with a deadline for completion of September 30, 1931. Pistols bought from industry after 1930 came fitted with fluted pins.
As usual the police imitated the military approach and relevant decrees were issued in the Bavarian Landespolizei (state police) on May 23rd, 1932, by the Prussian Landespolizei on April 14 1935 and by the Prussian Ordnungspolizei on December 20, 1935."
The above ordinance's applied to all firing pins in military and Police armories irregardless of maker and year.
The toggle pin on this pistol is not numbered as these pistols were purchased as 1920 Commercial DWM 9mm P.08's with only the SA proof added to the pistol in my understanding.