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Dwight Gruber · 09-16-2015, 12:01 AM

Part 5 of 5

An object lesson

…or then again, maybe not.

This post has been in the works for many months. It has taken that long to accumulate the pistols, take the photographs and post-process them (more than a couple of times: I am a perfectionist when it comes to gun photography—just ask Ed!—and they are still not quite there), and write the text. I have waited in hopes of tracking down the last couple of variations so I could include them in a photo session without having to re-create the lighting set-up in my very temporary studio space.

About three weeks ago I ran into an advertisement for a “DWM Luger Model 1906 9mm Para,” sn 2961 with no suffix. In its two solitary, dark photos—both sides—I could just make out a Swiss cross-in-sunburst atop the receiver. It looked worthwhile to follow up, so I called the dealer.

We determined that it indeed had an i serial number suffix, a routed/polished safety area, and a beschuss-probe proof under the barrel. Over the phone, at least, it sounded like I had found one of the two variations I was still looking for. I neglected to confirm the caliber. After making the arrangement to buy it, I thought that the 9mm caliber might at least be plausible, and in any case I was certainly going to find out.

In due course the pistol arrived, before I took down my photo lighting setup.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305

Sn 2961i is chambered in 7,65mm. As far as its being an i suffix Swiss Alphabet Commercial, it is a long frame and the back of the frame is reinforced. There is an importer mark on the frame beneath the left grip panel, not pictured. The pistol has several questionable features.

The frame serial number suffix mimics a standard barrel suffix stamp, but it is slightly large, rounded, the preceding tail is pronounced, and there is no dot over the i.

There is no c/N proof, and the barrel does indeed have the beschuss-probe. However, there is evidence that the pistol has been rebarrelled. The barrel has two Swiss army acceptance crosses, which would not be present on a commercial barrel. The receiver flats on both sides have been damaged, as though held in a vice badly, and the left receiver has been damaged or worked in such a way which would obliterate any mark if one had been there. The receiver serial number appears to have an overstamp.

The safety area routing has a “chased” edge, overriding the circular routing marks. This is commonly seen as a way to refresh the routing edge and remove any spill-over when the area around the routing has been reblued. The chasing seen on this gun is very pronounced; the work is often much more delicately performed. The receiver flat damage/alteration is sufficient that these areas would require reblue as well. There is damage to the leftmost rays of the chamber sunburst, again likely requiring reblue.

The most puzzling feature of this gun is the Swiss privatization P stamp applied to the trigger guard. Its presence makes no sense. This stamp would not ever be applied to a foreign-manufacture commercial pistol, and if it has been applied along with the other features to “boost” the gun it is impossible to guess what it might be intended to emulate. (Thanks to Pete Ebbink for helping clarify the privatization concern.)

So, I returned the pistol, on the basis of the 9mm/7,65mm discrepancy: it avoided a lot of boring collector justification. I put it out of my mind, and carried on with the presentation you have just read.

Too bad, too, if it had been a 9mm Hammerli barrel I would have at least kept it as an interesting shooter.

--Dwight

09-16-2015, 12:01 AM	#5
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,889 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,281 Times in 423 Posts	Part 5 of 5 An object lesson …or then again, maybe not. This post has been in the works for many months. It has taken that long to accumulate the pistols, take the photographs and post-process them (more than a couple of times: I am a perfectionist when it comes to gun photography—just ask Ed!—and they are still not quite there), and write the text. I have waited in hopes of tracking down the last couple of variations so I could include them in a photo session without having to re-create the lighting set-up in my very temporary studio space. About three weeks ago I ran into an advertisement for a “DWM Luger Model 1906 9mm Para,” sn 2961 with no suffix. In its two solitary, dark photos—both sides—I could just make out a Swiss cross-in-sunburst atop the receiver. It looked worthwhile to follow up, so I called the dealer. We determined that it indeed had an i serial number suffix, a routed/polished safety area, and a beschuss-probe proof under the barrel. Over the phone, at least, it sounded like I had found one of the two variations I was still looking for. I neglected to confirm the caliber. After making the arrangement to buy it, I thought that the 9mm caliber might at least be plausible, and in any case I was certainly going to find out. In due course the pistol arrived, before I took down my photo lighting setup. http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305 http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442379305 Sn 2961i is chambered in 7,65mm. As far as its being an i suffix Swiss Alphabet Commercial, it is a long frame and the back of the frame is reinforced. There is an importer mark on the frame beneath the left grip panel, not pictured. The pistol has several questionable features. The frame serial number suffix mimics a standard barrel suffix stamp, but it is slightly large, rounded, the preceding tail is pronounced, and there is no dot over the i. There is no c/N proof, and the barrel does indeed have the beschuss-probe. However, there is evidence that the pistol has been rebarrelled. The barrel has two Swiss army acceptance crosses, which would not be present on a commercial barrel. The receiver flats on both sides have been damaged, as though held in a vice badly, and the left receiver has been damaged or worked in such a way which would obliterate any mark if one had been there. The receiver serial number appears to have an overstamp. The safety area routing has a “chased” edge, overriding the circular routing marks. This is commonly seen as a way to refresh the routing edge and remove any spill-over when the area around the routing has been reblued. The chasing seen on this gun is very pronounced; the work is often much more delicately performed. The receiver flat damage/alteration is sufficient that these areas would require reblue as well. There is damage to the leftmost rays of the chamber sunburst, again likely requiring reblue. The most puzzling feature of this gun is the Swiss privatization P stamp applied to the trigger guard. Its presence makes no sense. This stamp would not ever be applied to a foreign-manufacture commercial pistol, and if it has been applied along with the other features to “boost” the gun it is impossible to guess what it might be intended to emulate. (Thanks to Pete Ebbink for helping clarify the privatization concern.) So, I returned the pistol, on the basis of the 9mm/7,65mm discrepancy: it avoided a lot of boring collector justification. I put it out of my mind, and carried on with the presentation you have just read. Too bad, too, if it had been a 9mm Hammerli barrel I would have at least kept it as an interesting shooter. --Dwight Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Dwight Gruber; 09-16-2015 at 12:56 AM.