View Single Post
Unread 05-23-2020, 07:47 PM   #63
mrerick
Super Moderator - Patron
LugerForum
Life Patron
 
mrerick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA
Posts: 3,900
Thanks: 1,370
Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts
Default Possible update

Possible update. looking for source of info:

Stamping sequence on Lugers
Since this topic has been coming up lately I thought I would post my understanding of the Luger acceptance mark sequence.

I believe that the stamps were applied at different stages in tthe production process startingwith the fram hardening stamp. The sequence would insure that the military inspector could look at a pistol in the factory and know that it had the proper inspection for that point in the process


The inspection stamps were applied in the following sequence:

The reciever is hardened and presented to the inspector

The first acceptance mark allowing the parts to be assebled to the receiver is stamped and the date was stamped into the receiver top at the same time.The placement of this stamp on the reciever determines the location of the rest of the stamps as they all go to the right of this initial hardening stamp. When looking at acceptance stamps on imperial lugers you can see some variation in the spacing. This is more pronounced in the 1916 to 1918 years.

After this initial hardness acceptance, pistol is completely assembled and again presented to the inspector

2. The second acceptance mark, Pistol ready for testing is applied to the right of and adjacent to the hardness proof and the complete serial number is applied at the same time.

3. The visually accepted complete pistol is presented to the inspectors for proof firing and two proof load cartridges are fired. The test proof eagle was applied forward of the inspection stamps. This indicated that the pistol had fired two overloaded test cartridges without damage.

4. The final inspectors measure the Pistol for acceptance after test firing; this indicated that the pistol had passed its post firing inspection. The barrel land diameter was added to the bottom of the barrel. This final inspection stamp was applied to the left of the test proof eagle and to the right of the hardness and assembly acceptance marks.

This results in the inspection stamps being located on the right receiver as follows (left to right).
1. Hardness furthest to the left.
2. Assembled adjacent to 1.
3.Final acceptance adjacent to 2.
4. Above, test proof located furthest to the right near barrel

I believe that at one point the Imperial requirements for this sequence were posted on the forum but I can no longer find them.

Some writers have indicated that all four stamps were applied at one time. I do not believe this to be the case. First of all it would be an affront to German efficiency. Second the process i described, and believe I read once upon a time serves to prevent an un heat treated frame fom getting into the assembly line, prevents an un-inspected pistol form being presented for proof, and prevents an on-prooved pistol from going through final inspection.

If someone has documentation describing this I would be grateful
__________________
Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum -
- Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.
mrerick is offline   Reply With Quote
The following 3 members says Thank You to mrerick for your post: