[Yakman]

Ed.

You're right. I was afraid I was being somewhat vague. It almost sounds like my subject was more about Stoeger three-line Lugers. Let me see if I can be a little clearer.

I have a Mauser Luger with a 120mm barrel in 7,65 caliber, assembled from the parts provided Mauser 1929/1930, serial number 23v, C/C/U proofed, and DWM on the toggle. It came to me with a plain wood bottom magazine. I do not believe that wood bottom mag to be proper for this gun. I believe it should have an aluminum bottom mag. I would like to get an idea if the mag would be numbered to the gun, be marked 7,65 only, or have a plain unmarked bottom.

So, my simplified question is: What magazine should 23v have and how, if any, should it be marked?

To be germane, my question pertains only to those Luger parts and completed pistols turned over to Mauser by DWM/BKIW in 1929/1930. The reason being these were all that were available to Mauser before 1934 and their first Luger production contract, the K Date. Before that my understanding is Mauser only assembled guns from parts made by DWM and distributed guns already assembled and proofed from DWM. The three-line Stoegers as completed pistols and 23v as one assembled from parts. It's my belief the Stoegers, serial number 400v-524v, and 23v were available for delivery in 1930. I mention Stoeger three-line commercials because they are a contract run of 125 pistols with aluminum bottom mags that I wish would provided some kind of trend as to what to expect as to markings since 23v and the Stoegers seem to have been turned out initially close together in 1930. I'm not so sure that holds up to scrutiny.

I believe the Stoegers were completed pistols due to their being proofed and serial numbered. We know that to be proofed the pistol, according to civil proof house requirements, had to be completely assembled and numbered. Given the number of commercial lugers seen with unnumbered wood bottom magazines over the years, the requirements for proofing did not include magazines. There's the rub, all of the three-line Stoegers are Eagle/N (e/N) proofed and have aluminum bottom mags. Were these mags included by DWM or did Mauser add them at a later date? Was DWM including aluminum bottom mags with any of their commercial Lugers, ever?

In respect to 23v. The parts are said to have been provided to Mauser by DWM in the white, unnumbered, unproofed, and toggles were marked DWM. Luger 23v has the toggle marked DWM, it is large Oberndorf double crown proofed (c/c/U), the rust bluing is subtly different shades on various parts which is noted on a number of early "v" block Mauser assembled Lugers. The point being, there is no doubt 23v is a Mauser assembled gun from DWM provided parts. However, none of that sheds light on the probable magazine.

Hallock & Kant (H&K) is not much help as it classifies 23v into a collector's variation, V-1, all of which are said to have DWM made aluminum bottom mags. Although not in the least definitive, I think it favors aluminum bottom more than wood. I have doubts Mauser put a wood bottom magazine on anything before 1946.

Thanks, Jack