Collectors of out of range AE test Lugers

Jan C Still · 12-26-2005, 03:53 PM

Collectors of out of range AE test Lugers
The United States Army tested 1000 1900 American Eagle Lugers for possible adoption by the U.S. Military. A large part (770 or 780) of the 1000 American Eagle test Lugers were sold by the U.S. Government to Bannerman & Sons in 1910 (or 1906).

The Bannerman range (as reported in Imperial Lugers by Still, Luger and The Luger Book by Walter, and U.S.Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920 by Meadows) is as follows: 6167-6196, 6282, 6361-7108, and 7147. From Springfield Armory web sight : 6176-6196, 6282, 6361-7108, and 7147. Either 780 (or 770) Lugers are documented by the Bannerman serial range and an additional 220 (or 230) are not documented. Ron Woods data indicates that about 1 in 3 of the Bannerman range Lugers are reported in collections today.

The status of the 220 (1000-780 or 1000-230) U.S. test Lugers outside the Bannerman range is not at all certain. Ron Wood reports that there are 215 Lugers with the test characteristics that are reported outside the Bannerman serial range in collections today. As there is only room left for 220 actual test Lugers (or 230) outside the Bannerman range, then a significant part of these out of serial range Lugers reported with test characteristics are not U.S. Test Lugers. One would expect the survival/reported rate to be about the same as the Bannerman range lugers. An estimate of about 1 in 3 of these out range Lugers being US test Lugers seems reasonable.

In my opinion, the further you are from the established test range* (Kenyon, Costanzo) of 6100-7100 the less likley the Luger is a test Luger.
Jan
*Reese (1973)reports a serial renge of 6099-7098.

12-26-2005, 03:53 PM	#1
Jan C Still User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Box 240188, Douglas, Alaska, 99824 Posts: 463 Thanks: 0 Thanked 52 Times in 32 Posts	Collectors of out of range AE test Lugers Collectors of out of range AE test Lugers The United States Army tested 1000 1900 American Eagle Lugers for possible adoption by the U.S. Military. A large part (770 or 780) of the 1000 American Eagle test Lugers were sold by the U.S. Government to Bannerman & Sons in 1910 (or 1906). The Bannerman range (as reported in Imperial Lugers by Still, Luger and The Luger Book by Walter, and U.S.Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920 by Meadows) is as follows: 6167-6196, 6282, 6361-7108, and 7147. From Springfield Armory web sight : 6176-6196, 6282, 6361-7108, and 7147. Either 780 (or 770) Lugers are documented by the Bannerman serial range and an additional 220 (or 230) are not documented. Ron Woods data indicates that about 1 in 3 of the Bannerman range Lugers are reported in collections today. The status of the 220 (1000-780 or 1000-230) U.S. test Lugers outside the Bannerman range is not at all certain. Ron Wood reports that there are 215 Lugers with the test characteristics that are reported outside the Bannerman serial range in collections today. As there is only room left for 220 actual test Lugers (or 230) outside the Bannerman range, then a significant part of these out of serial range Lugers reported with test characteristics are not U.S. Test Lugers. One would expect the survival/reported rate to be about the same as the Bannerman range lugers. An estimate of about 1 in 3 of these out range Lugers being US test Lugers seems reasonable. In my opinion, the further you are from the established test range* (Kenyon, Costanzo) of 6100-7100 the less likley the Luger is a test Luger. Jan *Reese (1973)reports a serial renge of 6099-7098.