Naval Markings?

gunzilla · 03-13-2003, 12:51 PM

Greetings. I have a 1918 dated Luger that is a mish mash of parts with the only matching numbers being one grip and the barrel and the extractor and 2 front sections of the toggle/bolt. When I acquired the piece, it was nickle plated by (fortunately) an amateur as the plating was peeling off in many places. I helped it along and finally ended up with a cold blued finish. My question is the marking on the rear of the grip frame. Stamped just above the stock lug are the marks:
W.D.
1567.

Also, under the left grip panel on the frame is the number 7017 (which does not match anything else) while the front of the frame is marked 8735. Any ideas what that may signify? I believe the barrel extension is from an artillery Luger since there is a small flat machined where the barrel meets it. Thanks for your comments.
P.S. It is rather curious that the spell checker function included here does not recognize the word Luger!

JohnF · 03-13-2003, 01:02 PM

I believe that WD 1567 would mean Werft zu Danzig Waffe 1667 or Danzig Naval Dockyard, Weapon Number 1567.
Danzig was formerly in East Prussia but this territory was ceded to Poland after WW1 and again after WW2. The city is now known as Gdansk.

Ron Wood · 03-13-2003, 01:06 PM

The W.D. 1567 designates a navy Luger from Werft Danzig, or the navy dockyard at Danzig, and the 1567 is the unit property number. The letters W.K. (Werft Kiel) and W.W. (Werft Wilhelmshaven) are most frequently encountered. Obviously the frame of your "mish mash" Luger was formerly from a navy weapon. Is there any indication that it may have had a grip safety that has been removed when it was married up with the other parts? Your observation about the notch in the barrel extension being an indication that it was from an artillery Luger is correct, although it may have been from a non-artillery Erfurt. Look on the right side of the receiver (barrel extension) and see if there are Erfurt proofs present. I have no idea what the 7017 on the frame indicates. Of course the 8735 on the front of the frame is the serial number of the frame and it may have a lower case script letter below the number. Your Luger may be a total mis-match but really interesting. It reads like a book!

gunzilla · 03-14-2003, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the info. On the frame underneath the left grip panel and just to the rear of the grip screw in the area that contains the mainspring, there is a small tab with a slot and hole and another small hole. It appears that this feature serves no function on this pistol. Could they be remnants of the grip safety? This feature does not appear on a S/42 Luger that I have.
The markings on the barrel extension on the right side are a small crown with the letters RC under it indicating arsenal repair,rework or modification. Directly below that is another small crown with something else under it that I can't decipher enough to describe it properly or match up with proofs shown elsewhere in this website. To the front are 2 small crowns. There is also a eagle barrel proof and there are marks on the sideplate and on the takedown lever which are maybe similar to the markings shown elsewhere in this website but nothing that I can match up definitely. It seems that this piece is a made up piece by an arsenal but for who? Post WWI German Military? German police? Commercial or export? Thanks again for your help.

03-13-2003, 12:51 PM	#1
gunzilla User Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Naval Markings? Greetings. I have a 1918 dated Luger that is a mish mash of parts with the only matching numbers being one grip and the barrel and the extractor and 2 front sections of the toggle/bolt. When I acquired the piece, it was nickle plated by (fortunately) an amateur as the plating was peeling off in many places. I helped it along and finally ended up with a cold blued finish. My question is the marking on the rear of the grip frame. Stamped just above the stock lug are the marks: W.D. 1567. Also, under the left grip panel on the frame is the number 7017 (which does not match anything else) while the front of the frame is marked 8735. Any ideas what that may signify? I believe the barrel extension is from an artillery Luger since there is a small flat machined where the barrel meets it. Thanks for your comments. P.S. It is rather curious that the spell checker function included here does not recognize the word Luger!

03-13-2003, 01:06 PM	#3
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,022 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 5,178 Times in 1,703 Posts	The W.D. 1567 designates a navy Luger from Werft Danzig, or the navy dockyard at Danzig, and the 1567 is the unit property number. The letters W.K. (Werft Kiel) and W.W. (Werft Wilhelmshaven) are most frequently encountered. Obviously the frame of your "mish mash" Luger was formerly from a navy weapon. Is there any indication that it may have had a grip safety that has been removed when it was married up with the other parts? Your observation about the notch in the barrel extension being an indication that it was from an artillery Luger is correct, although it may have been from a non-artillery Erfurt. Look on the right side of the receiver (barrel extension) and see if there are Erfurt proofs present. I have no idea what the 7017 on the frame indicates. Of course the 8735 on the front of the frame is the serial number of the frame and it may have a lower case script letter below the number. Your Luger may be a total mis-match but really interesting. It reads like a book! __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

03-13-2003, 01:02 PM	#2
JohnF User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: UK Posts: 167 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I believe that WD 1567 would mean Werft zu Danzig Waffe 1667 or Danzig Naval Dockyard, Weapon Number 1567. Danzig was formerly in East Prussia but this territory was ceded to Poland after WW1 and again after WW2. The city is now known as Gdansk.

03-14-2003, 06:24 PM	#4
gunzilla User Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the info. On the frame underneath the left grip panel and just to the rear of the grip screw in the area that contains the mainspring, there is a small tab with a slot and hole and another small hole. It appears that this feature serves no function on this pistol. Could they be remnants of the grip safety? This feature does not appear on a S/42 Luger that I have. The markings on the barrel extension on the right side are a small crown with the letters RC under it indicating arsenal repair,rework or modification. Directly below that is another small crown with something else under it that I can't decipher enough to describe it properly or match up with proofs shown elsewhere in this website. To the front are 2 small crowns. There is also a eagle barrel proof and there are marks on the sideplate and on the takedown lever which are maybe similar to the markings shown elsewhere in this website but nothing that I can match up definitely. It seems that this piece is a made up piece by an arsenal but for who? Post WWI German Military? German police? Commercial or export? Thanks again for your help.