1918 DWM Police Rework Questions

[jsd1318]

I acquired my first Luger about 2 years ago and have been learning about them every since. My DWM has the safety sear bar on the top of the slide and the safety itself was then removed. Am I correct that it would have been added in 1933 or about and removed in 1937 or about? Also the pistol has no other markings other than the normal acceptance marks and the Circle N proof. Should it not have some Police Unit marks or Nazi era marks if it was in service during those times? I am a little ignorant about Police Reworks and any info would be appreciated.

[DavidJayUden]

Can you get us photos of the mag. release button area AND the manual safety area on the left side?
Thanks;
dju

[jsd1318]

Here are a couple of pics. I have looked and the safety is gone but the cutout in the frame is still there, it was not filled in.

[DavidJayUden]

So by saying that the safety is gone, you are referring to the magazine safety?
What is the chamber date? I'm thinking that the markings are appropriate for WW1-turned-police guns of that time, but let's wait until our police gun specialists have a look.
dju

[jsd1318]

Yes, the magazine safety inside the pistol. Just the top bar remaining.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Check to see if your firing pin is numbered to the pistol and fluted. Check to see if the toggle pin is numbered.

[jsd1318]

Yes, the firing pin is numbered to the pistol. I am not sure what you mean by fluted but I took a pic. The rear toggle pin is numbered also but I do not know how to remove the front one to check it. It is not numbered on the ends like the rear one though.

[lugerholsterrepair]

This pistol..so far is typical of what I believe is a Mauser re work. A WW1 pistol that had improvements made to it then issued to Police Units. I have often wondered if these had the extractor improved or if this part was left alone..
Yes..this firing pin is not the one it originally came with but a fluted one. Notice the deep grooves in it? Original WW1 DWM Army pistols came without this feature.

[jsd1318]

So even a reworked pistol would not have other markings. Also am I right about it being in service in the 30's?

[jsd1318]

I also meant to thank you for the work you did on my holster. It looks great. I can not remember if I have already.

[lugerholsterrepair]

So even a reworked pistol would not have other markings. Also am I right about it being in service in the 30's? I have seen Police pistols with MANY unit markings but that is not usually normal. Mostly they can be found without additional Police marks. Yes..exactly. 1926 is when the Germans began thinking of converting..changing etc. I suspect much of this work came about beginning 1929. Police holsters in the WW2 configuration became prevalent about then. Some could have been before but hard to really say how much/many.

I also meant to thank you for the work you did on my holster. It looks great. I can not remember if I have already. Thank you very much! I appreciate your patronage.

[stressed]

Forgive my ignorance, but just what was the point of the police style safety sear bars in comparison to the standard safety?

[Curss]

If you remove the sideplate on a Luger while its loaded and press on the sear it can go off. The sear safety prevents accidental dishcarge if the side plate is removed by utilizing a pin that falls into place when the sideplate is off, thus blocking sear movement.

[Ben M.]

photo looks like extractor is not blue in color. has it a straw color?

[jsd1318]

I have just looked at the extractor and do not believe it is straw. It does appear to have a different color blue. Jerry Burney stated above that the firing pin was changed at some point, possibly by Mauser. He wondered if they also improved the extractor also. It may have also been changed. If it was replaced it was numbered
properly.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Jerry Burney stated above that the firing pin was changed at some point, possibly by Mauser. it is highly likely this extractor was part of a Mauser overhaul..This was a part that Mauser beefed up on pistols when they started production and it wouldn't surprise me to see these changed as well. The extractor locking hook on DWM pistols was very dainty and broke fairly often I suspect. I have broken one on an Artillery shooter. Mauser made them much stronger and the Swiss completely closed this hook into an arm with a hole in it. So it was obvious to the Germans that it was a weak point. The only way to see is to take out the extractor..Not difficult at all but not something the average collector does either..

[Edward Tinker]

A couple of points;
1. there is a description and pictures of SEAR Safety and Magazine Safety in the FAQ
2. That many times the word 'rework' is not true - the magazine safety was added at same time as the sear safety but then removed in the late 1930's - sometimes they were cut off, sometimes they were removed completely with the side welded in (little rectangle on the side, like yours) and the hole for the safety welded in - these I believe were reworked because of the welding and heat involved. Sometimes you find the hole just left there.
3. If reworked or re-barreled by the police, then it would show a new marking on the barrel as acceptance.

So, sometimes there is 'proof' they were reworked and sometimes they weren't marked.

[jsd1318]

Just out of curiosity, if I remove the extractor, what would I look for to tell if it was a Mauser.

[lugerholsterrepair]

One might need a DWM for comparison..the small hook that holds the extractor in place was very thin and anemic. Comparing them..the Mauser is noticeably thicker, stronger but without a comparison, you might not know.

[jsd1318]

Alright, thanks for the information.