Luger Lanyard

[MarkC]

I just dug this out of the "accessory" cabinet which also has a "golden rod" in it.

Any ideas as to what it is? I think it is some sort of post war loop? The leather is supple and I think it is old?

[Ron Smith]

Hey Mark,

Where did you find my old PE coaches whistle cord?

Jerry Burney will be able to tell you, if he's done with his nap?

Ron

[Ron Wood]

The cord looks pretty neat, but the swivel may be a little hinky. Iâ??ll bow to Jerry on the final assessment. BTW Ron, did your PE coach lose her whistle cord in the locker room or on the playground?

[lugerholsterrepair]

Gentlemen, The round leather cord certainly looks period...The weave at the end is not like any I have ever seen, military issue or private commercial. I think the swivel is hinky as Ron says, similar types have been made for a hundred years and they are currently available in today's market. This one looks kinda new....Could be an old one cleaned up, hard to say, it must certainly be a steel swivel to maintain spring tension even though it looks to be gold colored or brass. If it were original to the round leather cord and keepers it would have some patina, it has none.

The WW1 Military issue lanyards were of a fairly standard configuration. They used both the wire hook swivel similar to this one, and the leather tab with brass button post closure . It's possible the original weaving at the swivel end broke and this is an attempt by a novice to replicate it. One of the originals I have is steel . There are many types made to order by various commercial and military Luger users, all somewhat different. This may have been intended for the P-38. The P-38 has a much smaller lanyard ring than the Luger. If this were attached to a Luger lanyard loop, the steel swivel would likely mar the finish of the pistol.
Jerry Burney

[MarkC]

Jerry,

Thanks for the great information. The color of the swivel/hook is off in the photo, it is steel with brownish patina on it. The cord and swivel seem to have been together a long time. A photo is not as nice as seeing the item up close.

I think it is too old for a P.38 and all of the P.38 layards I have seen are made of fabric with leather ties.

Mark

[Ron Smith]

Hey Ron,

He probably lost it on the back stroke of laying it across somebodies butt. Possibly mine.. those were the good ol' days before corporal punishment (read "Cat-o-Nine Tails") was banned in public schools. More's the pitty..

[Lugerdoc]

The lanyard shown is similar to ones advertised 40 years ago in the SGN as Portugese GNRs. The concensis at the time was that they were new postwar German copies. TH

[John Sabato]

I have a similar one that was gifted to me by Patrick Villiers several years ago. I will try to find it tonight and report back about the similarities or differences...

[lugerholsterrepair]

Mark, I think it is too old for a P.38 and all of the P.38 layards I have seen are made of fabric with leather ties.

Your speculation could be correct but you have to realize these lanyards might have been for whatever the originator wanted it for. There were civilian lanyards and military issue. Even though we have been able to establish the military issue of Luger lanyards in WW1 and P-38 lanyards in WW2 there were undoubtably many lanyards made on the private market for the multitude of pistols that had a lanyard loop. The list must be large.
This one does not fit the standard military Luger lanyard so in my opinion it is a privately made piece. Could be the round cord and keepers were original military issue...I do not believe the weaving or the swivel are.
The round leather cord was a pretty common piece of leather at the turn of the century. It is virtually identical to the drive line on sewing machines.

Tom brings up an interesting subject..The Portugese lanyard. I have studied lanyards for over ten years now and I cannot find evidence that the Portugese lanyard existed in a different form than the standard German Military of WW1. If it exists at all. I have never seen one in a period photo or seen one in any photo or in person to make me believe I was looking at a genuine Portugese lanyard. I would dearly love to have any information anyone may have on this elusive subject.

John, if you can find the time I would like to see the lanyard Patrick sent you! Jerry Burney

[Edward Tinker]

Also, something to keep in mind, when I was in the army, I did not care if the metal part of the lanyard slightly scratched the butt, it was an issued gun and all I wanted was to ensure it kept it safe. A german GI would feel the same. Maybe an officer might worry about that, but even then I doubt it.


Ed

[Vlim]

Ed,

Good point, but one would expect to see a lot of lugers with scratched or worn lanyard hooks. I've seen some examples of lugers fitted with an extra lanyard ring attached to the hook that's incorporated with the frame. That way the hook can be attached without scratching the luger.

I still have a lanyard lying around that was sold to me as being 'Dutch'. Interestingly it has the stamp 'Made in England' on the leather strap.

[Rod WMG]

That's a very interesting picture. Do you know any details concerning it?

I posted about lanyards some time ago here on the forum about running them around the neck purely for the purpose of steadying the firearm with tension for more accurate shooting. This is the first such lanyard I've seen. It could be used as a shooting aid, it appears, but probably had a more conventional use.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Rod, The first use of the Luger lanyard I know about was in the trenches of WW1. It was issued to Stosstrupp troops who operated at night in no mans land while on raiding parties into enemy trenches. I can only surmise that a Luger lanyard would have been handy. Dropping your pistol in this environment would mean losing it. It would have been of no use for steadying the pistol while fireing. Shooting in these sorties would not require the steadiness target shooting does. In fact, these troops only used the pistol as a last resort as the muzzle blast would give away their position in the dark of night. They also carried bags of stick grenades and large clubs. Photo's of these shock troops are very interesting.
These same lanyards were also issued to Cavalry and motorcycle troops for the same reason.
Jerry Burney

[Rod WMG]

Jerry, I doubt that anyone really ever used the lanyards as shooting aids for Lugers, but I think it could be some help if one wanted a little more field accuracy. I think in terms of hunting, etc., not combat.

I like the design of the one Gerben posted.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Rod, I believe they are excellent as shooting aids! I was just explaining an early historical context of the reason they were first used by the German Military.
I use one with all the Lugers I take to the range. Sure beats dropping an expensive pistol on the concrete apron or in the dirt! One splat like that can knock the price of a repro lanyard right off your pistol.
I use the short Stosstrupp model and you are right, it can be used to steady the pistol.
I also use a 6 inch one that can be used two ways, one as a handle to pull it from the holster, the Swiss used these pretty extensively and two, to lay back along the wrist and grasp with the left hand to steady the pistol.
The lanyard loop was put on most Lugers for a reason...Jerry Burney

[Vlim]

Hi,

The guy wearing the lanyard is Dutch navy. You can see the P08-style holster quite clearly. When around water a lanyard is a good tool to prevent your pistol falling into it.

[Rod WMG]

Thanks, guys!

Lanyards rule!

[stefanosg]

How about this one?

[lugerholsterrepair]

This is certainly an interesting piece. The spring clip and swivel are looking authentic and period.I have a steel swivel given to me by Joachim Goertz that is very similar. Rusted good though. The braided leather looks to be old as well. I would classify this as being from the turn of the Century. The elusive Portugese lanyard was purported to be made in this braided fashion. I have found no facts to support this assertion and have never seen a period photo to substantiate that there ever was a Portugese lanyard of any kind. This one, from the metal parts would have been from an earlier era. German issue lanyards were made from a round solid leather. Different in many respects but the metal is the same except most issue lanyards were made of brass. .
Most of the Luger lanyards were not made with this type of metal clip. They were made with a leather loop that slipped into the lanyard loop on the pistol so as not to mar the delicate rear of the pistol. The clip on this lanyard is seen on WW1 equiptment and hooked to such things as D rings. While this is probably a pistol lanyard, it might well be for some other pistol.One with a circular ring on the butt for instance. Could be for some other piece of eguiptment as well, binoculars or some such. . I would not hook it to any of my Lugers. It is a very nicely crafted lanyard.
Jerry Burney

[stefanosg]

Well, someone must of thought highly of it, it sold for $225.00