1916 DWM arty rework

Navy · 04-15-2003, 10:13 PM

Hi Commanche,
Welcome to the forum.
You have a pistol that reminds one of the Sherlock Holmes tale of the dog that did not bark.

Based on your description, your gun is exactly what it appears to be. How it spent the years between 1916 and the present can be nothing but speculative. However, the fact that it DOES NOT have a 1920 stamp is pretty strong evidence that it was not a service piece in the Weimar Reichwehr.

My guess, and I emphasize guess, is that your pistol was one of the hundreds of thousands of W.W.I Lugers that were modified IAW the Versailles Treaty and subsequently taken into Heer stores until mobilization for the Rhineland operation. Following this, the stores were isued to the Wehrmacht and Kreigsmarine and a contract was let by the Luftwaffe to Kreighoff as successors to Simpson.

The bottom line is that your pistol was most likely isued from reserve stocks after 1938.

Double your money back if this theory is wrong!
Tom A.

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04-15-2003, 10:13 PM	#2
Navy RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dc 'burbs in Virginia Posts: 2,482 Thanks: 0 Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts	Hi Commanche, Welcome to the forum. You have a pistol that reminds one of the Sherlock Holmes tale of the dog that did not bark. Based on your description, your gun is exactly what it appears to be. How it spent the years between 1916 and the present can be nothing but speculative. However, the fact that it DOES NOT have a 1920 stamp is pretty strong evidence that it was not a service piece in the Weimar Reichwehr. My guess, and I emphasize guess, is that your pistol was one of the hundreds of thousands of W.W.I Lugers that were modified IAW the Versailles Treaty and subsequently taken into Heer stores until mobilization for the Rhineland operation. Following this, the stores were isued to the Wehrmacht and Kreigsmarine and a contract was let by the Luftwaffe to Kreighoff as successors to Simpson. The bottom line is that your pistol was most likely isued from reserve stocks after 1938. Double your money back if this theory is wrong! Tom A.