Hogan's Heroes - Col. Klink's Luger

Dwight Gruber · 01-01-2008, 05:33 AM

Desi,

Welcome to the Forum. You have presented us with a very interesting curio.

Several things can be deduced from the markings on the gun. The receiver and barrel are from a WWI military Luger made in 1917. The proof and inspection stamps on the right receiver and the barrel are completely normal for this. Any other part serial numbered 21 belongs to this receiver. It looks like the breechblock has a DWM proof, it would be interesting to know what number is stamped, hidden by the receiver rail, beneath it.

The frame serial number 765a is almost certainly from a WWI military DWM as well. The a suffix indicates that it cannot be post-war commercial production, which began with the i suffix. Any parts which are serial numbered 65 originated with the frame. In case you don't know, the frame serial number is the legal serial number of the gun, including the letter suffix.

The Germany stamp on the left frame rail indicates that the gun was surplused and exported to the US for commercial sale after the end of WWI, most likely in the '20s. It was likely a complete gun at the time, but there is no way to know for sure. The stamping itself is unusual; almost all the Luger export marks one sees are in all upper-case letters, e.g. GERMANY.

The sideplate is not numbered on its face; if it is numbered on the bottom edge it originated with a commercial Luger.

It is interesting that the stock lug has been ground off.

Other than to observe that none of the visible parts appear to be from an Erfurt manufactured gun, I can't find anything else useful to say about this piece. If you do find the gun visible in any of the episodes, please send along frame grabs so they can be included in the Movie Luger list.

--Dwight

01-01-2008, 05:33 AM	#2
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Desi, Welcome to the Forum. You have presented us with a very interesting curio. Several things can be deduced from the markings on the gun. The receiver and barrel are from a WWI military Luger made in 1917. The proof and inspection stamps on the right receiver and the barrel are completely normal for this. Any other part serial numbered 21 belongs to this receiver. It looks like the breechblock has a DWM proof, it would be interesting to know what number is stamped, hidden by the receiver rail, beneath it. The frame serial number 765a is almost certainly from a WWI military DWM as well. The a suffix indicates that it cannot be post-war commercial production, which began with the i suffix. Any parts which are serial numbered 65 originated with the frame. In case you don't know, the frame serial number is the legal serial number of the gun, including the letter suffix. The Germany stamp on the left frame rail indicates that the gun was surplused and exported to the US for commercial sale after the end of WWI, most likely in the '20s. It was likely a complete gun at the time, but there is no way to know for sure. The stamping itself is unusual; almost all the Luger export marks one sees are in all upper-case letters, e.g. GERMANY. The sideplate is not numbered on its face; if it is numbered on the bottom edge it originated with a commercial Luger. It is interesting that the stock lug has been ground off. Other than to observe that none of the visible parts appear to be from an Erfurt manufactured gun, I can't find anything else useful to say about this piece. If you do find the gun visible in any of the episodes, please send along frame grabs so they can be included in the Movie Luger list. --Dwight