US Test Luger Disposition Reference

[Hugo Borchardt]

Received and read the section on the Luger in "Handguns of the World", 1981, by Edward Ezell. He was the National Firearms Collection curator at the National Museum of American History, administered by the Smithsonium. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago, but seems to be as credible a source as we might find, save actual documentation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Ezell

I found the second part of this paragraph interesting:

In 1906, the Ordnance Department recalled all the Lugers in the field and disposed of about 700 of them at public auction. Francis Bannerman, the military surplus dealer, purchased this lot of pistols from the army at $10.00 each, and over the next decade his company sold them at prices ranging from $18.45 to $19.85. Rock Island Arsenal-made holsters sold for ninety-five cents each. The remainder of the "American Eagle" Lugers were sold by the Ordnance Department during the summer of 1910. Letters sent out to prospective purchasers noted that the price of the pistols was set at $10.00 each FOB Springfield Armory and that "these pistols have been in the service, but were cleaned and repaired, and are now practically as good as new."

I am including this in my research project, which is being compiled at quite a snails pace.

Clark