New Test Trials serial number

[Ron Wood]

Jim (jvm) posted a thread about a “+” marked magazine, http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=40530 , in which he stated “The mag is from an American Eagle 1900 possibly a trials gun”. He identified the Luger as #6248. This was exciting information for me as it is a heretofore unreported (to me) serial number that falls in the range for the U.S. Test Trial series. Subsequently he was kind enough to send me some photos of his Luger. I am completely comfortable to add his Luger to my Test Trials data base. To my eye, it is an unaltered authentic example and in nice condition.

The litmus test for model 1900 American Eagle Lugers that actually participated in the Test Trials of 1901 are the 780 pieces reported by serial number that were purchased at public auction by Francis Bannerman as surplus in 1905, plus 5 additional examples handwritten in Ord. Dept memo, Dec. 16, 1901 (and also reported by 2nd Lt. Randall B. Palmer in his test report). Unfortunately, the gun does not fall in either one of those ranges. But since it falls well within the 6100-7100 serial number range generally thought to be the probable range of the Test Lugers, and because number 6282 that was in the Bannerman purchase (and also recorded in an individual test/repair report) is very close to Jim’s gun, the probability is very high that it was indeed involved in the Test Trials.