My 1921 Police Luger

don95sml · 12-31-2002, 02:52 PM

Please join me in examining my first Luger purchase! If the description is overly long, it's because I hope to generate comments that will help me understand in more detail what seems to be a pistol with an interesting history. If I didn't goof, you should see photos at the end of this post.

The toggle has DWM logo and is squared and knurled type. Receiver is stamped 1921 on top and 6187 on left side. Frame has stock lug, no grip safety. 4" barrel in 9 mm, underside stamped 6187 and w8,84. Front of frame stamped 6187 over letter suffix "a". Front grip strap of frame originally stamped W.I.R.158 (indicating police issue?). Number was later X'd out and changed to S.B.5308 (indicating rework and/or reissue?). Thumb safety shows GESICHERT when in rear position. Sights are fixed V notch rear, dovetail front. Wood base magazine, no markings. Checkered walnut grips with no borders. Upper left corner of left grip panel has semicircular cutout. I believe this, along with hole in frame under sideplate, indicates a magazine safety once existed but was removed. Has sear safety (added during 1930s?). Firing pin is newer (1930s) fluted design. All the proper small metal parts (including firing pin) stamped 87. Breechblock, stamped 87, is also stamped 13 just to right of firing pin spring retainer. (May relate to rework or replacement of firing pin?)

Now for the proof marks. Right side of receiver stamped with 3 proofs. The 2 leftmost (identical) show an eagle over letters WaAx, where the last character is unrecognizable (not an "x", but possibly a "4"). The eagle looks like a simplified version of website proof 28 or 39. It consists only of 3 curved entities representing the 2 wings plus a head/body. The outline of the central entity is open slightly at top of eagle's head. A smaller version of same proof also stamped on left side of breechblock. The third (rightmost) proof stamped on receiver is a different eagle design not shown on website. It consists of a perfectly circular body plus fairly detailed head, wings, legs, and tail. There are characters under this eagle which are unreadable. A much smaller version of same proof also stamped on top rear of barrel.

Finish was purported by seller to be original. Bluing looks to me like 80% or better. Strawing is all but gone. Evidence of light rust on top of receiver which may have been buffed off. Bore is excellent to minty. Pistol has been shot extensively, judging from wear marks on receiver.

I was happy with this pistol when received, and the $975 price was acceptable at the time. I disassembled it the day I got it, but didn't get around to a really thorough inspection until about 2 weeks later. Then, when I removed the right grip panel (the very last part inspected), I was dismayed to find that it was stamped 71, not 87. Color appears identical, but checkering is somewhat sharper than on left panel. The seller did not claim all-matching parts, but neither did he inform me of the mismatch. Although I wanted a pistol I could shoot occasionally, this one now seems to be very expensive for a shooter. Your honest comments on value would be appreciated, but be forewarned that the seller is a reputable dealer known to at least some of you experts. Perhaps there are some redeeming qualities you can point to that would make me feel better about the price?

Hopefully, the proofs and other markings will enable you to enlighten me further about the history of this pistol.

12-31-2002, 02:52 PM	#1
don95sml User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Near Roanoke, VA Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My 1921 Police Luger Please join me in examining my first Luger purchase! If the description is overly long, it's because I hope to generate comments that will help me understand in more detail what seems to be a pistol with an interesting history. If I didn't goof, you should see photos at the end of this post. The toggle has DWM logo and is squared and knurled type. Receiver is stamped 1921 on top and 6187 on left side. Frame has stock lug, no grip safety. 4" barrel in 9 mm, underside stamped 6187 and w8,84. Front of frame stamped 6187 over letter suffix "a". Front grip strap of frame originally stamped W.I.R.158 (indicating police issue?). Number was later X'd out and changed to S.B.5308 (indicating rework and/or reissue?). Thumb safety shows GESICHERT when in rear position. Sights are fixed V notch rear, dovetail front. Wood base magazine, no markings. Checkered walnut grips with no borders. Upper left corner of left grip panel has semicircular cutout. I believe this, along with hole in frame under sideplate, indicates a magazine safety once existed but was removed. Has sear safety (added during 1930s?). Firing pin is newer (1930s) fluted design. All the proper small metal parts (including firing pin) stamped 87. Breechblock, stamped 87, is also stamped 13 just to right of firing pin spring retainer. (May relate to rework or replacement of firing pin?) Now for the proof marks. Right side of receiver stamped with 3 proofs. The 2 leftmost (identical) show an eagle over letters WaAx, where the last character is unrecognizable (not an "x", but possibly a "4"). The eagle looks like a simplified version of website proof 28 or 39. It consists only of 3 curved entities representing the 2 wings plus a head/body. The outline of the central entity is open slightly at top of eagle's head. A smaller version of same proof also stamped on left side of breechblock. The third (rightmost) proof stamped on receiver is a different eagle design not shown on website. It consists of a perfectly circular body plus fairly detailed head, wings, legs, and tail. There are characters under this eagle which are unreadable. A much smaller version of same proof also stamped on top rear of barrel. Finish was purported by seller to be original. Bluing looks to me like 80% or better. Strawing is all but gone. Evidence of light rust on top of receiver which may have been buffed off. Bore is excellent to minty. Pistol has been shot extensively, judging from wear marks on receiver. I was happy with this pistol when received, and the $975 price was acceptable at the time. I disassembled it the day I got it, but didn't get around to a really thorough inspection until about 2 weeks later. Then, when I removed the right grip panel (the very last part inspected), I was dismayed to find that it was stamped 71, not 87. Color appears identical, but checkering is somewhat sharper than on left panel. The seller did not claim all-matching parts, but neither did he inform me of the mismatch. Although I wanted a pistol I could shoot occasionally, this one now seems to be very expensive for a shooter. Your honest comments on value would be appreciated, but be forewarned that the seller is a reputable dealer known to at least some of you experts. Perhaps there are some redeeming qualities you can point to that would make me feel better about the price? Hopefully, the proofs and other markings will enable you to enlighten me further about the history of this pistol.