1906 American Eagle 9mm

Dwight Gruber · 06-08-2006, 04:16 PM

Ed,

Regarding when this gun was made, I have taken the time to look a little more closely into the serial number data and some information in Imperial Lugers.

The order to formally adopt the 1908-model Parabellum as the issue pistol for the German Imperial Army was signed in August, 1908; the actual contract with DWM was December, 1908. Thus, the vast majority of 1908 First Issue pistols must have been made in 1909.

In interpreting commercial serial number data, I have taken as an axiom that commercial versions of a military variation would have been introduced roughly contemporaneously--certainly not before, and likely not very much after. The first 1908 Commercial I have recorded is sn39142--the odds are slim that it was made in the final weeks of 1908 when DWM was beginning to fulfill their first Army contract, but it is possible..

According to the French Gazette des Armes #370 model 1906 Parabellum were first made available in the Manufacture d'Armes et Cycles de Saint-Etienne catalog in 1909; the first of these guns I have in the database is sn45425.

This corrollary evidence suggests that your 1906AE 9mm sn44693 was made early in 1909.

Regarding the circle-B stamp on the barrel, I record five examples from sn45844 to sn48900, all but the last (a Swiss commercial) American Eagles and all in .30. The Brazilian contract was fulfilled between 1907 and 1911, so these could very well be taken from acceptance parts in the same manner as the Swiss cross marked 1900AE examples.

Walter (The Luger Book) notes that Brazilian guns are hard-used and sometimes found rebarrelled to 9mm. Kenyon (Lugers At Random) asserts that some of the 9mm examples "may" be of original manufacture. (This seems to me like a stretch...) However, one wonders, might this barrel provide evidence of original-manufactured 9mm Brazilian Lugers? or, where and when did Brazil get 9mm replacement barrels and, if from DWM, might they have been inspected during manufacture?

These are WAQuestions only, until someone comes up with supporting or contrary evidence.

--Dwight

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06-08-2006, 04:16 PM	#1
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Ed, Regarding when this gun was made, I have taken the time to look a little more closely into the serial number data and some information in Imperial Lugers. The order to formally adopt the 1908-model Parabellum as the issue pistol for the German Imperial Army was signed in August, 1908; the actual contract with DWM was December, 1908. Thus, the vast majority of 1908 First Issue pistols must have been made in 1909. In interpreting commercial serial number data, I have taken as an axiom that commercial versions of a military variation would have been introduced roughly contemporaneously--certainly not before, and likely not very much after. The first 1908 Commercial I have recorded is sn39142--the odds are slim that it was made in the final weeks of 1908 when DWM was beginning to fulfill their first Army contract, but it is possible.. According to the French Gazette des Armes #370 model 1906 Parabellum were first made available in the Manufacture d'Armes et Cycles de Saint-Etienne catalog in 1909; the first of these guns I have in the database is sn45425. This corrollary evidence suggests that your 1906AE 9mm sn44693 was made early in 1909. Regarding the circle-B stamp on the barrel, I record five examples from sn45844 to sn48900, all but the last (a Swiss commercial) American Eagles and all in .30. The Brazilian contract was fulfilled between 1907 and 1911, so these could very well be taken from acceptance parts in the same manner as the Swiss cross marked 1900AE examples. Walter (The Luger Book) notes that Brazilian guns are hard-used and sometimes found rebarrelled to 9mm. Kenyon (Lugers At Random) asserts that some of the 9mm examples "may" be of original manufacture. (This seems to me like a stretch...) However, one wonders, might this barrel provide evidence of original-manufactured 9mm Brazilian Lugers? or, where and when did Brazil get 9mm replacement barrels and, if from DWM, might they have been inspected during manufacture? These are WAQuestions only, until someone comes up with supporting or contrary evidence. --Dwight