1902 Carbine

[Imperial Arms]

We may never find the truth whether or not the DWM factory made Luger Carbines in caliber 9 mm because everyone may have a different opinion about this topic. Of course, it is always exciting to see a Luger carbine in caliber 9 mm because it is different, but if it could have generated the same demand on the market as a carbine in caliber 7,65 mm, why didn't the DWM factory offer it in two calibers in the European and American markets? Retailers such as A&F and SD&G could have easily added one line in their catalogs announcing the availability the Luger carbine in the worldwide popular 9 mm cartridge. My explanation is that the Luger carbine was a small-bore sporting carbine (not for military use) and the preferred cartridge (in Europe) for hunting was the 7,65 mm cartridge which performed better than the 9 mm in distance for small game animals.

In today's collector's society where we apply different reasons and factors to make buying decisions, I suppose that the 'barometer' which determines a collector's choice is whether he wants to invest thousands of dollars in such a carbine which has very limited material to back it up. If somebody gave me $15k-$20k to invest in either a Luger Carbine in 9 mm or 7,65 mm, I would take the latter without hesitation even if the former could be considered 'rarer'. Until I encounter additional Luger carbines in caliber 9 mm which can pass as factory original, I shall continue to have doubts about carbines being manufactured in caliber 9 mm.

Albert