More info on Finnish Lugers

[Kyrie]

Hi Tom,


I don't know, that sounds like quite a reach


Seriously, it's my opinion that folks take "new production" to mean all new parts a little too literally. Germany, in the 1920's, was just about awash in Lugers and Luger parts. These parts and old Lugers were used in the production of "new" pistols to a degree that's difficult to really appreciate. The 1923 Finn Luger of mine is an example of new production using old parts. Eventually I'll also have posted photos of a 1923 Commercial that also has a ground barrel extension, indicting a date (or something, but most likely a date) was removed. The 1923 Commercial Lugers, like the 1923 Finn contract Lugers, were "new production" pistols.


DWM/Mauser/et. al. were thrifty people, and generally didn't expend the time or money to make up new parts when old ones were laying around not being used. We see this same pattern of the use of old parts in the production of the C96's. Existing stocks of old style parts continued to be used long after they had become obsolete, making for relatively long transitional periods between variations. For Lugers, this practice blurs the line between refurbished pistols and new production pistols. The difference between these is frequently a matter of degree rather than kind :-(


Best regards,


Kyrie