Is this a rare Swiss Luger?

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

I just bought this pistol from Holts and will review it in this space upon import.

It took me over six years to get my hands on this 9mm Para W+F P06/29 serial no. P26292. A full comparative multimedia review to follow.

[Stucki]

The 10 Pistols 06/29 with SN P26291 to SN P26300 were 9mm test guns of the Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F). They were used for precision tests in Dezember 1943. Four of the 9mm pistols performed as good as the Pistols 06/29 in caliber 7,65mm, six of them were worse (but still not to fare away from the precision of the 7,65mm pistols). The Pistol SN P26292 was one of the worse six...

These tests were quite successful, because one year earlier, tests with other Pistols 06/29 in 9mm showed much worse results (comparable to the precision of a German 9mm Pistol 08, which was tested in 1941 by the W+F).

The test pistols from 1942 had the following SN: 50921, 50922, 50925, 50927, 50929, 50940 and 2. The pistol with SN 2 was an old gun which was already used for tests some years before and performed much better than the other ones. Nothing more is known about it.

Alexander

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Stucki

The 10 Pistols 06/29 with SN P26291 to SN P26300 were 9mm test guns of the Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F). They were used for precision tests in Dezember 1943. Four of the 9mm pistols performed as good as the Pistols 06/29 in caliber 7,65mm, six of them were worse (but still not to fare away from the precision of the 7,65mm pistols). The Pistol SN P26292 was one of the worse six...

These tests were quite successful, because one year earlier, tests with other Pistols 06/29 in 9mm showed much worse results (comparable to the precision of a German 9mm Pistol 08, which was tested in 1941 by the W+F).

The test pistols from 1942 had the following SN: 50921, 50922, 50925, 50927, 50929, 50940 and 2. The pistol with SN 2 was an old gun which was already used for tests some years before and performed much better than the other ones. Nothing more is known about it.

Alexander

Thank you, Alexander. Is this info published anywhere?

[Stucki]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

Is this info published anywhere?

not to my knowledge - it's based on my research in the Swiss Federal Archives.

I'm working on different publications - but my Swiss Luger story is not written yet...

The last thing I have published is a small book about the Swiss pistol trials 1892-1900 (but it's in German - see below)

Alexander

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Stucki

not to my knowledge - it's based on my research in the Swiss Federal Archives.

I'm working on different publications - but my Swiss Luger story is not written yet...

The last thing I have published is a small book about the Swiss pistol trials 1892-1900 (but it's in German - see below)

Alexander

Thanks again, Alexander. Do you also work on the subsequent trials? I study the SIG P210, mostly:
http://larvatus.livejournal.com/tag/p210

[Stucki]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

Do you also work on the subsequent trials? I study the SIG P210, mostly:
http://larvatus.livejournal.com/tag/p210

If you mean the trials in the 1940's, I have enough material for some articles, but I have planned other things first.

Some years ago I published an article in a Swiss gun magazine about the first Swiss weapon exports to post-war Germany (Bundesrepublik) in the 1950's and one of the main topics was the export of the P210-4 for the German Bundesgrenzschutz. If you are interested, I can send you a copy of the article, but it's in German.

Do you have the excellent P210-book from Armbruster and Kesser (Begegnung mit einer Legende - SP 47/8, P210) - I can strongly recommend it.

Alexander

[irishcop45]

I would love to have either pistol. To shoot either would be like driving a Bentley! Thanks for sharing the books...I'm going to check both of them out if I can find them.

[Michael Zeleny]

Thanks again, Alexander. I would appreciate a copy of your article. I have the books by Armbruster and Kessler, Vetter, and Doebeli. My German is not so good, but Google Translate fills most of the gaps.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

It took me over six years to get my hands on this 9mm Para W+F P06/29 serial no. P26292. A full comparative multimedia review to follow.

I can't wait to hear why it took so long. After the event at the Fort Lauderdale airport this week, it'll probably be the last to be imported.

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

I can't wait to hear why it took so long. After the event at the Fort Lauderdale airport this week, it'll probably be the last to be imported.

I dropped the ball, natch. Kudos to Holt’s for hanging on to my Luger. They are the best auction house I deal with.

[Ron Wood]

Originally Posted by Michael Zeleny

It took me over six years to get my hands on this 9mm Para W+F P06/29 serial no. P26292. A full comparative multimedia review to follow.

Michael,
Congratulations on acquiring one of the very few authentic 9mm Swiss. Well worth the 6 year wait.
Ron

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Ron Wood

Michael,
Congratulations on acquiring one of the very few authentic 9mm Swiss. Well worth the 6 year wait.
Ron

Thank you, Ron. This one is a keeper to accompany my National Match W+F Lugers. I am planning a 4K video to test fire them side by side at the Burro Canyon range.