1908 1st Military Issue - Characteristics...how to know

[siegersallee]

Hi Dwight,

Like you said, the contract was for 50,000 pistols in total.
The first batch of 3,000 to be delivered by 31 March 1909.
The rest, no later than 31 March 1911.

From Sturgess (electronic version) page 323:

Chapter 4 - The DWM Contract

6. Deadlines for Delivery

Delivery has to be made in such a way that 3,000 pistols with one spare magazine and one screwdriver apiece, plus the prescribed number of cleaning rods - namely one cleaning rod for every six pistols - will have been received by the Spandau Artillery Depot or by the Spandau Rifle Factory not later than 31 March 1909.

Delivery of the remainder of the pistols, cleaning rods and screwdrivers is to be spread over the fiscal years 1909 and 1910 in such a way that an average of two thousand pistols and spare magazines, screwdrivers and the requisite quantity of cleaning rods is delivered per month. the total order is to be fulfilled by 31 March 1911 at the latest.


Richard

[siegersallee]

Hi Dwight,

I was just checking out Jan Still's Imperial Lugers and found on page 20 that there is a reference to 1908 First Issue as being the 1st installment of about 25000 lugers, per the DWM contract of 50,000, in the serial number range 34 - 4828b.

This seems to jive with what I had been told in my first post.

However, unless I have screwed up the math, the S/N range of 34 - 4828b only comes in around 14450...so that may well be what is considered the "1st Issue 1908 Military".

Richard