1906 Portuguese Question

[Ron Wood]

Originally Posted by Doubs

Ron, the manual you show appears to have been printed in Portugal. According to various sources including Kenyon and Walter, the official designation by Portugal for the M2 is M/909. That would follow the pattern of their previous and later designations of M/904 for their 1904 Vergueiro in 6.5x58mm which was reworked by Mauser in 1939 and became the M904/39 in 8mm. Their last Luger contract with Mauser in 1943 was designated as the M/943. The first Navy Luger version was M/910.

Does the manual illustrate the new model or the old model?

I have to wonder if Gortz & Sturgess' designation for the M2 of M/1908 was taken from the manual?

Walker,
My manual is a bit of an enigma. Although it has yellowed a bit with age and the paper is a bit brittle it is virtually "mint" as in never issued! The pages are as they came from the printer, 14 pages printed on a single sheet of paper with each page printed on the sheet so that they appear in proper order and orientation when the sheet is folded into book format. The odd thing with this manual is that after the single sheet was folded the edges of the pages were not slit so that they opened out for regular viewing! So it is necessary to peek in at the ends of the unfolded sides to see the individual pages. Some folks have encouraged me to go ahead and cut the pages, but I'm not going to do it...it is what it is.

To get back to your question, the illustrations are of the new model except for one barrel/receiver/toggle drawing that shows the toggles as the dished old model type. That is the only drawing on the 11 plates at the end of the manual that is not of a new model configuration.

I can't explain the apparent discrepancy in model designation from what you have explained. The manual was printed/issued 5 May 1909 but every model reference in the manual is M/1908.
Ron