My first 1913 DWM

[HerrKaiser]

Originally Posted by Doubs

Gortz & Sturgess seem conflicted on this matter as on page 650 of the red books they say that by the end of 1916 the Swiss were acquiring barrel steel from Bohler - who also provide barrel steel to DWM for P.08 pistols - in order to begin making their own Lugers. Due to wartime shortages of materials in Germany and Austria, the Swiss were supplying alloys to Bohler to make the steel for Switzerland.

Then, on page 1055, they say that in 1913 the barrel steel was changed to a generalized cast crucible steel for the P.08 barrels but they don't know if Bohler steel was continued to be used for commercial Lugers. The steel change coincided with the beginning of the Bohler markings on DWM Luger barrels so they think the Bohler markings were to differentiate between the steels.

Somewhat confusing I think. Did Bohler continue supplying steel to DWM throughout the war or not? Was it the original formulation or the newer cast crucible steel?

Based on what I have read from Mauser and k98 forums, it seems that DWM had also contracted with Böhler for quite some time for their rifle barrel steels as well. The Bö marked barrels were, as you alluded to, a new type of treatment or casting process done to the steels. As best I can ascertain from G&S as well as other German weapon forums dealing with DWM produced firearms, it seems Böhler was the primary provider of steel to DWM pre-war.

That the Swiss would contract with them for Steel to make their own Lugers would support this assumption that Böhler was the sole provider. It would make little sense for DWM, who was making military and commercial Luger concurrently, to source different steels and differentiate the steels for given barrel blanks that could easily be purposed for either commercial or military purposes. Given that DWM contracts to Switzerland and other countries would have been “commercial” production, it would imply that DWM commercial guns would have also had the Böhler steel.