Luger Inheirited Part Three

RockinWR · 05-25-2004, 02:03 AM

Jim,
* Your pistol sure cleaned up nice. Congratulation.
* Don't know if it has been made apparent; but, your 1910 was part of the 1st Military contract for 50,000 pistols. Contract was signed late 1908(hence P.08).
* Per Jan Still, about 25,000 of the first pistols made on this contract have undated chambers. The are known within the collector's circle as 1st Issue's with the S/N range of known examples being 34-4828b. Then 17,000 DWM 1910 chamber dated Lugers were made. Yours is one of these. The S/N range of the 1910's is approximately 5107b-5358d.
* The original contract specified the 1st 3000 pistols were to be delivered by March, 1909 with 2000 to be delivered each month thereafter until the entire 50,000 contract was satisfied.
* Military Lugers were produced & numbered in blocks of 10,000 pistols. The initial block was numbers only. The second block had the number and a lower case "a" suffix block, third block had a lower case "b", and so forth. For this first contract DWM continued to advance the suffix block despite the chamber date year. Took till the 1911 chamber date to complete these first 50,000. In 1912, DWM decided to start each year by restarting Luger S/Numbering at S/N 1.
* These facts maybe of interest to your C&R buddy. They suggest your 2 digit 1910 has a suffix block of "c" or "d". Thus, yours was either the 300xx or 400xx pistol made on this contract. By contract mandate, your can figure the approximate month your pistol was made, delivered to the Army & then the Cavalry if you assume linear production and allow for a month or two to cover contingency repairs at DWM, deliver times, issue time, etc. Rough approximation granted; but, in the ballpark.
* Thought you'd like to know.
* OBTW FWIW - A suggestion: If the original grips are in a baggie, punch a small hole in the baggie top above the Zip lock & use a plastic tie wrap or string looped though the hole and the lanyard loop of the pistol to keep these original grips from straying away from its mating pistol. Mark the baggie with an indelible black marker noting the P.08 date, S/N, etc. Even "M" carved, they retain the original providence of the pistol including what DWM's marking/style/material type/etc. was in 1910. They are a part of the pistol's history. The value of this example is retained by having these grips; even if they don't make the pistol as "pretty" as your new replacement grips.
Respectfully,
Bob

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05-25-2004, 02:03 AM	#6
RockinWR User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: D/FW, Tx Posts: 279 Thanks: 109 Thanked 31 Times in 16 Posts	Jim, * Your pistol sure cleaned up nice. Congratulation. * Don't know if it has been made apparent; but, your 1910 was part of the 1st Military contract for 50,000 pistols. Contract was signed late 1908(hence P.08). * Per Jan Still, about 25,000 of the first pistols made on this contract have undated chambers. The are known within the collector's circle as 1st Issue's with the S/N range of known examples being 34-4828b. Then 17,000 DWM 1910 chamber dated Lugers were made. Yours is one of these. The S/N range of the 1910's is approximately 5107b-5358d. * The original contract specified the 1st 3000 pistols were to be delivered by March, 1909 with 2000 to be delivered each month thereafter until the entire 50,000 contract was satisfied. * Military Lugers were produced & numbered in blocks of 10,000 pistols. The initial block was numbers only. The second block had the number and a lower case "a" suffix block, third block had a lower case "b", and so forth. For this first contract DWM continued to advance the suffix block despite the chamber date year. Took till the 1911 chamber date to complete these first 50,000. In 1912, DWM decided to start each year by restarting Luger S/Numbering at S/N 1. * These facts maybe of interest to your C&R buddy. They suggest your 2 digit 1910 has a suffix block of "c" or "d". Thus, yours was either the 300xx or 400xx pistol made on this contract. By contract mandate, your can figure the approximate month your pistol was made, delivered to the Army & then the Cavalry if you assume linear production and allow for a month or two to cover contingency repairs at DWM, deliver times, issue time, etc. Rough approximation granted; but, in the ballpark. * Thought you'd like to know. * OBTW FWIW - A suggestion: If the original grips are in a baggie, punch a small hole in the baggie top above the Zip lock & use a plastic tie wrap or string looped though the hole and the lanyard loop of the pistol to keep these original grips from straying away from its mating pistol. Mark the baggie with an indelible black marker noting the P.08 date, S/N, etc. Even "M" carved, they retain the original providence of the pistol including what DWM's marking/style/material type/etc. was in 1910. They are a part of the pistol's history. The value of this example is retained by having these grips; even if they don't make the pistol as "pretty" as your new replacement grips. Respectfully, Bob