need help on 1915 Erfurt(?)

Dwight Gruber · 01-12-2005, 11:22 PM

SeattleXYZ,

2/1001 is a code found on East German Police magazines. It should be an extruded-steel magazine, I -believe- (although someone may set me straighter on this one) that it is the East German code for Haenel-Schmeisser. The mag bottom, as you recognize, is not aluminum but some alloy--you can see the difference if you compare with a known WWII aluminum-base mag.

You imply, and on a second look it indeed appears, that the eagles on the left side of the gun are different. If you can do it, it would be interesting to see closeups of both of them.

The c/Ns, whether of Weimar or DDR origin, indicate a commercial rework. In Weimar Germany inflation was rampant, and arms manufacturers were forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles to manufacture new weapons (a slight simplification, but adequate for this discussion). Guns for commercial sale, particularly outside of Germany, were a huge source of cash revenues. It was commonplace to rework Lugers and repair them, if necessary, with whatever replacement parts were found at hand. Your Luger seems to be a rather extreme example of this practice. I expect that some others in this discussion may be able to address comparable practices in the DDR in the late-40s/early-50s.

There is a strong possibility that the partially obliterated string of letters is the name of the company which imported this gun into the US--the "import stamp" required by law.

--Dwight

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

01-12-2005, 11:22 PM	#15
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	SeattleXYZ, 2/1001 is a code found on East German Police magazines. It should be an extruded-steel magazine, I -believe- (although someone may set me straighter on this one) that it is the East German code for Haenel-Schmeisser. The mag bottom, as you recognize, is not aluminum but some alloy--you can see the difference if you compare with a known WWII aluminum-base mag. You imply, and on a second look it indeed appears, that the eagles on the left side of the gun are different. If you can do it, it would be interesting to see closeups of both of them. The c/Ns, whether of Weimar or DDR origin, indicate a commercial rework. In Weimar Germany inflation was rampant, and arms manufacturers were forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles to manufacture new weapons (a slight simplification, but adequate for this discussion). Guns for commercial sale, particularly outside of Germany, were a huge source of cash revenues. It was commonplace to rework Lugers and repair them, if necessary, with whatever replacement parts were found at hand. Your Luger seems to be a rather extreme example of this practice. I expect that some others in this discussion may be able to address comparable practices in the DDR in the late-40s/early-50s. There is a strong possibility that the partially obliterated string of letters is the name of the company which imported this gun into the US--the "import stamp" required by law. --Dwight