Luger tool ID

[RockinWR]

Hi Joe,
* You may be right judging from your profile interest. I suspect you've handled a good deal more of these than I may have ever payed notice to.
* However, I think you can find the number with and without a period after the marking based on the energy/discipline/attention of the individual armorer applying the mark.
* For instance, tools appear both ways in J. Still's, Weimar Luger, Pg. 180. Jan's, Imperial Luger, Pg. 87 shows the period after the inventory number; but, shows a full unit number as well. Gortz & Bryan's, GSAM, Pg. 76 depicting the location of markings per the 1924 H.Dv. 464 instructions, shows the period after the number. Take your pick.
* I was going w/ the general appearance of Mark's first tool picture wherein the period seems to have been struck contempoary with the numeric portion of the marking. The E/S PROOF appears added at a later time. I think much later than the WWII era, IMHO.
* Trust this helps.