What's B in a circle under the 1906 barrel?

alvin · 01-21-2008, 09:43 PM

I saw this 1906 AE on A-A. I am not bidding on this one. But I am very curious on one mark.... Could you tell me what's the meaning of that circled B under the barrel ? Thanks!

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...temnum=8433450

For completeness, this ad will go away someday. I copy the photo here:

Dwight Gruber · 01-21-2008, 10:45 PM

Alvin,

The circle-B under the barrel is a characteristic of 1906 Lugers found sporadically between sn44409 and sn46920. All those reported but one (a Swiss commercial) are American Eagles.

Between 1907 and 1911 DWM produced 5,000 1906 pistols for the Brazilian army. These pistols are marked with an encircled B on the left receiver and underneath the barrel. It is strongly speculated that the markings on the barrel are inspection marks, and DWM used extra Brazilian-inspected barrels to assemble some of their commercial guns.

Threre is precedent for this with two serial ranges of model 1900 guns using Swiss marked barrels.

--Dwight

Pete Ebbink · 01-22-2008, 12:16 PM

Dwight,

I am hoping, one day, we will come across a commercial Luger with a Portuguese marked barrel (encircled triangle) as well.

That would be neat.

Pete Ebbink · 01-22-2008, 12:22 PM

Alvin,

This gun is a good study. Owner says original finish, but I wonder about the following :

1. Depth of the lower part of the AE at the tail feathers and one of the talons may indicate some loss of metal during re-do.

2. "Germany" seems to have loss some depth of the stamping along its bottom half and then there is no "halo" around the stamping.

3. Deep dent on the back grip strap may (cannot tell with the photo glare) have blue in the dent.

4. What is curious is that the circle/B stamp on the barrel shows "halo".

So...maybe some touch-ups to parts of the gun...???...

BTW...front sight blade is not DWM-original...some 1920-50's after-market one.

MFC · 01-23-2008, 01:01 AM

Hi guys,
I've been watching this gun for awhile. It's been auctioned several times in the past with no one reaching the reserve, including me. It now has a starting price which it didn't in the past, just a reserve. It's out of my price range. I have a M1906 9mm AE with a (cirle B) barrel and I thought it needed a girlfriend. I spoke to the seller at lenght about this gun and he assurred me that it is an original finish. He said he has a large collection of Lugers, most are not for sale. All high dollar, and all have original finish. He was very knowledgeable and said he has been collecting for years. I don't know him, and he could be as crooked as a cork screw, but he sure sounded like a very nice honest person.
Mike C.

MFC · 01-28-2008, 12:19 AM

Pete,
Concerning your comment about the deep dent having blue in it. It is my understanding that dents and stamps that were applied after blueing can and do have blue (in) them, even when they show a halo. Of course pits, gouges and scratches aren't supposed to have blue in them. Am I wrong about this?
Mike C.

Pete Ebbink · 01-28-2008, 12:33 AM

Pits normally have rust and crud in them.

A dent should have a little "white" showing where metal to metal struck and some metal displacement...but you are right...the blue would still be in the dent as well.

Some dents are really scratches or gouges...which would have more white than blue in the upset area...

01-21-2008, 09:43 PM	#1
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	What's B in a circle under the 1906 barrel? I saw this 1906 AE on A-A. I am not bidding on this one. But I am very curious on one mark.... Could you tell me what's the meaning of that circled B under the barrel ? Thanks! http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...temnum=8433450 For completeness, this ad will go away someday. I copy the photo here: Attached Thumbnails

01-23-2008, 01:01 AM	#5
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Hi guys, I've been watching this gun for awhile. It's been auctioned several times in the past with no one reaching the reserve, including me. It now has a starting price which it didn't in the past, just a reserve. It's out of my price range. I have a M1906 9mm AE with a (cirle B) barrel and I thought it needed a girlfriend. I spoke to the seller at lenght about this gun and he assurred me that it is an original finish. He said he has a large collection of Lugers, most are not for sale. All high dollar, and all have original finish. He was very knowledgeable and said he has been collecting for years. I don't know him, and he could be as crooked as a cork screw, but he sure sounded like a very nice honest person. Mike C. __________________ Mike C.

01-28-2008, 12:19 AM	#6
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Pete, Concerning your comment about the deep dent having blue in it. It is my understanding that dents and stamps that were applied after blueing can and do have blue (in) them, even when they show a halo. Of course pits, gouges and scratches aren't supposed to have blue in them. Am I wrong about this? Mike C. __________________ Mike C.

01-21-2008, 10:45 PM	#2
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Alvin, The circle-B under the barrel is a characteristic of 1906 Lugers found sporadically between sn44409 and sn46920. All those reported but one (a Swiss commercial) are American Eagles. Between 1907 and 1911 DWM produced 5,000 1906 pistols for the Brazilian army. These pistols are marked with an encircled B on the left receiver and underneath the barrel. It is strongly speculated that the markings on the barrel are inspection marks, and DWM used extra Brazilian-inspected barrels to assemble some of their commercial guns. Threre is precedent for this with two serial ranges of model 1900 guns using Swiss marked barrels. --Dwight

01-22-2008, 12:16 PM	#3
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Dwight, I am hoping, one day, we will come across a commercial Luger with a Portuguese marked barrel (encircled triangle) as well. That would be neat.

01-22-2008, 12:22 PM	#4
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Alvin, This gun is a good study. Owner says original finish, but I wonder about the following : 1. Depth of the lower part of the AE at the tail feathers and one of the talons may indicate some loss of metal during re-do. 2. "Germany" seems to have loss some depth of the stamping along its bottom half and then there is no "halo" around the stamping. 3. Deep dent on the back grip strap may (cannot tell with the photo glare) have blue in the dent. 4. What is curious is that the circle/B stamp on the barrel shows "halo". So...maybe some touch-ups to parts of the gun...???... BTW...front sight blade is not DWM-original...some 1920-50's after-market one.

01-28-2008, 12:33 AM	#7
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Pits normally have rust and crud in them. A dent should have a little "white" showing where metal to metal struck and some metal displacement...but you are right...the blue would still be in the dent as well. Some dents are really scratches or gouges...which would have more white than blue in the upset area...