DWM Alphabet Commercial, Police procurement

[Don M]

Hi Francis,

Excellent photos of a very nice example of an Alphabet Commercial DWM procured by the police and rebarrelled in 9mm. Here is what I have gleaned over the last several years about Lugers procured for the Weimar-era police:

DWM began producing dated military-specification 9-mm Lugers for both the military and police use in 1920. However, in 1921, the German government (undoubtedly under pressure from the IMKK) defined all pistols and revolvers with barrels longer than 9.8 cm (about 3-7/8 in.) or in calibers larger than 8 mm as war materials (Kriegsgeräte), along with submachine guns, etc., etc. Restrictions were placed on the manufacture, import, export and ownership of war materials. As a result, DWM was forced to stop producing 9-mm Lugers in 1921. They were able to continue to produce commercial Lugers in 7.65-mm and with 9.8-cm barrels (Alphabet Commercials).

During the period 1922 to about 1928, there were a number of police procurements of Lugers from DWM. These probably came from the factory in 7.65-mm. In most cases, they probably were immediately rebarrelled in 9 mm either by Simson or police armories. Note that there was no restriction on police ownership of Lugers that were classified as "war material." Your Luger has a small eagle stamp on the bottom of the barrel that is typical of many of these replacement barrels.

I have no proof, but the evidence suggests that by 1929, DWM began again to manufacture Lugers in 9 mm for police use (the 29 DWMs).