Kriegsmarine Pistols

Aaron · 03-06-2002, 10:44 AM

I am looking for information on the distribution of pistols to the Kriegsmarine. Does anyone know a reference pertaining to what types and numbers of pistols were issued to various Nazi naval units? For example, what types of pistols were issued to U-Boat personnel, and in what numbers? Were Lugers used on all ships, or were they primarily issued to surface vessels, with the small pistols such as the HSc and the Mauser model 1934 going to the submarines? Volume IV of Whittington's books gives the breakdown of pistols issued to the Wehrmacht, but he says nothing about naval units.

tom · 03-06-2002, 01:34 PM

Hi Aaron,

Navy procurement of small arms was not centralized. Additionally, the Navy was behind the Army and the Luftwaffe in terms of priority and pecking order. Consequently there was a hodge podge of small arms of various types, calibers, etc

See Still's Axis pistols.

Tom

Marvin · 03-06-2002, 01:40 PM

Aaron,

I may be mistaken since I am not a Navy Luger collector, but I think there is a book called "The Naval Luger" and I don't remember the authors name. I am out of town and I don't have access to my reference books to look up the title. You may want to look at Simpson Ltd website and look at their book selection. They should have the name and if it is available. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Marvin

Hugh · 03-06-2002, 03:44 PM

The book is THE NAVY LUGER by Gortz & Walter. However it only covers the Pistole 1904 and the Imperial Navy; not the Nazi Navy. There is some info in Still's THIRD REICH LUGERS, under section 1, "Kriegsmarine Issue".

03-06-2002, 05:03 PM

I saw a History channel special on the Crete invasion, an old dude who was on the island during the shoot out was interviewed. He pulled out a MP40 and a Luger he picked up after the shooting stopped. They shot them into a sand bank, both worked perfectly. What are the chances of the luger being a Kreigsmarine?

Roadkill

03-06-2002, 06:21 PM

Hard to say as there was certainly some KM involvement at Crete, however most all of the ground combat forces were paratroops (about 22,000 I believe) and Army Mountian troops. From photo study, the Luger was the overwhelming pervasive pistol carried by paratroops until at least 1944. This was probably also true of the mountian troops as well at that time (May 41).

Still provides quanitity estimates of KM marked procurment in his books on Lugers and in "Axis Pistols" as well as list of reported KM marked pistols by date and serial number. I feel and have some evidence that not all KM procurment of pistols were KM marked, even in the pre 1941 years. This would make Stills estimations of KM marked Lugers invalid to give a number of total KM used Lugers.

Marvin · 03-07-2002, 08:47 AM

Hugh,

Thanks for posting the info on the book! Since I don't have access to my reference material, I was not sure which Naval Lugers were covered in the book since they are WAY out of my price range.

Marvin

Steve Lempitski · 03-07-2002, 02:10 PM

For the Navy, who knows what you would find. Guy up here has a crown M stamped Broomhandle in 7.63 mm that his father as an officer, got off a German destroyer in the North Sea at wars end.

03-06-2002, 10:44 AM	#1
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Kriegsmarine Pistols I am looking for information on the distribution of pistols to the Kriegsmarine. Does anyone know a reference pertaining to what types and numbers of pistols were issued to various Nazi naval units? For example, what types of pistols were issued to U-Boat personnel, and in what numbers? Were Lugers used on all ships, or were they primarily issued to surface vessels, with the small pistols such as the HSc and the Mauser model 1934 going to the submarines? Volume IV of Whittington's books gives the breakdown of pistols issued to the Wehrmacht, but he says nothing about naval units.

03-06-2002, 01:34 PM	#2
tom User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 269 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Kriegsmarine Pistols Hi Aaron, Navy procurement of small arms was not centralized. Additionally, the Navy was behind the Army and the Luftwaffe in terms of priority and pecking order. Consequently there was a hodge podge of small arms of various types, calibers, etc See Still's Axis pistols. Tom

03-06-2002, 01:40 PM	#3
Marvin User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Upstate S.C. Posts: 1,132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Kriegsmarine Pistols Aaron, I may be mistaken since I am not a Navy Luger collector, but I think there is a book called "The Naval Luger" and I don't remember the authors name. I am out of town and I don't have access to my reference books to look up the title. You may want to look at Simpson Ltd website and look at their book selection. They should have the name and if it is available. Sorry I can't be of more help. Marvin

03-06-2002, 03:44 PM	#4
Hugh RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Swamp Posts: 2,460 Thanks: 2 Thanked 165 Times in 64 Posts	Kriegsmarine Pistol Info The book is THE NAVY LUGER by Gortz & Walter. However it only covers the Pistole 1904 and the Imperial Navy; not the Nazi Navy. There is some info in Still's THIRD REICH LUGERS, under section 1, "Kriegsmarine Issue".

03-06-2002, 05:03 PM	#5
R. Grady/Roadkill Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Kriegsmarine Pistol Info I saw a History channel special on the Crete invasion, an old dude who was on the island during the shoot out was interviewed. He pulled out a MP40 and a Luger he picked up after the shooting stopped. They shot them into a sand bank, both worked perfectly. What are the chances of the luger being a Kreigsmarine? Roadkill

03-06-2002, 06:21 PM	#6
BCC Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Kriegsmarine Pistol Info Hard to say as there was certainly some KM involvement at Crete, however most all of the ground combat forces were paratroops (about 22,000 I believe) and Army Mountian troops. From photo study, the Luger was the overwhelming pervasive pistol carried by paratroops until at least 1944. This was probably also true of the mountian troops as well at that time (May 41). Still provides quanitity estimates of KM marked procurment in his books on Lugers and in "Axis Pistols" as well as list of reported KM marked pistols by date and serial number. I feel and have some evidence that not all KM procurment of pistols were KM marked, even in the pre 1941 years. This would make Stills estimations of KM marked Lugers invalid to give a number of total KM used Lugers.

03-07-2002, 08:47 AM	#7
Marvin User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Upstate S.C. Posts: 1,132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Kriegsmarine Pistol Info Hugh, Thanks for posting the info on the book! Since I don't have access to my reference material, I was not sure which Naval Lugers were covered in the book since they are WAY out of my price range. Marvin

03-07-2002, 02:10 PM	#8
Steve Lempitski User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Old Cape Cod Posts: 238 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Kriegsmarine Pistol Info For the Navy, who knows what you would find. Guy up here has a crown M stamped Broomhandle in 7.63 mm that his father as an officer, got off a German destroyer in the North Sea at wars end.