Those Mysterious Forty-fives

Steve D · 08-04-2012, 01:26 PM

The "Aberman" gun in its present condition could not have been associated with the 1907 trials. It is chambered for the .45 ACP round, while the trials pistol was chambered for the .45 M1906 round (1mm longer than the .45 ACP). Additionally, the Aberman gun does not have the "stepped chamber" - patented by Luger - of the Number 1 trials gun. If it was indeed a supplied trials gun, it must have been re-barreled at some later date.
Gortz and Sturgess report that the magazine for the Aberman gun fits the slightly longer M1906 round which lends credence that maybe it was a trials pistol later re-barreled for the standardized M1911 round, possibly so that it could be fired as a serviceable pistol.
The "Norton" gun exhibits commercial German post-1912 proofs. It was probably re-barreled for the .45 ACP and then sold commercially as factory odds and ends. (Gortz and Sturgess report the discovery of several non-proofed .45 barrels after WWII). The Aberman gun is not proofed, which leads me to believe that it may have been re-barreled (or possibly simply re-chambered?) in the US after it was sold by the Springfield Armory in 1913 according to its provenance.
It might be interesting to conduct a microscopic examination of the fudicial mark on the barrel/receiver of this pistol to see if their is any indication that the barrel has ever been removed.

08-04-2012, 01:26 PM	#6
Steve D User Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 23 Thanks: 7 Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts	The "Aberman" gun in its present condition could not have been associated with the 1907 trials. It is chambered for the .45 ACP round, while the trials pistol was chambered for the .45 M1906 round (1mm longer than the .45 ACP). Additionally, the Aberman gun does not have the "stepped chamber" - patented by Luger - of the Number 1 trials gun. If it was indeed a supplied trials gun, it must have been re-barreled at some later date. Gortz and Sturgess report that the magazine for the Aberman gun fits the slightly longer M1906 round which lends credence that maybe it was a trials pistol later re-barreled for the standardized M1911 round, possibly so that it could be fired as a serviceable pistol. The "Norton" gun exhibits commercial German post-1912 proofs. It was probably re-barreled for the .45 ACP and then sold commercially as factory odds and ends. (Gortz and Sturgess report the discovery of several non-proofed .45 barrels after WWII). The Aberman gun is not proofed, which leads me to believe that it may have been re-barreled (or possibly simply re-chambered?) in the US after it was sold by the Springfield Armory in 1913 according to its provenance. It might be interesting to conduct a microscopic examination of the fudicial mark on the barrel/receiver of this pistol to see if their is any indication that the barrel has ever been removed.