Commercial Luger Markings

MFC · 07-13-2014, 12:12 AM

Hi Dick,
As stated above, your Luger is classified as a DWM Alphabet Commercial. S# 8397k was manufactured in the latter part of 1922.

Just to clarify...
Commercial serial numbers started at '1' and would have gone up to 6 digits with no suffixes (commercial style numbering does not contain suffixes). To avoid having to use 6 digits, commercial numbering was switched at S#92000 to the corresponding military style S#2000i and continued into the 'z' suffix. The commercial style was used from the year 1900, at the beginning of production, until 1921. The switch to the military style in 1921 continued until 1942. If the commercial serial number sequence had not been switched to the military style, commercial serial numbers would have gone past S#250000.

The military style numbering system started at '1 thru 9999' or '1 thru 10000' with no suffix, then 1a, 2a etc... each block or suffix containing 10000 units.

07-13-2014, 12:12 AM	#17
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Hi Dick, As stated above, your Luger is classified as a DWM Alphabet Commercial. S# 8397k was manufactured in the latter part of 1922. Just to clarify... Commercial serial numbers started at '1' and would have gone up to 6 digits with no suffixes (commercial style numbering does not contain suffixes). To avoid having to use 6 digits, commercial numbering was switched at S#92000 to the corresponding military style S#2000i and continued into the 'z' suffix. The commercial style was used from the year 1900, at the beginning of production, until 1921. The switch to the military style in 1921 continued until 1942. If the commercial serial number sequence had not been switched to the military style, commercial serial numbers would have gone past S#250000. The military style numbering system started at '1 thru 9999' or '1 thru 10000' with no suffix, then 1a, 2a etc... each block or suffix containing 10000 units. __________________ Mike C. Last edited by MFC; 07-13-2014 at 01:44 AM.