"Commercial Artillery"?

[Sergio Natali]

Originally Posted by danielsand

"Artillery Lugers" and "Luger Carbines" were most certainly sold as "commercial" (civilian) pistols.

Bare in mind that the term "Artillery" was (mostly) American moniker (because it was issued primarily to artillery units), but in reality the pistols were called "Lange Pistole 08", and as such were sold to civilian market. They were EXPENSIVE for the time, and MANY land owners/industrialists/nobility purchased them.

My mother brought one as a trophy from the war, and this type of Luger was commonly called "The Stork" (as my mom called it) in the Balkans. I guess the long barrel resembled dis-proportionally long legs on the bird.

Danel

You're absolutely right, in fact the original name was "Lange Pistole 08" mine was a bit of an ironic remark.

Sergio