First Luger, help needed

[Tonyt915]

Hope these help

[Fla.Mallard]

Some of those lower case script letters baffle me. What is the suffix letter on Tonyt's pistol?

[Tonyt915]

I’m not positive, but I thought it was the R

[Doubs]

Originally Posted by Tonyt915

I’m not positive, but I thought it was the R

It is an r

Here is a pretty good chart of German letters used on Lugers: http://www.lugerforum.com/lugermarkings/suffix.html

[RShaw]

Hi Tonyt915,
Interesting gun to be sure.... even though the barrel was likely replaced, it looks like a quality firearm for a very reasonable price!

be VERY careful with the grips......at that age, they will snap, crackle, and pop..........there are very nice journeyman replacements available, and as you said, put the set you have now into a safe location....many on this board are truly experts in the various areas of Lugers..... also the care and safe keeping of the wood.............welcome aboard....Tom

Hi Tomaustin. a question about your above comment regarding the grips- what kinds of stresses would cause the grips to snap / break? When the gun is shot the magazine advances by the width of 1 canted round, but there are grooves in the inside of the grip so that the magazine knob can move freely? The only stresses I can imagine is the pressure of the mag springs on the magazine base- I can imagine the mag base giving up, but the grips themselves? Obviously I am missing something.... please advise? Thanks.

[spripple33]

I think that the antler proof mark on the barrel may be from the Oberndorf proof house.

mrerick- Is what you're referring to the mark shown in pic 10?
-Jason

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by spripple33

mrerick- Is what you're referring to the mark shown in pic 10?
-Jason

I would disagree that that is an "antler" proof mark, it is the center part of a poorly struck Weimar era proof, the same mark as the second from the left on the right side of the chamber.

IF the one in picture #10 is the reference.

The 1920 is a property stamp, not a date; DWM did not reach the "r" suffix in 1920 or 1921.

JMHO.

[Doubs]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

I would disagree that that is an "antler" proof mark, it is the center part of a poorly struck Weimar era proof, the same mark as the second from the left on the right side of the chamber.

IF the one in picture #10 is the reference.

The 1920 is a property stamp, not a date; DWM did not reach the "r" suffix in 1920 or 1921.

JMHO.

Don, I agree that it's not an antler proof mark.

However, DWM did produce military and police Lugers in the o - r suffix range in 1920. My reference is G&S red books, chapter 9, page 467.

[Tonyt915]

Just wanted to say thanks for the help so far, was thinking it would be more cut and dry on dating and marks, didn’t realize there was so much variation.

[hayhugh]

Yep, ask anyone you meet and they will look at a luger and know that's what it is, but they are looking at the outline of the pistol. They don't know that there are @200 different different models and that is where the difference in value is...

[Doubs]

For those who have a copy of Still's "WEIMAR and EARLY NAZI LUGERS", have a look at page 60. The Luger shown there is a DWM new manufacture pistol for the Army. The 1920 date or property stamp (whichever you prefer) is in exactly the same location over the chamber and appears to be further forward than date stamps on WW1 era guns. The suffix letter is an r which Still attributes to an out of sequence suffix.

Perhaps of more interest is the barrel proof mark in exactly the same location and clearly not antlers. The two Nazi era eagles suggest that the pistol went through proofing in the 1930's for some reason; perhaps a barrel replacement. The gun Still illustrates has a locking bolt and side plate that are not numbered in the military style. The OP's parts may have been stamped with the last two digits at a later date as the locking block is clearly numbered on the underside as a commercial Luger would have been.

Everyone may not agree but the OP's Luger is likely a new manufacture Army pistol made by DWM in 1920 and repaired or reworked during the Nazi era to continue service as a military pistol.

[DonVoigt]

Anything is possible, but with respect to Still, I don't buy the out of sequence explanation;
but then, I've been wrong before.

[Doubs]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

Anything is possible, but with respect to Still, I don't buy the out of sequence explanation;
but then, I've been wrong before.

I only mentioned that because G&S state that in mid-1920, DWM did make Lugers in the suffix range of o - r as I indicated a few posts back.

WRT being wrong before, yeah... me too.

[tomaustin]

RSHAW....I am referring to the removal, cleaning and refitting of the grips on the weapon....an additional set for the enjoyment of your weapon and prolonging the life of the older, and possibly original, grips is in the conversation with the collectors who purchase firing pins, extractors and other perishable parts in these vintage weapons......there aren't many more where that one came from.....Tom

[Lyn Islaub]

I'm with Doubs. The proofs on the right side of the receiver are Weimar era as are the barrel proofs. I hear Don's argument, but too many signs point to one of the chamber dated pistols manufactured out of new and left over parts in the 1920-21 period. Those Weimar proofs are never seen on the so-called 1920s alphabet commercial pistols.
Lyn