DWM In 1909...?

[RockinWR]

All,
* AutoMag threads started in Sept., 1999(Pg. 135- 137)& Nov., 1999(Pg. 186-7) and concluded in March, 2000's issue where Jan Still posted a detail side-by-side comparison on Pgs. 266-270 of the 1910 Erfurt S/N 49 against multiple contemporary DWM and Erfurts. Other comments appeared on Pgs. 194, 223, 275-6, and Jan's request for data sheets(3/2000)
* Subsequently, Jan reported, on Pg 269 of the XXXIII year sequence, S/N 28 owned by a "COLT" collector who bought #28 in a pawn shop 3 years before as his only Luger (so the report states).
* Nothing found precluded the 1910 Erfurt from being a real possibility. However, small differences did uniformly appear in both 1910 Erfurts from later 1911 Erfurts. Jan concluded the Proof eagle differences could be corroborated or refuted as Erfurt if members would report and submit pictures of 1909-1910 Erfurt Mauser rifles bearing the Erfurt proof for comparison. I have not heard the conclusion to Jan's request. A small 50-100 gun production line tryout in 1910 is intuitively appealing; but, unsubstantiated by hard documentation.

* As to the P.08-1st Issues, a couple of additional thoughts(& wags):
(1) John Walter, TLB-Pgs.212-213, states the "Pistole.08" was officially accepted on 8/22/08, the initial contract for 50,000 pistols was accepted by DWM on 11/6/08, and was signed by the Kriegsministerium on 12/2/08.
* Production of the Army P.08 began immediately @ the Lowe-DWM plant in Berlin-Charlottenburg. Final Army Inspection/Acceptance was accomplished @ the Army's Koengliche Gewehrfabrik (rifle factory) in nearby Berlin-Spandau.
(2) DWM was to deliver 3000 pistols by the end of March, 1909, 2000/month thereafter, with Delivery completion by March, 1911.
(3) Also on 1/16/1909, Erfurt was granted 260,000 Marks to commence tooling for the P.08 and, on 4/4/1909, the Pistolen-tausch(PT.08) was officially approved. The Kriegsministerium estimated Erfurt's capacity would amount to 20,000 pistols per annum (about 75/day).
(4) As DWM was to produce these First 50,000 to the pistol sample and Contract approved by the Gewehr Pruefungs-Kommission, I have accepted DWM's sample was marked similar to their commercial pistols with the proof on the left hand receiver's side, no chamber date, and with hidden small parts numbering locations. This is consistent with the contemporary Navy model markings including the LH side inspection acceptance mark locations. As Dwight has pointed out, this was the pattern only until the Army instructions of 1910 switched the locations of the receiver proof and acceptance markings to the right hand side of the receiver, mandated appearance of the chamber date, and invoked "visible" Military numbering locations.
* Since DWM's Mfg. capacity still included Commercial & Navy production, I think it misleading to assume the first issue's 25,000 had to be produced over the majority of the two years of 1908-1909. While WWI wartime production @ DWM reached 700 guns/day, I've seen no estimates of DWM's capacity/production in the 1908-1909 timeframe. Certainly lower than peak wartime rates I'd guess. How early DWM launched detail parts production after the 8/08 Acceptance, betting on the Army Contract approval, against their 11/6/08 signing as a trigger for launch of detail manufacturing is unknown to me. However, if delivery was 2000/month over much of 1909, the average daily assembly rate would only have to be approx. 90/day over a normal 22-23 manufacturing day month (5 days/week - non wartime schedule). At this rate DWM would not have had to begin Assembly of the first 3000 guns delivered on March 31, 1909 until as late as mid Feb., 1909. Thus it is conceivable piece parts were not started until the Contact was finalized on Dec. 2, 1908. Knowing Army careers, DWM's reputation, and Mfg's random surprises were present, I'd postulate DWM began Assembly somewhat earlier than Feb., '09 given Spandau's Proofing/acceptance learning curve and sufficient rework buffer time.
* It is an interesting sidebar to reflect on what may have occurred to the initial DWM Contract delivery of 24,000 pistols due in 1910 versus the 17,000 attributed to DWM in 1910 by S/N reports.
* Further, an interesting study off of the original and initial 1st Issue contract may be undertaken to integrate Luke's 1/29/03 thread results on the transition of DWM Commercial to Military numbering placement on Army P.08's in the 1911-1912 "e" block. I believe he concluded this occurred in the 1911 chamber dated pistols somewhere between 88xxe and 93xxe. As this was a continuous S/N string started by the first issue pistols, approximately 58,800+ guns were produced with commercial number placements suggesting either a scrap rate or an initial contract extension (option-to-buy) of about 8,800+ guns before DWM switched to Military number placement. Also DWM waited to 1912 to start S/N's over @ #1 at the beginning of the year as Erfurt had been doing since inception. Walter states on Pgs. 30-31 of TLB a second contact of 25,000 pistols would have had to have been placed to match DWM's Sales reports. Sales vs Assembly vs Delivery..an interesting study.
* While I've misplaced the source, I recall reading DWM transferred assembly from Charlottenburg to Berlin-Witenau in 1916 (I think). I've mused over this being related to Erfurt's missing 1915 chamber dated assembly production and the appearance @ DWM of Erfurt proofed barrels after 1916. My rationalization includes Erfurt increasing piece part production (instead of 1915 assemblies) of LP.08 barrels, standard 4" barrels, and likely other completed detail components which DWM assembled during this war time plant transition.
* Cranial insight & Wag meter has run out for now. Trust this adds to the thread's discussion.
Respectfully,
Bob