Significance of suffix

[Dwight Gruber]

The previously expressed wisdom is good advice.

To answer your original question, though, depending on the period of manufacture the suffix can be found on either commercial or military weapons.

In the Imperial era, Lugers were originally manufactured without suffix; the instruction designating the 9,999 serial number block with suffix was issued in 1910. All German military P-08s after that time were so marked. Some contract Lugers, for foreign forces and destinations, were still numbered in commercial fashion.

Roughly in the middle of 1921 commercial Lugers began to be serial-numbered in the military style, beginning about 2000 in the i suffix block. This carried through into Mauser production of the v block in 1930.

The difference between miitary and commercial Lugers with suffixed serial numbers can be recognized by the presence of the crown/N proof on commercial (and some Police) guns, and various military proofs on military guns.

Material extracted and condensed from Still, "Wewimar Lugers".

--Dwight