My Friend, Doug Smith

[Steinar]

I would love to see pictures/description on how the electric circuit is done!

Today this is easily achieved with the use of a MOSFET (or simular) switch, or a more fancy solution where the hands capacitance lags an electric pulse enough to trigger the switch.

But how this was done in the 30's, is interesting.. Wikipedia tells me;
'In 1934 German physicist Dr. Oskar Heil patented another field-effect transistor. There is no direct evidence that these devices were built....'
The mass produced bipolar junction transistor didn't come until a while after the war. So if that thingy has some sort of transistor in it, that would VERY interesting! But highly unlikely if it's from the 30's..

There are ways to make this sort of connection without the use of transistors or 'chips', but as an electric power-engineer (I'm not that much into electronic's), I just can't see a good reliable way to do it. I will give it some more thought when I find the time to do so.. perhaps they had some metal threads in their gloves that made a sufficient connection without the use of switches, but gloves would be kinda silly with a Luger..
Thoughts would be appreciated


Interesting piece!

[fg42]

Ron Unfortunately It was not me that took the pictures of this very interesting pistol. Perhaps the person that did will be so kind as to post them here. Bob Benson

[Ron Wood]

Sorry Bob, my memory isn't always as sharp as I would like it to be. I wish it had been you!

[Steinar]

The more I think of it.. the more I lean towards that this is impossible with 1933 technology.
Sorry to say.

[Edward Tinker]

they had metal flashlights since the early 1900's and my look at it, made it appear to be just a nice flashlite attachment. (unless I am mistaken in the uniqueness of this, inwas told it was a flashlite attachment)

I thought I might get at least one comment on my finding of what his personal bodyguards were equiped with. Maybe now my posts are invisible, because the other day, they said thanks to Pete and ignored my posting. Makes ya want to quit throwing in comments


Ed

[Steinar]

Ed:
They didn't have the 'switches' needed in the circuit to make it work, just can't run 6 volts or so trough the skin and light up the flashlight.
I'm not saying it's a fake, can't tell that much from just a couple of pictures.

Btw. your findings where very interesting! They sure carried a lot of ammunition, wonder what name was on the last bullet..

[lugerholsterrepair]

Ed, Thanks! I found your artical to be very interesting reading. In direct relation to this subject.

A fascinating setup for sure. I cannot help but think the brass plates and rod on the grips have some function for the light but like Morgan says...It couldn't transfer that much electrical.
I would like to see the insides.

Jerry Burney

[fgsinc]

Info can be found in Peter Hoffman's book Hitler's Personal Security with reference to lighted pistols used in the security of Adolph Hitler.

Page 120
Page 165
Page 238

Jim Cate, author of volumes I & II of J.P. SAUER & SOHN, SUHL- WAFFENSTADT.

[John Sabato]

Welcome to the Lugerforum Ken...

[MFC]

My guess is that the grip safety completed a curcuit when compressed. Why add a grip safety to a gun that is already very complex. The early Navies were the only models with a grip safety used by the German military... other than this one.
Mike C.

[Steinar]

Given the two criterias;
1. the shooters hand connects a circuit between the two brass plates and turns the light on.
2. the configuration is of pre 1933 origin.

=> it's plausible, but unfortunately I find it unlikely

-Until the 1940s they only had relay's. They could detect as little as 30uA and in theory do the trix. But then they would need many turns and a VERY low tension spring, it would be fragile for the beating during recoil and it had to be made very small.
-From the 1940s until 1960s they could solve it with miniature vacuum tubes. A difficult difficult solution to an easy problem..
-From the 1960 they could use both MOSFET (or simular) and transistors. They would take the recoil beating and be a good reliable solution.
-From the 1970s they could also be detecting the hands capacitance by using a puls generator. This would be the most reliable solution.. one tiny 1.5V watch-battery could detect and switch on the light for about 5 years without being replaced, neat stuff.

As Mike pointed out.. I also believe the grip safety would be the way to go.

Perhaps the brass plates is simply misleading. A few of pictures is really not enough to say anything on how it's made. So i'm not judging the Luger as real or fake, and I'm sure not judging the owner/seller.
It just brought out the curiosity in me, trying to find a way it could be done the way it looks like it's made.
A fascinating Luger it is regardless! As well as the other Lugers on the site refereed to


it's just my two �¸re.