What Is the Mfg Date

W · 07-04-2003, 01:58 PM

I have a family Luger. It belonged to my Grandfather. It's not for sale and I do not need to know its value. I want to know the date of manufacture. It is caliber 7.65, there is no stamped date, there is a DWM on the toggle, there is a Crown over 'N', and a 'i'. The Serial Number is 9525. A review of other post indicates this is not a military pistol.

Thank you

WGWiles

Dwight Gruber · 07-04-2003, 03:23 PM

WG,

Note the placement of the i. If it is directly beneath the serial number on the frame (I'm presuming here that it is) it is actually part of the serial number, i.e. 9525i. This would place your family Luger at the beginning of what is now referred to as the Alphabet Commercial variation, and it would have been manufactured near the end of 1921.

If your Luger is numbered as described above, the i is known as the serial number's letter suffix. Millions of Lugers were produced over 50 years' time, and it is possible to have several guns with the same serial number. For the purposes of insurance, or other identification purposes, you should always identify your Luger with the serial number suffix, and also include information of caliber, barrel length (note, your barrel is probably 3 3/4", not 4"), notable markings (the Crown/N and DWM are good ones) and whether or not there is a chamber date.

Congratulations on owning a Luger, particularly one which has been in your family for three generations.

--Dwight

07-04-2003, 01:58 PM	#1
W New User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: MS Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	What Is the Mfg Date I have a family Luger. It belonged to my Grandfather. It's not for sale and I do not need to know its value. I want to know the date of manufacture. It is caliber 7.65, there is no stamped date, there is a DWM on the toggle, there is a Crown over 'N', and a 'i'. The Serial Number is 9525. A review of other post indicates this is not a military pistol. Thank you WGWiles

07-04-2003, 03:23 PM	#2
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,890 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,282 Times in 424 Posts	WG, Note the placement of the i. If it is directly beneath the serial number on the frame (I'm presuming here that it is) it is actually part of the serial number, i.e. 9525i. This would place your family Luger at the beginning of what is now referred to as the Alphabet Commercial variation, and it would have been manufactured near the end of 1921. If your Luger is numbered as described above, the i is known as the serial number's letter suffix. Millions of Lugers were produced over 50 years' time, and it is possible to have several guns with the same serial number. For the purposes of insurance, or other identification purposes, you should always identify your Luger with the serial number suffix, and also include information of caliber, barrel length (note, your barrel is probably 3 3/4", not 4"), notable markings (the Crown/N and DWM are good ones) and whether or not there is a chamber date. Congratulations on owning a Luger, particularly one which has been in your family for three generations. --Dwight