What kind of Luger is this?

cokerkbc · 08-23-2004, 12:12 PM

I have just aquired a very nice(98% condition) luger. the top of the chamber says 1921, it is of DWM manufacture, all matching #'s, ser. no. 83XXX with a cursive a, stock lug on backstrap, stamped on frontstrap is O.P.M. 3.1.2., wood checkered grips, magazine with plastic bottom and marked fxo with a eagle and 37 under it. any help would be appreciated.

John Sabato · 08-23-2004, 12:32 PM

Cokerkbc,

Welcome to the Lugerforum...

The marking on the frontstrap of your Luger indicates (Ordungs Polezi Munchen-the Order Police) or basically municipal police in the city of Munich (Muenchen)...

I have several questions... First, are you certain that the serial number is five decimal places? I believe that the serial number sequence for a DWM police gun would probably only have four digits plus the cursive "a".

Second, is there a sear safety or magazine safety on the gun? The sear safety is a spring with a pin that is installed on the flat protrusion above the sear that prevents the sear from being depressed when the sideplate is removed...

The magazine safety worked in the same manner that a mag safety works today... to prevent firing when the magazine is removed... however, most guns under police control had this feature disabled by clipping the mag safety device...

The magazine is a wartime (1940's) production magazine produced by Haenel... it is extruded steel rather than stamped and formed sheet metal... one of the best mags made.

Be extremely careful on removal of the left grip, because it has a tendency to crack off a chip just under the safety lever... the right grip is much more forgiving... Are there any marks stamped into the inside of the grips?

Are there any other accessories, such as additional magazines or holster, etc. ?

Any chance that you could post photos... that would permit a much easier identification. A photo upload and display tutorial is located in the Site Help and Feedback Forum...

Photos needed for a good identificaiton would be closeups of both sides and the top...and also of any proof marks and inspection stamps on the gun.

cokerkbc · 08-23-2004, 12:57 PM

yes, it is a 5 digit number. yes it does have the sear safety also. i'll try to get some pics on here soon. i'll check the grips also

cokerkbc · 08-23-2004, 01:03 PM

there are two stamped "P"'s on the inside of the grips, and there are crown over N proofs on the gun as well. has very nice strawing finish on trigger and on spring on right side of gun

cokerkbc · 08-23-2004, 01:11 PM

btw, no accessories.

Edward Tinker · 08-23-2004, 08:47 PM

Kevin, I would be very interested in pictures, as I have number O.P.M. 274. The O.P.M. ones were discussed a while back;

http://forums.lugerforum.com/cgi-bin...c;f=3;t=000135 <blockquote>quote:<hr />This is an interesting find that I came across. A friend of mine received an e-mail and was told about a Luger, in the discussion he found out that it more than likely was a Weimar Police and he kindly put me in touch with him. Then I "tried" to give him some advice, and he offered me the Luger.

It is a 1921 DWM Commercial, there are several things about it that make me wonder, but it was seemingly "untouched" when I got it. Bore was full of years of grime and the grips had spots of rust under them, although with some freckling and spots of rust that cleaned up nicely.

Here are the oddities of this gun:

It seemingly is a five digit commercial, its numbering is in line with the year (1921), however, and this is something that could be a manufacturing error (?) or is it possible that the gun started as imperial parts and became a "commercial"

The serial number is marked on the left in the commercial fashion and also at the front of the trigger guard. HOWEVER, under the commercial serial number is an "a" and on the barrel it is marked with the last FOUR and a suffix "a".

The toggle pin was broken, but I am not overly worried about that, although it is a shame and it is tight unless you take it out. It did not come out easy and I believe it had not been out for many years.

It has a sear safety but no magazine safety was ever installed. The sear has been stamped with what is believed to be a repair stamping.

In addition to having a sear safety, it is police (unit) marked O.P.M. 274 on the front grip strap, I could not find a correlation in my book for this marking?<hr /></blockquote>Ed

08-23-2004, 12:12 PM	#1
cokerkbc New User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Greenville,SC Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	What kind of Luger is this? I have just aquired a very nice(98% condition) luger. the top of the chamber says 1921, it is of DWM manufacture, all matching #'s, ser. no. 83XXX with a cursive a, stock lug on backstrap, stamped on frontstrap is O.P.M. 3.1.2., wood checkered grips, magazine with plastic bottom and marked fxo with a eagle and 37 under it. any help would be appreciated.

08-23-2004, 12:32 PM	#2
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Cokerkbc, Welcome to the Lugerforum... The marking on the frontstrap of your Luger indicates (Ordungs Polezi Munchen-the Order Police) or basically municipal police in the city of Munich (Muenchen)... I have several questions... First, are you certain that the serial number is five decimal places? I believe that the serial number sequence for a DWM police gun would probably only have four digits plus the cursive "a". Second, is there a sear safety or magazine safety on the gun? The sear safety is a spring with a pin that is installed on the flat protrusion above the sear that prevents the sear from being depressed when the sideplate is removed... The magazine safety worked in the same manner that a mag safety works today... to prevent firing when the magazine is removed... however, most guns under police control had this feature disabled by clipping the mag safety device... The magazine is a wartime (1940's) production magazine produced by Haenel... it is extruded steel rather than stamped and formed sheet metal... one of the best mags made. Be extremely careful on removal of the left grip, because it has a tendency to crack off a chip just under the safety lever... the right grip is much more forgiving... Are there any marks stamped into the inside of the grips? Are there any other accessories, such as additional magazines or holster, etc. ? Any chance that you could post photos... that would permit a much easier identification. A photo upload and display tutorial is located in the Site Help and Feedback Forum... Photos needed for a good identificaiton would be closeups of both sides and the top...and also of any proof marks and inspection stamps on the gun. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

08-23-2004, 08:47 PM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,911 Thanks: 1,987 Thanked 4,502 Times in 2,077 Posts	Kevin, I would be very interested in pictures, as I have number O.P.M. 274. The O.P.M. ones were discussed a while back; http://forums.lugerforum.com/cgi-bin...c;f=3;t=000135 </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">This is an interesting find that I came across. A friend of mine received an e-mail and was told about a Luger, in the discussion he found out that it more than likely was a Weimar Police and he kindly put me in touch with him. Then I "tried" to give him some advice, and he offered me the Luger. It is a 1921 DWM Commercial, there are several things about it that make me wonder, but it was seemingly "untouched" when I got it. Bore was full of years of grime and the grips had spots of rust under them, although with some freckling and spots of rust that cleaned up nicely. Here are the oddities of this gun: It seemingly is a five digit commercial, its numbering is in line with the year (1921), however, and this is something that could be a manufacturing error (?) or is it possible that the gun started as imperial parts and became a "commercial" The serial number is marked on the left in the commercial fashion and also at the front of the trigger guard. HOWEVER, under the commercial serial number is an "a" and on the barrel it is marked with the last FOUR and a suffix "a". The toggle pin was broken, but I am not overly worried about that, although it is a shame and it is tight unless you take it out. It did not come out easy and I believe it had not been out for many years. It has a sear safety but no magazine safety was ever installed. The sear has been stamped with what is believed to be a repair stamping. In addition to having a sear safety, it is police (unit) marked O.P.M. 274 on the front grip strap, I could not find a correlation in my book for this marking?</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

08-23-2004, 12:57 PM	#3
cokerkbc New User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Greenville,SC Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	yes, it is a 5 digit number. yes it does have the sear safety also. i'll try to get some pics on here soon. i'll check the grips also

08-23-2004, 01:03 PM	#4
cokerkbc New User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Greenville,SC Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	there are two stamped "P"'s on the inside of the grips, and there are crown over N proofs on the gun as well. has very nice strawing finish on trigger and on spring on right side of gun

08-23-2004, 01:11 PM	#5
cokerkbc New User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Greenville,SC Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	btw, no accessories.