pre-WW1?

ebevers · 11-26-2002, 06:15 PM

I just inherited a Luger--DWM, no other marks on top. lazy Crown/N on side of receiver and one on the underside of the barrel; S/N 2436 with a script "r" underneath; all matching, wooden base magazine (not matching), 3 7/8" barrel, geladen on left side of extractor, GESICHERT on thumb safety, no grip safety, stock lug present. I'm new to lugers, but dying to shoot it. Maybe 30% strawing visible, some rust on the grip, top of gun most bluing is good. What do I have? Thanks for any help! mailto:ebevers@oriok.netebevers@oriok.net</a>

kidvett · 11-26-2002, 06:22 PM

Hello,

In 7.65mm I guess...A 1920 COMMERCIAL...

PICS are always appreciated!

kidvett

lugerholsterrepair · 11-26-2002, 08:37 PM

Ebeavers, I agree with Kidvett. Probably a .30 Luger cal. Would be unusual to be 9MM. Congratulations on your inheritance, I prefer the .30 Luger to the 9MM . Shoots really nice but expensive unless you reload. Jerry Burney

Dwight Gruber · 11-26-2002, 09:15 PM

In the revised designation system, as explicated by Still in Weimar Lugers, this is an Alphabet Commercial. It will be crucial to know the calibre of the gun. The 3-3/4" lengths were manufactured in .30 Luger, but Still notes that a small number of the r block guns were manufactured with 4" barrels in 9mm, for military or police use. This would be a fairly uncommon Luger.

Pictures would be very useful here. If you determine that the gun is 9mm, do a search thrugh the forum on "sear safety" and "magazine safety" and see if it has either of those.

According to Still, the DWM Alphabet Commercial r block guns were manufactured in 1928, nearly at the end of true DWM manufacture--BKIW, the company's successor, took over production in the s block.

Congratulations on owning a very interesting Luger.

--Dwight

ebevers · 12-02-2002, 12:01 AM

Thanks for the responses. Since my first posting I have discovered that this must have been owned by a near-sighted person--two of the parts have "56" rather than "36" stamped on them! Also no numbers on the firing pin--how many parts should have matching numbers?

I also know that it must be a 7.65 mm because nothing else seems to fit. Can 7.65 ammo be had reasonably easy and cheap? There are letters stamped on the parts in various places as well. Any insight on the letter stampings?

Dwight Gruber · 12-02-2002, 12:45 AM

The firing pin should have the last two numerals of the serial number. Here's the list:

Frame, full serial number with suffix
Under barrel, full serial number with or without suffix
Left side of the receiver, full serial number without suffix.

All the following parts have the last two numerals:

Firing pin
Extractor
Sear bar
Breechblock
Front toggle link
Rear toggle link
Locking bolt (takedown lever)
Side plate
Trigger
Safety lever
Safety bar
Hold-open latch
Grips (inside)

Note, that the rear toggle pin was not serial-numbered until 1932, and would not be proper for your gun.

There were two "styles" of serial number marking, Commercial style and Military style. In commercial style some of the numbers, noteably the side-plate and locking bolt, were stamped underneath in a way which did not affect the surface look of the gun--military serial numbers were stamped on the visible suraces. If your mismatched parts are stamped highly visibly they likely come from military guns.

The letters stamped in various places are workers' stamps. I have never come across a source which explains them in detail.

Commercial 7.65mm--.30 Luger--ammunition is not easy to find, and is not cheap. Also, it may be too underpowered to make your Luger function properly. Do a search on .30 ammunition, there have been a number of discussions on the forum which have dealt with this topic pretty thoroughly.

--Dwight

11-26-2002, 06:15 PM	#1
ebevers New User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	pre-WW1? I just inherited a Luger--DWM, no other marks on top. lazy Crown/N on side of receiver and one on the underside of the barrel; S/N 2436 with a script "r" underneath; all matching, wooden base magazine (not matching), 3 7/8" barrel, geladen on left side of extractor, GESICHERT on thumb safety, no grip safety, stock lug present. I'm new to lugers, but dying to shoot it. Maybe 30% strawing visible, some rust on the grip, top of gun most bluing is good. What do I have? Thanks for any help! mailto:ebevers@oriok.netebevers@oriok.net</a>

11-26-2002, 08:37 PM	#3
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,761 Thanks: 4,863 Thanked 3,101 Times in 1,427 Posts	Ebeavers, I agree with Kidvett. Probably a .30 Luger cal. Would be unusual to be 9MM. Congratulations on your inheritance, I prefer the .30 Luger to the 9MM . Shoots really nice but expensive unless you reload. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

11-26-2002, 06:22 PM	#2
kidvett User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 584 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Hello, In 7.65mm I guess...A 1920 COMMERCIAL... PICS are always appreciated! kidvett

11-26-2002, 09:15 PM	#4
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,890 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,282 Times in 424 Posts	In the revised designation system, as explicated by Still in Weimar Lugers, this is an Alphabet Commercial. It will be crucial to know the calibre of the gun. The 3-3/4" lengths were manufactured in .30 Luger, but Still notes that a small number of the r block guns were manufactured with 4" barrels in 9mm, for military or police use. This would be a fairly uncommon Luger. Pictures would be very useful here. If you determine that the gun is 9mm, do a search thrugh the forum on "sear safety" and "magazine safety" and see if it has either of those. According to Still, the DWM Alphabet Commercial r block guns were manufactured in 1928, nearly at the end of true DWM manufacture--BKIW, the company's successor, took over production in the s block. Congratulations on owning a very interesting Luger. --Dwight

12-02-2002, 12:01 AM	#5
ebevers New User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the responses. Since my first posting I have discovered that this must have been owned by a near-sighted person--two of the parts have "56" rather than "36" stamped on them! Also no numbers on the firing pin--how many parts should have matching numbers? I also know that it must be a 7.65 mm because nothing else seems to fit. Can 7.65 ammo be had reasonably easy and cheap? There are letters stamped on the parts in various places as well. Any insight on the letter stampings?

12-02-2002, 12:45 AM	#6
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,890 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,282 Times in 424 Posts	The firing pin should have the last two numerals of the serial number. Here's the list: Frame, full serial number with suffix Under barrel, full serial number with or without suffix Left side of the receiver, full serial number without suffix. All the following parts have the last two numerals: Firing pin Extractor Sear bar Breechblock Front toggle link Rear toggle link Locking bolt (takedown lever) Side plate Trigger Safety lever Safety bar Hold-open latch Grips (inside) Note, that the rear toggle pin was not serial-numbered until 1932, and would not be proper for your gun. There were two "styles" of serial number marking, Commercial style and Military style. In commercial style some of the numbers, noteably the side-plate and locking bolt, were stamped underneath in a way which did not affect the surface look of the gun--military serial numbers were stamped on the visible suraces. If your mismatched parts are stamped highly visibly they likely come from military guns. The letters stamped in various places are workers' stamps. I have never come across a source which explains them in detail. Commercial 7.65mm--.30 Luger--ammunition is not easy to find, and is not cheap. Also, it may be too underpowered to make your Luger function properly. Do a search on .30 ammunition, there have been a number of discussions on the forum which have dealt with this topic pretty thoroughly. --Dwight