1./A.R.1.40 any info on this unit please

[olearyjms2]

Hi

My Luger is unit marked for the 1st field artillery reg battery 1 weapon 40. However I cannot find any real background on this unit. It would be great to understand where my Luger has been and may have been involved in

Any help with this would go greatly appreciated

Regards James

[Ron Smith]

James,

Your Luger is marked to the post WWI Reichswehr 1st Battery / Artillery Regt 1 weapon 40. circa 1921.
It was part of the Reichswehr 1st Infantry Div. It was stationed a Königsberg . One of three Artillery Regiments deployed on the Eastern Frontier against the Polish Army. Equiped with either 77mm field guns , or 105mm light field howitzers.

In the early to mid 1920's Poland, and Czechoslovakia supported by Russia conducted assaults against the Eastern Border of Germany in an attempt to retake territories captured by Germany during the war, which Germany was allowed to retain by the Treaty after WWI.

August 1939 it was reorganized into the 37th Heavy Artillery Regt. and was deployed during the invasion of France. In 1944 it was again reorganized into the 121st Artillery Regt.

Ron

[olearyjms2]

Wow. Realy interesting stuff. Thank you for sharing that. The pistol is dated 1917 and property stamped 1920. Would it have been used in ww2? Markings are purely ww1 across the pistol. There is an x stamped on the inside of the wood grips only visible when you remove the grips. Thats the only marking i cant tie down to ww1

James

[Ron Smith]

James, Yes it would have been used in WWI and WWII. Your Luger has a rich history. Can't help you with the X on the grip. Inspector's mark possibly?

Ron

[sheepherder]

Um...Would it be possible to post some pics of the markings & the pistol???

[olearyjms2]

Thought x may have been a russian capture mark? Watch this space ill post pics as soon as i can

James

[olearyjms2]

Here are some pics of the pistol,

[olearyjms2]

and the "x"...

[sheepherder]

Ron (or Don) -

(Or Norm etc)

What is that smaller number/letter up by the trigger guard??? I don't think I've ever seen anything there before...

[Ron Smith]

Rich,

That's the provisional unit mark applied prior to the final or official unit mark. 1st Regt. weapon 40.

James,

It started out as an Artillery Luger in 1917. Note the Artillery sight notch in the chamber. It was re-barreled, or assembled from parts on hand and reissued after WWI. A very nice example of a Reichswehr Luger. The Russian capture "X" would be a large and crude X stamped into the receiver. On the grip, it would be a routine inspection mark.

Russian captures and/or East German VoPos are usually mismatched and often have force matched crudely applied numbers.

Ron

[olearyjms2]

Thanks so much for the info. The sear bar is force match with an electro pencil and the bolt assembly is from a bulgarian 1908 contract luger. I dont think it was a east german police luger. Would it not be marked acordingly? Other than that all numbers are non forced and 100% matchi ng.

James

[Ron Smith]

James,

In that case, it is a VoPo or RC. Still has a nice Reichswehr unit mark. VoPos are coming into their own collectable catagory. Their value has been rising fairly rapidly also. I know of at least one high end collector who is grabbing them up while still at affordable prices.

Ron

[olearyjms2]

Thanks ron. Would u say my luger is a keeper or somthing thats quite common. It seems to have a lot of history and its in realy good condition. I suppose im asking if its considered a collectable/ investment or just another luger?

James

[olearyjms2]

I took a pic of previously mentioned parts, for referance

[Ron Smith]

James,

I would definitly classify it as a lower end collectable. Russian Captures and VoPos are drying up. You don't see them for sale as often, and the prices are gaining. I bought my first VoPo for $250, 2 years later I sold it for nearly $700. Today it would bring close to $900- $1000.

Here's some additional info on the 121st Artillery Regt. The last sentence confirms that your Luger was most probably captured by the Russians around Kalingrad.



The 121st Artillery Regt was part of the XXVIII Army Corps

121st Infantry Div. under Major-General Helmuth Priess

405th Infantry Regiment, 407th Infantry Regiment, 408th

Infantry Regiment, 121st Artillery Regiment

The corps was created on May 20, 1940 in Wehrkreis (Military Region) III. During the war, the corps was subordinated to the German 6th, 16th, 18th, and 3rd Panzer Armies. In 1945, the corps was briefly named Armeeabteilung Samland (Corps Task Force Samland). The corps fought in Samland until annihilated in late April 1945.

Samland is a peninsula in the Kalingrad Oblast of Russia, on the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea

[olearyjms2]

So it was indeed a Russian capture. Does that rule out being a VoPo?

I realy thank you for sheding so much light on all this Ron, it adds to the buzz of collecting when like minded individuals come together to share knowlage for no personal gain. And so interesting too!

James

[Ron Smith]

James,

IMO, the electro-penciled number would indicate a VoPo. All VoPos were Russian Captured, and then distrubuted to the East German police, who inturn, mixed and force matched parts.

A VoPos, for a lack of a better disciption, are re-worked Russian Captures.

Your Luger was WWI issue, Reichswehr issue, Wermacht issue serving on the Eastern Front, captured by the Russians, and re-issued to the East Germans. Quite a history, for bits of steel and wood.

Ron

[olearyjms2]

Ron,

Ive given my grips a refurb and it appiers that ive found a nazi inspection stamp, physicly prooving WW2 issue. About 3CM above this mark is the number "42" stamped into the wood. Let me know what you think. It seems that the 1st pic is the original grip from WW1 and the right hand side (attached) was WW2 issued

Regards, James

[olearyjms2]

Found a VoPo marking...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Ron Smith

All VoPos were Russian Captured, and then distrubuted to the East German police, who inturn, mixed and force matched parts.

James -

Do not underestimate the East German 'Police'. In the Cold War years, following WW II, the East Germans were using their 'barrack police' as the nucleus of their new army. The 'Police' had tanks and MiG jet fighters. They were one of the reasons the Cold War was so intense. If the USSR had ever decided to engulf Europe, the East German 'Police' would have been an integral part of their shock army. IIRC, East German pilots even flew & fought in some of the insurrections in Africa in the 50's & 60's as 'advisors'...

I don't have Don Maus' book, but I would be interested in knowing just what East German 'Police' units were armed with Lugers...