DWM Unit Marked

coverk · 12-07-2011, 01:18 PM

I originally posted this in the New Collectors forum but since it is unit marked I will repost here with photos.

I picked up a DWM 9mm Luger at a gun show this weekend. It has 1920 over the chamber. Is this a property mark or date of manufacture? Serial #1508 n. It is all matching except for the Side Plate. I am not sure about the grips and the mag is a blued wood bottom with no markings but it is a period mag.

It was reblued but all corners and edges are still very sharp so it was a good reblue job. It has a sear safety and had a mag safety but that has been removed. It is unit marked. I assume a police unit.

All parts that should be strawed are blued also. Can I have comments about weather you would strip the blue and re straw the parts or leave it alone.

Also if I were able to find an 08 side plate would I be better to leave the sear safety or remove it.

By the way I paid $495 so I think I did okay

Arizona Slim · 12-07-2011, 02:02 PM

You have a great looking Luger there Ken and at an excellent price, congratulations. Lon

John Sabato · 12-07-2011, 02:25 PM

A good gun, at a good price. Definitely a Police gun.

Strawing the parts normally strawed would be a personal preferance issue. It will not increase the value of the gun, and regardless of quality of the reblue, it's collector value is permanently reduced. The blue is also a hot-salt blue and not rust-blue... another distinction from the original qualities.

Replacing the sideplate with a correctly numbered one would still not make it "all matching" because the replacement part didn't leave the factory with the pistol.

Enjoy it for what it is, IMHO,... A GREAT shooter.

Don M · 12-07-2011, 02:40 PM

Ken, even though the gun has been refinished, you did more than OK!

The chamber number 1920 is the year of manufacture. Yours is one of a series manufactured in 1920 with the suffix "n." This suffix puzzles collectors as the other Lugers manufactured by DWM in 1920 have no suffix or the letters "a" or "b." The "n" is out of sequence and no one knows why.

The grips (at least the left one) are probably replacements. If they were original, I would expect to see a notch out of the upper left corner of the left grip for the mag safety.

The grip strap marking is from the Schutzpolizei of the Breslau administrative district, specifically the command stationed in Waldenburg (HWIS, p. 161).

Can you tell me whether the inscriptions below the eagles on the right side of the receiver are ArA4 or WaA4?

coverk · 12-07-2011, 02:47 PM

Thanks for your quick response.

I will need to put the eagles under magnification to answer your question. These marks are now faint so I am not sure that I can tell.

I will post the answer when I get home later this evening.

coverk · 12-07-2011, 09:47 PM

At first I thought it was WaA4 but after I looked at it again I believe it is ArA4.

12-07-2011, 02:25 PM	#3
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	A good gun, at a good price. Definitely a Police gun. Strawing the parts normally strawed would be a personal preferance issue. It will not increase the value of the gun, and regardless of quality of the reblue, it's collector value is permanently reduced. The blue is also a hot-salt blue and not rust-blue... another distinction from the original qualities. Replacing the sideplate with a correctly numbered one would still not make it "all matching" because the replacement part didn't leave the factory with the pistol. Enjoy it for what it is, IMHO,... A GREAT shooter. __________________ 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..."*

12-07-2011, 02:40 PM	#4
Don M Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,429 Thanks: 67 Thanked 292 Times in 191 Posts	Ken, even though the gun has been refinished, you did more than OK! The chamber number 1920 is the year of manufacture. Yours is one of a series manufactured in 1920 with the suffix "n." This suffix puzzles collectors as the other Lugers manufactured by DWM in 1920 have no suffix or the letters "a" or "b." The "n" is out of sequence and no one knows why. The grips (at least the left one) are probably replacements. If they were original, I would expect to see a notch out of the upper left corner of the left grip for the mag safety. The grip strap marking is from the Schutzpolizei of the Breslau administrative district, specifically the command stationed in Waldenburg (HWIS, p. 161). Can you tell me whether the inscriptions below the eagles on the right side of the receiver are ArA4 or WaA4? __________________ Regards, Don donmaus1@aol.com Author of History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings 1900-1936 http://www.historywritinsteel.com

12-07-2011, 02:47 PM	#5
coverk User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 34 Thanks: 4 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	DWM Unit Marked Thanks for your quick response. I will need to put the eagles under magnification to answer your question. These marks are now faint so I am not sure that I can tell. I will post the answer when I get home later this evening.

12-07-2011, 09:47 PM	#6
coverk User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 34 Thanks: 4 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	DWM Unit Marked At first I thought it was WaA4 but after I looked at it again I believe it is ArA4. Last edited by coverk; 12-08-2011 at 12:54 PM.

12-07-2011, 01:18 PM	#1
coverk User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 34 Thanks: 4 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	DWM Unit Marked I originally posted this in the New Collectors forum but since it is unit marked I will repost here with photos. I picked up a DWM 9mm Luger at a gun show this weekend. It has 1920 over the chamber. Is this a property mark or date of manufacture? Serial #1508 n. It is all matching except for the Side Plate. I am not sure about the grips and the mag is a blued wood bottom with no markings but it is a period mag. It was reblued but all corners and edges are still very sharp so it was a good reblue job. It has a sear safety and had a mag safety but that has been removed. It is unit marked. I assume a police unit. All parts that should be strawed are blued also. Can I have comments about weather you would strip the blue and re straw the parts or leave it alone. Also if I were able to find an 08 side plate would I be better to leave the sear safety or remove it. By the way I paid $495 so I think I did okay Attached Thumbnails

12-07-2011, 02:02 PM	#2
Arizona Slim Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 706 Thanks: 1,026 Thanked 409 Times in 225 Posts	You have a great looking Luger there Ken and at an excellent price, congratulations. Lon