LugerForum Discussion Forums my profile | register | faq | search
upload photo | donate | calendar

Go Back   LugerForum Discussion Forums > Luger Discussion Forums > Swiss Lugers

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Unread 05-08-2022, 12:05 PM   #1
jeb111
Patron
LugerForum
Patron
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: wyoming
Posts: 277
Thanks: 712
Thanked 331 Times in 133 Posts
Default serial number placement

I have been looking at quite a few Swiss lugers, mostly 1906 DWM, and was wondering about the serial # placement. I know that they were put on in the commercial style but if the DWM Lugers were assembled by the Swiss were they as meticulous in marking all the parts as if they were assembled in the DWM factory? I have seen many small parts that are missing numbers especially the take down lever and safety lever.

Jim
jeb111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05-08-2022, 12:15 PM   #2
Doubs
User
 
Doubs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Byron, Georgia
Posts: 1,696
Thanks: 792
Thanked 1,679 Times in 552 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jeb111 View Post
I have been looking at quite a few Swiss lugers, mostly 1906 DWM, and was wondering about the serial # placement. I know that they were put on in the commercial style but if the DWM Lugers were assembled by the Swiss were they as meticulous in marking all the parts as if they were assembled in the DWM factory? I have seen many small parts that are missing numbers especially the take down lever and safety lever.
Jim
I have a 1906 Swiss that was sent to Switzerland as a parts set and assembled by W+F in Bern in 1910. There are two distinct differences between DWM commercial serial numbering and my 1906 Swiss. First, the rear toggle has the last three digits of the serial number as opposed to only two used by DWM. The second difference is that the locking bolt is not numbered whereas DWM did on their commercial Lugers.

There are others much more familiar with Swiss Lugers than I and they may add to what I've pointed out.



Doubs is offline   Reply With Quote
The following 5 members says Thank You to Doubs for your post:
Unread 05-08-2022, 01:21 PM   #3
Edward Tinker
Super Moderator
Eternal Lifer
LugerForum
Patron
 
Edward Tinker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: North of Spokane, WA
Posts: 15,931
Thanks: 2,031
Thanked 4,527 Times in 2,090 Posts
Default

I know of 2 swiss books - the one that is more of a picture book and only captions are in english ??
And then Datigs monograph?

Are there others?
Edward Tinker is offline   Reply With Quote
The following member says Thank You to Edward Tinker for your post:
Unread 05-09-2022, 11:11 AM   #4
mrerick
Super Moderator - Patron
LugerForum
Life Patron
 
mrerick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA
Posts: 3,909
Thanks: 1,374
Thanked 3,110 Times in 1,510 Posts
Default

Vittorio Bobba's book on Swiss Lugers is heavily illustrated, and written in Italian and English. The contents are fully translated. it is thorough as of it's publication.

Datig's is more abbreviated and more of a monograph in paperback.
__________________
Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum -
- Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.
mrerick is offline   Reply With Quote
The following 2 members says Thank You to mrerick for your post:
Unread 05-09-2022, 12:26 PM   #5
Mac Cat
Lifer
Lifetime Forum
Patron
 
Mac Cat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 725
Thanks: 2,090
Thanked 606 Times in 327 Posts
Default

PARABELLUM by Vittoria Bobba (1996) is a beautiful reference book, but hard to find.

The other one is The Swiss Variations (1897-1947) by Fred A Datig (1955,1958,1992- paperback). I have a spare copy if you are interested.

There is a copy on Amazon.com right now for $25.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Swiss Variations Datig.jpg
Views:	910
Size:	130.6 KB
ID:	85232  

Attached Images
 
Mac Cat is offline   Reply With Quote
The following 2 members says Thank You to Mac Cat for your post:
Unread 05-09-2022, 01:37 PM   #6
Edward Tinker
Super Moderator
Eternal Lifer
LugerForum
Patron
 
Edward Tinker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: North of Spokane, WA
Posts: 15,931
Thanks: 2,031
Thanked 4,527 Times in 2,090 Posts
Default

What I was kinda hinting at what, there are two books out there.

Because I do not know the answer to what you are asking...
Edward Tinker is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05-09-2022, 02:10 PM   #7
Vlim
Moderator
Lifetime
LugerForum Patron
 
Vlim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Europe
Posts: 5,053
Thanks: 1,036
Thanked 3,988 Times in 1,205 Posts
Default

The last 2 digits of the serial number were applied to identify which bits belong to which pistol. Initially, at DWM, a lot of hand fitting was needed to get anything to work smoothly.

Later on, with improved production techniques, the need to number parts to the guns was no longer required, because those parts did not require hand fitting.

In the 1970s, Mauser only had to keep the barrel/receiver and the frame together (numbered), the rest of the parts would just interchange without issues. So no small parts got numbers at all.

So the numbering is not a sign of meticulous quality. It is a sign of bad quality
Vlim is offline   Reply With Quote
The following 7 members says Thank You to Vlim for your post:
Unread 05-10-2022, 03:58 PM   #8
jeb111
Patron
LugerForum
Patron
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: wyoming
Posts: 277
Thanks: 712
Thanked 331 Times in 133 Posts
Default

Thanks for the response everyone. I guess really my question was when DWM sent the parts to WF for assembly of their 1906 pistol those parts hand fitted so did the Swiss number them all as would have been done at DWM. I've seen many like the one Doubs posted with occasional parts not numbered so am led to believe that W+F didn't number their parts as much as DWM. I will hunt for the book Mac Cat recommended "Parabellum" by Bobba, sounds interesting.

Jim
jeb111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2024, Lugerforum.com