1920 Commercial Luger?

[airspeed]

Hi,

I purchased what I think is a 1920 Commercial Luger, in 7.65 cal. The luger has all matching numbers, except for the magazine but, no date stamp only the DWM mark, (see photos). I was told that the Luger was military because it had the letter â??aâ?� as a suffix (7596 a) followed by the word Germany, as per photo.

Can any one clear-up my confusion?

airspeed
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/1920_commercial_copy4.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/1920_commercial_copy4.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

[Doubs]

It is a 1920 Commercial Luger manufactured new sometime in the mid-1920's. Jan Still calls these pistols "Alphabet Lugers" because they were undated and while the serial number included a suffix letter, the guns were proofed and the serial numbers placed on the guns in a commercial manner. The pre-war commercial Lugers had a five digit serial number without suffix letter. The finish on your pistol appears to be thin but they are finely-made Lugers and it should be a great shooter. If the finish is at 90% or better, it's a collectable. The 1920 is also the most commonly encountered Luger on the market according to what I've read and seen.

[airspeed]

Doubs,

Thank you for information regarding my new purchase, your comments are helpful too place the Luger in its proper historical time.

Airspeed

[Doubs]

airspeed, I should add that the pre-war commercial Lugers stopped at roughly serial number 75,000 and picked back up there after the war whereupon the five-digit serial number commercials ultimately went to approximately 92,000. At this point they began production of the "Alphabet" commercial Lugers beginning at about 2000i which essentially picks up where the five digit guns left off. (1-10,000 without suffix letters plus 1-10,000 for each letter a-h plus 2000 in "i" equals 92,000 or where the Alphabet Lugers begin production.)

In case that's difficult to follow, normal military serial numbering went thusly: Lugers were made each year (1910, 1911 etc.) in blocks of 10,000 with the first block not having a suffix letter. The second block would be 1-10,000 "a", then 1-10,000 "b" etc. until they reached the end of the year at whatever letter suffix had been attained. Some early years only made it to "b". At the end of each year, the serial number sequence was repeated. Thus, you can have a 1916 DWM serial number 8595c and also a 1916 Erfurt serial number 8595c. That's not to mention the same serial number could be used in 1913, 1914, 1917 & 1918. So, when you record your military Luger's serial number, the maker and year and barrel length are important as some serial numbers were also repeated in a given year for Artillery Lugers.

Finally, where the commercial Alphabet Lugers differ from military pistols besides not having a year date (and having hidden numbers on some parts)is that the serial numbers did not begin over when the end of a year was reached. The 2000i commercial was made in 1923 (IIRC) and the letters ran sequentially into later years (1925, 1926 etc.) without a break.

When Mauser began military production of the Luger, they continued the practice of serial numbering begun by the Alphabet Lugers in that suffix letters continued into each successive year without starting over. In all other respects, military serial numbering by Mauser mirrored previous military practice. i.e., sideplates and locking bolts had the digits on the side and not hidden and military inspection and acceptance stamps were placed on the right receiver wall.

BTW, the word "GERMANY" on the frame indicates manufacture for export to an English-speaking country. This is a practice that dates to long before WW1.

I hope this helps and isn't too confusing.

[airspeed]

Doubs,

There should be rhyme and reason to life and serial numbers for all Lugers, but your knowledgeable explanation for both Alphabet and numbering system for Lugers can leave one questing the sanity of it all.

airspeed