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

Go Back   LugerForum Discussion Forums > Luger Discussion Forums > All Post-WWII Lugers

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Unread 03-09-2020, 06:00 PM   #1
Mauser9x57
User
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Eastern Washington State
Posts: 15
Thanks: 27
Thanked 11 Times in 2 Posts
Default Post war Mauser frames made in Italy?

I have wanted to ask someone knowledgeable about this for years. I clearly remember years ago seeing a magazine article or perhaps Gun Digest article about an Italian firearms manufacturer. While there the author photographed newly produced Luger frames in racks. He had no information about them but surmised they were for the Mauser Lugers then being produced. Apparently his Italian hosts didn't tell him anything about them.
So is this possible, or was he wrong. A photograph of the racks of frames was in the article. Any other "old codger" remember this article?
I remember when the Mausers first arrived. A good friend drove me a few miles to a hardware store to show me one. I was so surprised they were being produced and disappointed too that the grip frame was "not right". I had two DWM's at that time but had never seen a Swiss 29.
Mauser9x57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-09-2020, 06:48 PM   #2
Vlim
Moderator
Lifetime
LugerForum Patron
 
Vlim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Europe
Posts: 5,015
Thanks: 1,014
Thanked 3,809 Times in 1,171 Posts
Default

Nope. Mauser machined the frames themselves.

Only HSc barrels and Parabellum and HSc grip blanks were made in Italy.

The only company I can think of is Renato Gamba, but their contract lugers were made in Oberndorf. They did make a HSc version though.
Vlim is offline   Reply With Quote
The following member says Thank You to Vlim for your post:
Unread 03-10-2020, 09:05 AM   #3
Mauser9x57
User
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Eastern Washington State
Posts: 15
Thanks: 27
Thanked 11 Times in 2 Posts
Default

The question relevant in this discussion is not who machined the frames, but who forged, or less likely, who cast them. Setting up to forge frames would be a huge operation and very expensive. Now I don't know who did what, but I do remember the article and the picture. The Italian company was one of the ones making copies of Colt percussion cap revolvers.
Maybe the frames weren't for Mauser. Perhaps the Italian company was planning to introduce their own Luger copy, or someone else planned to and they were just producing the frames. Anyway it was a long time ago and maybe I will never know.
Mauser9x57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-10-2020, 09:18 AM   #4
Vlim
Moderator
Lifetime
LugerForum Patron
 
Vlim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Europe
Posts: 5,015
Thanks: 1,014
Thanked 3,809 Times in 1,171 Posts
Default

Mauser frames were machined from forgings. By Mauser. Not anywhere else.

The entire Mauser Parabellum production was organized within the Quandt group. All suppliers to Mauser (except for grip blanks) were associated with Mauser. This included IWK, NWM, MFT, Mauser Messzeug.

The frame manufacturing process is very well documented, so there is no doubt at all that Mauser did not use Italian made frames.

Perhaps they made parts for non firing replicas or for Erma lugers.
Vlim is offline   Reply With Quote
The following 3 members says Thank You to Vlim for your post:
Unread 03-10-2020, 03:26 PM   #5
rhuff
Patron
LugerForum
Patron
 
rhuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Az.
Posts: 2,269
Thanks: 2,678
Thanked 956 Times in 702 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlim View Post

Perhaps they made parts for Erma lugers.


This was my first thought.
__________________
Need DWM breechblock #21
rhuff is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-10-2020, 03:34 PM   #6
sheepherder
Lifer
Lifetime Forum
Patron
 
sheepherder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal...
Posts: 8,180
Thanks: 1,394
Thanked 4,438 Times in 2,327 Posts
Default

This thread struck a chord with me also...Google produced this listing with a further explanation...

https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/th...luger.1767428/

Gerben also commented on a post in Still's forum about the Gamba Luger (in 2016)...

https://luger.gunboards.com/showthre...ser-circa-1975
__________________
I like my coffee the
way I like my women...
...Cold and bitter...
sheepherder is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-10-2020, 04:20 PM   #7
Mauser9x57
User
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Eastern Washington State
Posts: 15
Thanks: 27
Thanked 11 Times in 2 Posts
Default

No offense to the Italians, but I'm glad my Mauser isn't a mongrel. I call myself a German firearm collector after all. Thank you. Since you couldn't see much more than the grip of the frames in the racks, Erma could be it.
Mauser9x57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-16-2020, 11:44 AM   #8
ithacaartist
Twice a Lifer
Lifetime Forum
Patron
 
ithacaartist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY
Posts: 3,276
Thanks: 6,952
Thanked 2,461 Times in 1,315 Posts
Default

Holger Schlemeier's book about Erma's history, models produced, etc. would likely answer the question of whether frames were made elsewhere. As far as I know, the book has been printed in its original German, and I'm waiting for the English version which was slated to follow.

I'm skeptical that this ever happened. The series produced at that time would have been the KGP pistols, in two models and three calibers. These departed from the earlier Erma Luger-styled guns in that only the grip frames and triggers were cast Zamak, while the predecessors were built entirely of zinc alloy castings, save the barrel liners, breech blocks, and internals. The later guns were also scaled down, compared to the early ones that mimicked the dimensions and weight of real Lugers.

If someone can come up with the pics from the aforementioned article, and if they're detailed enough, we might be able to identify them as Erma or not.
__________________
"... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894
ithacaartist 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 05:25 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2023, Lugerforum.com