my profile |
register |
faq |
search upload photo | donate | calendar |
|
04-08-2019, 09:46 AM | #1 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
Questions about a 1929 Swiss Military
Learned gentlemen, here are my questions. I have a beautiful 1929 Swiss Military Lüger and I have found all the necessary references to identify it in Aaron Davis's book "The Standard Catalog of Lüger", page 157. Number fits.
But there are 4 discrepancies: What is the mark on the back of the receiver? Is the mark Left Front that of colonel Muhlemann? Why a "P" on the front of the receiver? Why a U notch when all the litterature tells of a V notch? I am relying on your exoertise to enlighten me. Those questions aside, it shoots beautifully and has a trigger of almost Benchrest quality. Thank you in advance. |
04-08-2019, 11:45 AM | #2 |
Twice a Lifer
Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY
Posts: 3,327
Thanks: 7,215
Thanked 2,544 Times in 1,352 Posts
|
I can give you a start, Phillipe.
The P is stamped on pistols that were decommissioned from the military and made available for Public sale. The U notch strikes me as something the Swiss may have done to improve the traditional, crappy sight picture, IIRC.
__________________
"... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894 |
04-08-2019, 12:19 PM | #3 |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Home base UK, but spend a lot of time overseas working.
Posts: 125
Thanks: 62
Thanked 158 Times in 49 Posts
|
Phillipe,
I can add a little more information from my own research following my purchase of a deactivated 1906/29 Swiss Luger a few years ago. The mark on the rear of the receiver is the 'Waffenfabrik' Bern marking. The ‘M under cross’ is the proof of proof of Maj. Mühlemann, who was the factory inspector between 1913 and 1941. I read that if a soldier elected to keep his firearm upon his retirement, before the weapon was released by the Swiss Military they were refurbished by the factory and stamped “P”, which on my example is stamped on the right-hand side of the frame. The frame well of the 1906/29 were also stamped with the date of manufacture, month and year (two digits: MM.YY) on military and private sale pistols up to 1943. |
The following member says Thank You to rpbcps for your post: |
04-08-2019, 12:43 PM | #4 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
Thanks to both of you; I had an inkling about the P and Muhlemann but I didn't know about the Waffenfabrik mark. I haven't found theMM/YY yet but will look for it.
|
04-08-2019, 12:54 PM | #5 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
Found it, I presume: 46 1 which I think means January 1946? But it doesn't tally with your 1943 observation so I may be mistaken...
|
04-08-2019, 01:49 PM | #6 | |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Home base UK, but spend a lot of time overseas working.
Posts: 125
Thanks: 62
Thanked 158 Times in 49 Posts
|
Quote:
I have found with my other passion, Thompson Submachine guns, that a lot of the earlier books written on the subject contain some inaccurate information, which later books on the subject have corrected. |
|
The following member says Thank You to rpbcps for your post: |
04-08-2019, 01:54 PM | #7 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
I quite agree and those figures may refer to something else: I only had a quick look and found them on the underside of the slide stamped on a square piece of metal roughly under the beginning of the chamber.
|
04-08-2019, 05:26 PM | #8 |
Super Moderator - Patron
LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA
Posts: 3,907
Thanks: 1,374
Thanked 3,108 Times in 1,509 Posts
|
When you get a chance, take the receiver/cannon assembly off the frame, and push the locking bolt lever back into normal position .
You should see the month and year that your Luger was manufactured stamped on the frame right under where the locking bolt rests when it's in the disassembly position. The Swiss are a nation of target shooters, and their handguns and rifles reflect precision and accuracy needed to compete... Marc
__________________
Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war. |
04-09-2019, 02:50 AM | #9 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
"You should see the month and year that your Luger was manufactured stamped on the frame right under where the locking bolt rests when it's in the disassembly position. "
Thanks Marc; I just did that and can barely see: 11.39 I needed a x12 magnifying glass and strong light to make out the stamped numbers. Again, thanks to all who took the time to answer my query. |
04-09-2019, 05:00 AM | #10 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
By the way, I tried to check the date on my Swiss Military 1906 but to no avail. #5281. I couldn't see a trace of a date in the area pointed out...
|
04-09-2019, 12:57 PM | #11 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: near Charlotte NC
Posts: 4,681
Thanks: 1,441
Thanked 4,350 Times in 2,040 Posts
|
I believe only Swiss made or re-worked lugers will have the date in the well; your 1906 made by DWM will not have had a date from the factory.
__________________
03man(Don Voigt); Luger student and collector. Looking for DWM side plate: 69 ; Dreyse 1907 pistol K.S. Gendarmerie |
04-09-2019, 01:07 PM | #12 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
That's what I thought. BTW, my #5 post was stupid: those numbers were just the last 3 numbers of the serial numbers: nothing to do with the dates; I am no specialist, just an amateur. I should have re-read a couple of French magazines and would have found there the answers to 2 of my questions: the Waffenfabrik mark and the U notch.
Again, thanks for all the help! |
04-10-2019, 09:37 AM | #13 |
User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy
Posts: 2,646
Thanks: 1,082
Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts
|
I would advise you to buy "Parabellum. Storia e tecnica delle Luger svizzere- A technical history of Swiss Lugers" by Vittorio Bobba.
__________________
"Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list. |
04-10-2019, 09:47 AM | #14 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Cannes, France
Posts: 32
Thanks: 20
Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
Yes indeed! I have looked it up but quite pricy. I am leaving for Italy tomorrow for a competition and will check with my Italian friends.
|
04-10-2019, 06:50 PM | #15 |
Super Moderator - Patron
LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA
Posts: 3,907
Thanks: 1,374
Thanked 3,108 Times in 1,509 Posts
|
Up until a couple of years ago, those were available new at reasonable prices from an online dealer in Italy. Have not looked recently.
__________________
Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war. |
04-11-2019, 10:16 AM | #16 |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302
Posts: 5,089
Thanks: 6
Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts
|
Octo, This time of year I remember my visit to Cannes, just in time for the film festival and races in Monaco. Viva La France, TH
|
The following member says Thank You to Lugerdoc for your post: |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|