What is an M1920?

unspellable · 06-08-2002, 09:10 PM

A point I have never seen properly addressed is exactly what is an M1920? Here's my take.

At the end of WWI, DWM found them selves with a large stock of pistols not yet delivered to or accepted by the military, plus a lot of parts. Starting in 1920 they started selling this stock off on the commercial market. These pistols were never actually accepted by or delivered to the military and never issued. They were unused and "new" from the factory. This is what I consider to be an M1920.

On the other hand a cottage industry sprang up to refit, refurbish, and generally sell off military owned and perhaps issued pistols on the commercial market. "Military surplus" whether used or not. These I consider military pistols even though they may have been refinished and rebarreled for the civilian market.

Starting in 1923 DWM resumed production and built the M1923 commercials from the ground up.

Of course the fun begins when you try to sort them out and say which one is which.

unspellable

Jan C Still · 06-08-2002, 09:59 PM

Unspellable
Its my opinion that the so-called 1923 Commercial Lugers (approximate sn range 74845-91989)were made during late 1919, 1920, and 1921 by DWM. Amoung other things, serial numbers 83970, 83978, 84956, and 85260 have a 1920 chamber date and 13 in the serial range 85473 to 89572 have a 1921 chamber date.
For a more detailed and documented discussion see WEIMAR LUGERS page 13, 15, and 26 to 27.
Jan C. Still

unspellable · 06-09-2002, 01:22 AM

Jan,

This is an entirely new angle to me. Do you mean to imply the M1923's were amde from scratch or from existing stock?

This casts a new light on the Luger I had some years ago. It was a 7.65 that looked like a run of the mill 1920's mismatch. It was all matching save for the breech block. As I recall, and perhaps my memory is starting to go, it had a 1923 chamber date.

I had presumed an M1923 would be easy to identify and all the problems would be in seperating the M1920 from the "military surplus" as I have defined them. Perhaps the M1923 is not so simple either.

unspellable

06-08-2002, 09:10 PM	#1
unspellable User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 768 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 10 Posts	What is an M1920? A point I have never seen properly addressed is exactly what is an M1920? Here's my take. At the end of WWI, DWM found them selves with a large stock of pistols not yet delivered to or accepted by the military, plus a lot of parts. Starting in 1920 they started selling this stock off on the commercial market. These pistols were never actually accepted by or delivered to the military and never issued. They were unused and "new" from the factory. This is what I consider to be an M1920. On the other hand a cottage industry sprang up to refit, refurbish, and generally sell off military owned and perhaps issued pistols on the commercial market. "Military surplus" whether used or not. These I consider military pistols even though they may have been refinished and rebarreled for the civilian market. Starting in 1923 DWM resumed production and built the M1923 commercials from the ground up. Of course the fun begins when you try to sort them out and say which one is which. unspellable

06-08-2002, 09:59 PM	#2
Jan C Still User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Box 240188, Douglas, Alaska, 99824 Posts: 463 Thanks: 0 Thanked 52 Times in 32 Posts	Unspellable Its my opinion that the so-called 1923 Commercial Lugers (approximate sn range 74845-91989)were made during late 1919, 1920, and 1921 by DWM. Amoung other things, serial numbers 83970, 83978, 84956, and 85260 have a 1920 chamber date and 13 in the serial range 85473 to 89572 have a 1921 chamber date. For a more detailed and documented discussion see WEIMAR LUGERS page 13, 15, and 26 to 27. Jan C. Still

06-09-2002, 01:22 AM	#3
unspellable User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 768 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 10 Posts	Jan, This is an entirely new angle to me. Do you mean to imply the M1923's were amde from scratch or from existing stock? This casts a new light on the Luger I had some years ago. It was a 7.65 that looked like a run of the mill 1920's mismatch. It was all matching save for the breech block. As I recall, and perhaps my memory is starting to go, it had a 1923 chamber date. I had presumed an M1923 would be easy to identify and all the problems would be in seperating the M1920 from the "military surplus" as I have defined them. Perhaps the M1923 is not so simple either. unspellable