Erfurt VS DWM amounts

[Edward Tinker]

I have thought about this for a long time. Here is the crux of my theory; there are many more surviving Imperial DWM's compared to Imperial Erfurtâ??s (by toggle count).

Take a look on the gun auctions, the big names, gunbroker, auction arms, guns america, and I bet you see 5 times more DWM's than you do Erfurtâ??s.


I believe this is true; one theory is that they were built not as well and have not survived. I don't readily accept that, as the early ones were well made.

After WW1, I believe that when guns were brought in, some were destroyed, others were issued or placed into storage. Germany was imposed with a 100,000-man army through the 1920's and early 1930's, and another 100,000 or so police, guns get used, there are accidents, and some guns were hidden away for possible use later.

The official refurbisher was Simson, but we know that DWM was still into the repair business for police and commercial sales. Simson refurb of DWM or Erfurt is a wash, both either receiving a new simson toggle or retaining the present one.

Lets take an example, you have 25,000 Erfurt lugers and 25,000 DWM lugers stored at a depot, they are all battle worn, and go through refurb Those that got tossed out, I believe logically that the amount would be roughly the same of each. (If the Erfurt was inferior and I do not believe that, then there would be less, but that seems like an argument with too many guesses.) Once an item needed to be replaced, it doesnâ??t matter if by DWM, an armorer or police depot, theyâ??d have DWM or blank toggles / parts for replacements.

As they refurbish, and I believe that if the firing mechanism was required to be replaced, they could not legally put just another scavenged toggle on it (this was not war time, peace time requires more exactness, proof that the toggle met specifications and specifications required approval showing it to be who made it).

Since they could not put on a scavenged part, they would be required to put on a new part and they were required to place their Markers marking on the toggle or part (this is documented, I don't remember where, Dwight might know).

Back to a depot or storage area of these 25k of each luger. Since you started off with 25k Erfurt and 25K DWM, those that were damaged and thrown out would be about the same for the two types (DWM and Erfurt). However, say, 20% were damaged of each type and needed replacement parts, well the Erfurt toggles would be replaced with DWM toggles, because that is what is on-hand.

(note: I do not believe the "sneaks" qualify as the answer, as that is a discussion of between DWM and Mauser parts.)

In the big picturee, from 1919-1945, you had guns being used and going to official factory rebuild, police armorys, and unit replacement of parts. Those replacement parts in the unit would have been a DWM stamped toggle, at least the pictures I have seen in military kits.

So, the point is, that between 1919-1945 you had Erfurtâ??s eventually wearing out, blowing a toggle, having unacceptable rust, blown breechblock, etc, and when toggles were swapped out on a DWM, it would receive a new DWM toggle, when it was a Erfurt, then that was one less Erfurt as they did not have â??spareâ?� Erfurt toggles, but put on a true replacement, a DWM.

From the Weimar police side of the house, I have a couple DWM toggled guns that you can tell started life as a Erfurt, as they have the correct proofs etc.


Ed