RARE dwm german luger..

mikesmilth · 02-09-2011, 01:14 AM

.. supposedly. Would like to know its value, or any history at all. As i am told, it is supposed to be very rare.. serial #9701. has all matching parts, and has the#01 all over it. Currently has decorative pearl grips so we dont handle the original wood grips.

History: I was told my grandpa got it off a dead officers body... and thats about all i know on it... would REALLY love to know about this gun, any help??
THANK YOU THANK YOU!

http://tinypic.com/r/vzeyd0/7
DWM on breech

http://tinypic.com/r/343rker/7
showing the serial # 01

http://tinypic.com/r/2cdzfk6/7
more pics of serial #01

http://tinypic.com/r/jv6dc3/7
any idea what the marking is above germany??

http://tinypic.com/r/30mpz69/7
pic of the safety

http://tinypic.com/r/2ymveaq/7
i just laid the wood grip over the pearl grip to show what it originally looks like

http://tinypic.com/r/34qmgrs/7
under the pistol

MFC · 02-09-2011, 01:38 AM

Hi Mike,
You need to show a photo of the serial# and suffix under it on the front of the frame, which will determine the year it was manufactured. It is most likely classified as an Alphabet DWM commercial (formerly 1920 commercial). There were many tens of thousands exported to the US in the 20's. Probably 30 cal. The GERMANY stamp is an export stamp indicating the country of origin, per US law. The 'Crown over N' stamp above the export stamp is a commercial firing proof. It has been buffed, polished, and reblued, so it's value is deminished quite a bit.
PS. You'll get more responses if you post your photos here on the forum.

mikesmilth · 02-09-2011, 02:08 AM

thank you very much, have been trying to get some info on this gun for a while. i have searched this gun all over but cannot find a suffix on it.. maybe i have bad eyes, but i will be sure to take more pics, and sadly yes it has been reblued. I have tried putting the pics on here, but can only get the url to the photo..

but thanks n e way!

alanint · 02-09-2011, 07:33 AM

From what I can see in the photo the suffix is an "O". As Mike pointed out, it is a fairly common Alphabet Commercial gun that has been heavily buffed and reblued.
It is not unusual for family "lore" to embellish an heirloom over the years. The "Germany" stamp indicates that this gun was sold into the US, so it is highly unlikely that this was taken off a German officer. Being a commercial and not a military gun would tend to reenforce this.
It is what it is, a nice shooter passed down from your Granpa to you. Treasure it as a family heirloom.

John Sabato · 02-09-2011, 12:29 PM

Please get this gun disassembled and get to work on the active rust... or it won't last another couple of generations! Congrats on your inheritance!

mikesmilth · 02-09-2011, 04:06 PM

thanks for this information. been trying to find out the real story of this gun, or its value, grandma thought it would be worth alot since it supposedly was the first gun of its series....

Don M · 02-09-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesmilth

grandma thought it would be worth alot since it supposedly was the first gun of its series....

Actually, it is the 9,701st of its series.

mrerick · 02-09-2011, 09:15 PM

You need to check to see if it is a .30 Luger caliber pistol (rather than the larger 9mm Luger caliber).

If a No. 2 pencil just fits into the barrel, it's a .30 Luger caliber pistol.

If it fits real loose, it is likely a 9mm.

Your serial number is "9701O" which puts this DWM alphabet commercial manufacture date around 1924.

Marc

MFC · 02-09-2011, 11:45 PM

According to Jan Still's Weimar Lugers, and assuming an even production rate, it was made early 1926.

02-09-2011, 01:14 AM	#1
mikesmilth New User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: pcola Posts: 3 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	RARE dwm german luger.. .. supposedly. Would like to know its value, or any history at all. As i am told, it is supposed to be very rare.. serial #9701. has all matching parts, and has the#01 all over it. Currently has decorative pearl grips so we dont handle the original wood grips. History: I was told my grandpa got it off a dead officers body... and thats about all i know on it... would REALLY love to know about this gun, any help?? THANK YOU THANK YOU! http://tinypic.com/r/vzeyd0/7 DWM on breech http://tinypic.com/r/343rker/7 showing the serial # 01 http://tinypic.com/r/2cdzfk6/7 more pics of serial #01 http://tinypic.com/r/jv6dc3/7 any idea what the marking is above germany?? http://tinypic.com/r/30mpz69/7 pic of the safety http://tinypic.com/r/2ymveaq/7 i just laid the wood grip over the pearl grip to show what it originally looks like http://tinypic.com/r/34qmgrs/7 under the pistol Last edited by mikesmilth; 02-09-2011 at 02:16 AM.

02-09-2011, 01:38 AM	#2
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Hi Mike, You need to show a photo of the serial# and suffix under it on the front of the frame, which will determine the year it was manufactured. It is most likely classified as an Alphabet DWM commercial (formerly 1920 commercial). There were many tens of thousands exported to the US in the 20's. Probably 30 cal. The GERMANY stamp is an export stamp indicating the country of origin, per US law. The 'Crown over N' stamp above the export stamp is a commercial firing proof. It has been buffed, polished, and reblued, so it's value is deminished quite a bit. PS. You'll get more responses if you post your photos here on the forum. __________________ Mike C.

02-09-2011, 12:29 PM	#5
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Please get this gun disassembled and get to work on the active rust... or it won't last another couple of generations! Congrats on your inheritance! __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

02-09-2011, 09:15 PM	#8
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,900 Thanks: 1,372 Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts	You need to check to see if it is a .30 Luger caliber pistol (rather than the larger 9mm Luger caliber). If a No. 2 pencil just fits into the barrel, it's a .30 Luger caliber pistol. If it fits real loose, it is likely a 9mm. Your serial number is "9701O" which puts this DWM alphabet commercial manufacture date around 1924. Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

02-09-2011, 02:08 AM	#3
mikesmilth New User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: pcola Posts: 3 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	thank you very much, have been trying to get some info on this gun for a while. i have searched this gun all over but cannot find a suffix on it.. maybe i have bad eyes, but i will be sure to take more pics, and sadly yes it has been reblued. I have tried putting the pics on here, but can only get the url to the photo.. but thanks n e way!

02-09-2011, 07:33 AM	#4
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	From what I can see in the photo the suffix is an "O". As Mike pointed out, it is a fairly common Alphabet Commercial gun that has been heavily buffed and reblued. It is not unusual for family "lore" to embellish an heirloom over the years. The "Germany" stamp indicates that this gun was sold into the US, so it is highly unlikely that this was taken off a German officer. Being a commercial and not a military gun would tend to reenforce this. It is what it is, a nice shooter passed down from your Granpa to you. Treasure it as a family heirloom.

02-09-2011, 04:06 PM	#6
mikesmilth New User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: pcola Posts: 3 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	thanks for this information. been trying to find out the real story of this gun, or its value, grandma thought it would be worth alot since it supposedly was the first gun of its series....

02-09-2011, 11:45 PM	#9
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	According to Jan Still's Weimar Lugers, and assuming an even production rate, it was made early 1926. __________________ Mike C.