.30 Luger pistol, DWM all matching numbers!!!

It didn't live up to all my boyhood dreams, for sure.
Click to expand...
Sad that. Back in 95 I bought a pair of Russian refurb P08s for $250 ea. because of my Dads 1916 he bought from a WWII vet (bringback). His was in excellent shape (still is) but mine... both had BTDT, smooth checkered grips thru use, worn to a frazzle, bore shot mostly smooth in one (thought about rebarrel or relining barrel, but... nah).

I tried one of Mitchells new stainless steel models when they came out... ick. :rolleyes: Pretty but, just didn't hack it for moi. (they were expensive too, and I'm cheap)

Just a piece of history in your hands. Nothing more, nothing less. Better handguns exist today for sure.
 
"Just a piece of history in your hands. Nothing more, nothing less. Better handguns exist today for sure. "

Yeah, it was sad. In all my youthful fantasys I was actualy using the damn thing.

Not to say that they ain't great pistols, they are just a little too delicate for me to go around with one stuffed in my pocket.
 
I've had a different experience with my Russian refurb 1941 Mauser Luger, also bought in 1995. It has been 100% reliable with any 9MM I have tried including my 115 grain and 124 grain FMJ, and plated flat point reloads, factory 124 grain JHP, and anything else I've run through it. The trigger is superb, and accuracy is excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to use it for self defense if I had to do so.
 
While probably not captured from a serviceman of the Third Reich, you can bet it was certainly liberated from a Third Reich home. Firearms were confiscated from German civilians immediately after the war, due to concerns about die-hard fanatics and Werewolf guerrilla war in the mountains. A very low-grade warfare continued until 1946 in isolated areas, but the Germans thankfully accepted defeat for the most part, they were pretty much destroyed as a nation by 1945.

I'd call your Luger a good wartime souvenir that should stay in the family, if that's what you want to do.
 
I inherited a 1920 Commercial, similar to the OPs. The exterior and bore were not in great shape, but otherwise it was tight and clean. I had it rebarreled, refinished, and a trigger job performed by a local Luger specialist, and I really enjoy occasionally shooting it. Last time was a grudge match against a buddy who has a '42 Mauser, his a John Martz restoration.
My gun is not really at all finicky, as far as function is concered, as long as the ammo is of sufficient power, and it fits in the magazine. I resize .311"-.312" bullets, and not all have the right shape, construction, or proper location of the cannelure.

 
I made it for $30, from a "helmet night" souvenir and a belt buckle! It's great for the range, and Oktoberfest. ;)
 
the "M" throws me. It appears to match the 1920 commercial in all other regards, but a quick trip through the Standard Catalog of Luger and I couldn't find that specific cursive "M" anywhere (although I'm positive I've seen it somewhere before).

The closest I could find was that exact cursive "M", but with the letter "A" partially entwined below the M. This is listed as a marine arsenal acceptance mark. And it has no business on a .30 Luger.

A little further reading indicates that the "M" might signify the pistol was reworked by Mauser, but that is speculation, and wouldn't be "right" for a .30 Luger, either.

The 1920 Commercial should have "made in Germany" or "Germany" marked on the frame, however it appears that some were not marked.

You need a real Luger guru for this one, I think. One thing mentioned in the book, its those little markings that make the difference between a common Luger and a really rare one, or as the author put it "between a $500 pistol and a $50,000 one"...

Commercial proof, ok. .30 Luger, ok. Not frame marked ? apparently ok. But the "M"? its beyond my reference material. Sorry, you need someone more expert than I to ID that one.
 
The "m" is simply the suffix letter, part of the serial number. German military Lugers (and other small arms) were numbered by each manufacturer starting at 1, going to 9999, then 1a to 9999a, 1b to 9999b; 6652m followed 6651m and preceded 6653m. At the start of each year, numbers rolled over to 1, so a full Luger description to be unique would include the manufacturer, the year, and the full serial number including the suffix letter. The full serial may appear only on the front of the grip frame, though it would normally be on the barrel as well.

Note that the Luger pictured has the military style numbering, but the commercial number positions. That, plus the different number font on the barrel and the crown/N commercial proof, indicate a reworked WWI military pistol, with a new 7.65mm barrel numbered to match the grip frame, and the other numbers removed and re-stamped in the commercial locations.

Jim
 
I know this is an old thread, but ran across it and thought I could add some info. The OP's Luger is known as an "Alphabet Commercial", probably dating from around 1923, and is a very common type. I have one with a k suffix, so made just a bit earlier.

When the commercial production restarted (.30 cal and shorter 3-5/8" barrels per the treaty) and serial numbers got close to 100,000 after WWI, DWM decided to start over with a military-style numbering scheme with 4 numbers and the suffix letter. The guns have commercial style proofs (crown over N or c/N) so there is no confusion as to what type they are. The suffixes started with i in 1921 and ran to r in 1928. There are 10,000 guns for each letter of the alphabet, so that is a lot of guns (approx. 100,000). Not as many as were made in the war itself, but of course a lot of the wartime guns were consumed and/or parted out.
 
Last edited:
I hate to help revive an old thread, but the OP's gun is not new manufacture. It is a common "1920's Commercial", made up using an ex-military grip frame. The tip off is the different fonts used for the military number on the grip frame and that used on the new barrel. Rather than change the military style number on the grip frame, they simply numbered the new barrel to match.

The C/N is indeed the commercial proof; the military proof/acceptance markings, as well as the receiver ring date were routinely removed and, since the gun was now being sold on the commercial market, it had to be re-proven and marked in the commercial manner.

Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top