[NORM]

i have a 1917 erfurt serial #7026n all matching number parts, grips. it has the erfurt proofs, inspection stamps on just about every place you look. but there are three that i have a question about. on the left side of the barrel and on rear toggle by the sight on the breech block, there is a acceptance stamp with a crown over RC and then the inspection stamp. what is the crown over RC mean? the stamp was stamped before the gun was blued.
any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Doubs]

Norm, the C/RC stamp indicates that a part or parts were found to be out of tolerance - and thus rejected - by the Imperial Army Inspectors assigned to ensure quality. However, the part or parts were found to be serviceable by the "Revisions Commission" Inspectors who certified by their C/RC stamp that the part or parts, although not to standards, were acceptable. When the Revisions Commission accepted a part, two things happened; the part was used in the production of a Luger and the Imperial Army Inspectors were absolved of all blame in the event that the part later failed. The C/RC stamp is more common on Erfurt Lugers than on DWM but will be found on both. In the past the C/RC mark has been mistakenly identified as a factory or arsenal repair or rework stamp. You will still find this misidentification on occassion.

 

[lugerlou]

Norm
Welcome to the forum, The stamp of the Revision's commission (RC) was put on by the inspectors of that body to relieve the initial inspectors of responsibility in case of a suspect part failure at a later date. During the manufacturing stage lugers were constantly bieng checked and proofed for acceptance by the Erfurt inspectors. (ie the many stamps on a Erfurt luger) Should a part become suspect the Erfurt inspector would reject the particular piece and somewhere down the assembly line the revisions commission would further examine the part and if acceptable would restamp the part with the crown R/C.The fact that the parts were stamped before blueing leads many to believe that it was a factory stamp and not a armours stamp. This stamp and the explanation that I gave are at times controversial but it is my take on the stamp. You will find that the crown/RC is very common on Erfurt lugers and rare on DWM lugers.Norm Doubs and myself were obviously answering your post at the same time but are the same in context

 

[NORM]

thanks for the info, doubs

 

[NORM]

thanks to all for your information, it has been helpful