German Army Luger Tests

Hello John,

This response does not directly address your questions, but I thought that getting some reference material on the board might help. In the data and quotes below I have attempted to be certain that no information is altered, but I have taken the liberty of making some formatting changes for emphasis.

Some of the experts will probably blow me out of the water, but my personal theory is that these guns were all manufactured and proofed in 1913-1914.

Looking at the data below and noting the copyright dates, I personally suspect that Mr. Still's theory is correct when he suggests these guns were produced in 1913-1914, probably to meet the looming demands of WW-I.

I believe that the serial number range noted by all three authors (nominally 69000-71000) places the production of these guns in a considerably later timeframe than 1908. I'm certainly not the expert here, but I am hoping that these comments and the data presented below will prompt further discussion . . . . even if I am dead wrong in my opinions and have to tuck my tail between my legs and run for it.


<center>Kenyon, Charles “Lugers at Random” Copyright 1969</center>
Estimated Total Production 500
Estimated Serial Number Range 69600-70100
Caliber 9mm only

Quote: "GENERAL NOTES: Manufactured by DWM for military test/acceptance by the German Armed Forces. Examples of this variation were taken from commercial production, but were NOT commercially proofed and were fitted with the holdopen device. The practice by DWM of filling test/acceptance orders from current commercial production, while assigning resulting contract orders their own specific contract serial number range is not unusual, as this was the case with the 1900 and 1902 American Eagles and the 1900 Bulgarian. This variation is found in a definite serial range, while examples of standard commercial production immediately prior to and after this serial range have the normal commercial proof marks."
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<center>Costanzo, Sam “World of Lugers” Copyright 1977</center>
Estimated Total Production N/A
Estimated Serial Number Range 69600-70907
Caliber 9mm only

In reference to the C/X C/X C/X proof, quote: "1908 Commercial and Military proof. This proof was used by the German Army on Lugers under test trials in the fall of 1908. These Lugers were chosen from the DWM commercial production line in 9mm 4" in the 69,600-70,907 serial number range."
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<center>Still, Jan “Imperial Lugers” Copyright 1991</center>

Estimated Total Production 450
Estimated Serial Number Range 69163-70840
Caliber 9mm (One7.65mm)

Quote: "During late 1913 or early 1914, some 1908 Commercial Lugers were routed to Military service. These do not bear commercial proofs and instead bear the Army Test Proof (DWM) and C/X C/X C/X Army inspection stamps on the right receiver. These inspection stamps are found almost exclusively on the 1908 Commercial Army and a few 1914-dated Army Lugers, which lack stock lugs, in the 8000a to 9400a serial range. (As some of the 1908 Commercial Army Lugers had sear safeties added during the Nazi Era, it has been suggested that they were in police service during the Imperial Era, and that the C/X inspection stamp was related to Imperial Police issue.) There are 14 1908 Commercial Army Lugers reported in the 69163 to 70840 serial range."

Ron Wood Quote: "The commercial serial numbered examples no doubt were pulled from production to fill a shortfall in military wartime arms buildup. I suspect that the 1914 dated 1908-pattern examples that are serial numbered in the military style were pieces drawn from non-issued stockpiles, arsenal date stamped with the year of issue per regulation, and pressed into service. This contingency supplement to military Luger acquisition probably occurred at the same time from both sources, undoubtedly in the 1913-1914 timeframe . . . and supported by the 1914 date on the military-style pieces! Very likely these supplemental weapons, being part of this urgent buildup program, were subject to the same acceptance process from both sources, resulting in the C/X C/X C/X acceptance marks being applied to the two variants."

Ron's comments make a clear, logical argument for the circumstances under which the 1908 Commercial-Army Lugers and the 1914 Army Luger w/o stock lugs were created and subsequently entered the military arsenal.

In addition, it seems that a much smaller number of 1914 Commercial-Army Lugers were built, probably to support the military buildup for WW-I, as was the case of the two aforementioned types. Jan estimates 100 pieces on page 26 of "Imperial Lugers." These 1914 Commercial-Army models also received the C/X C/X C/X acceptance marks.

Paraphrasing some of Ron's comments, am I correct in assuming that the total supplement for military buildup probably consisted of three batches of Lugers:

1) 1914 Military Lugers Without Stock Lugs - Created from military Lugers manufactured without stock lugs (probably in late 1913 just before the mandate to add stock lugs) that were not dated but had already been given military serial numbers,

2) 1914 Commercial-Army Lugers - Created from commercial Lugers that were manufactured in 1914 with stock lugs but had already received commercial numbers before being pulled for military use, and

3) 1908 Commercial-Army Lugers - Created from commercial Lugers which were manufactured on the 1908 frame pattern for commercial sale and had already received the appropriate commercial serial numbers ?

I am just attempting to sort this out in my mind in order to understand these three categories.

Anyone have another theory?

Thanks,
Luke