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ID on Luger

4334 Views 33 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  Ron Wood
I have a Luger I recently bought and have been reading the info on how to know what you have, now on the right side of the receiver and barrell there ia a eagle that doesn't look like any on the web pages, I looked up Germany in the school books and my eagle looks like the coat of arms for Germany. There is also a eagle with this underneath its wing span waA66, there is also a half a eagle on it. The serial number is 5418U, all parts have matching numbers, the magazines and holster also have matching numbers. There is on the bottom of one magazines a eagle with a circle with crossed looks like eyeglasses underneath. There is a number engraved into the butt of the gun 335. it is also on the inside of the gun and on the holster. On the left side at the safety on you can read GESICHERT, there are no markings on the left side of the receiver or barrell.

Any help will be appreciated, I tried to take pictures of it but I can't get close enough. The Luger looks real good, I'd say it still has 95 per cent or more of its origional blue finish.

Thanks for any help,
Mike Hanners
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Actually BKIW didn't "buy out" DWM. In 1922 DWM changed their Corporate identity to Berlin Karlsruhe Industrie Werke, for reasons more complicated than I have time to post here this morning. BKIW still manufactured pistols and ammunition under the DWM trademark. This continued until the decision in the early 30s to subsume all operations under Mauser operation (which they controlled).

--Dwight
quote:Originally posted by MSO509

What markings on the gun would prove that it is a BKIW? I am going to take pictures this week of all the markings and try to get them on the forum.

Thanks To All,

Mike
Mike,

There is -no- difference in production. BKIW has to do only with the corporate identity.

--Dwight
Mike,

At this juncture pictures, particularly closeups of the markings on the gun, magazines, and holster are needed.

--Dwight
Mike,

The u serial# suffix is indicative of this gun being what is called a 1929 Commercial, manufactured as production transferred from BKIW (DWM) to Mauser. There is an ongoing debate as to whether these were newly-manufactured at DWM or assembled from parts stock by Mauser.

One would expect this gun to have crown/N commercial proofs on the left receiver and under the barrel, and be .30 cal., the largest caliber permitted to the commercial market by the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles.

However, the right receiver eagle (on the left) and the one on the barrel indicate that this gun was reworked by Simson (probably removing the commercial proof). As there seems to be no witness mark on the barrel, my guess is that this Luger has been rebarrelled in 9mm for police or military use.

The Eagle/WaA33is the acceptance stamp of the WaffenAmt, or Weapons Office, indicating that this Luger was modified and accepted for Police or Army use. The mark at the front of the receiver is indistinguishable.

It is hard to tell from the small picture of the left side of the gun, but it looks like it has a sear safety and the left grip is relieved for a magazine safety. These are characterisitc of Lugers in Police service. The 335 you report stamped into the "butt of the gun" could be part of a Police unit mark, but this would be preceded by letters. Nothing can be determined about them as reported.

The right-hand magazine is as one would expect for a Police magazine. These are numbered 1 and 2 (and 3, if there is a third magazine issued with the gun). The Eagle proof is characteristic of late-30s proofing, although there is usually a letter stamped along with this eagle.

The left-hand magazine is a complete mystery. The numbers and Roman-numeral II are quie out of the ordinary, as is the mark below.

The holster is in the Police style, and if it is indeed marked to the gun it is a valuable addition. Even though the flap is detched and the closure strap is broken away, the leather appears to be in good shape and the holster can be restored.

--Dwight
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