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SIMSON WAR SCHOOL LUGERS

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Jan C Still
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SIMSON WAR SCHOOL LUGERS

Between 1925 and approximately 1934 Simson & Co Suhl, produced almost 12,000 Lugers for the Reichswehr (German Army). They were likely produced in one continuous serial range with some overlap between variations. This range extends from 1 to 10000 and from 1a to approximately 2000a. The 1925 and 1926 dated Variations are in the 28 to 684 serial range; the undated variation is found in the 608 to 1693a serial range; and the “S” code variation is found in the 74 to 1888a serial range (note overlap with previous variations, those dated 1927 and 1928 are controversial).


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Figure 1. 1925 dated Simson Luger, serial number 28. This is the 28th Simson Luger produced. Like all Simson Luger production it bears inspection stamps on all parts including the grip screws. Approximately 600 1925 dated Simsons were produced.


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Figure 2. 1925 dated Simson Luger, serial number 28. Top.


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Figure 3. 1925 dated Simson Luger, serial number 28. Right side.


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Figure 4. 1925 dated Simson Luger, serial number 28. Right side. Proofs and acceptance stamps.


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Figure 5. 1925 dated Simson Luger, serial number 28. Front of frame and bottom of barrel.


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Figure 6. 1925 dated Simson Luger, serial number 28. Inside of grips. Both bear the full serial number and Simson style eagle.


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Figure 7. 1925 dated Simson Luger, serial number 28. Front strap marked K.S.158, which signifies: Kavallerie-Schule, weapon number 158. The soldiers of the Reichswehr underwent intensive training at the Kavallerie-Schule. Cavalry was used during World war II, particularly in the primitive areas of the Eastern Front.


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Figure 8. Sketch of a World War II cavalry unit on patrol in the Eastern front. Note: the traditional lance, sometimes used during World War I, was abandoned for the more practical rifle.
Jan C Still
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Jan C Still
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Download Attachment: simsonAS9.jpg
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Figure 9. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 4150. Like all Simson Luger production it bears inspection stamps on all parts including the grip screws. Approximately 9100 undated Simson Lugers were produced.

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Figure 10. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 4150. Top.


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Figure 11. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number


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Figure 12. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 4150. Front of frame and bottom of barrel. The barrel serial numbers are stamped through the blue and display an aura around each digit.


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Figure 13. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 4150. Showing aluminum bottom matching magazine of sheet metal crimped construction.


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Figure 14. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 4150. Inside of grips. Both bear the full serial number and Simson style eagle.


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Figure 15. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 4150. Front strap marked A.S. 407. Which signifies: Artillerie-Schule, weapon number 407. The soldiers of the Reichswehr underwent intensive training at the Artillerie-Schule and manned artillery in a variety of sizes during World War II.


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Figure 16. A Panzerjager unit in action against Russian armor during World War II.


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Figure 17. German heavy artillery on the move in North Africa during World War II.


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Figure 18. German rail gun in Northern France.

Jan C Still
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Jan C Still
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simsonJS19.jpg

Figure 19. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 6383. Like all Simson Luger production it bears inspection stamps on all parts including the grip screws. Approximately 9100 undated Simsons were produced.

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Figure 20. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 6383. Top.

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Figure 21. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 6383. Right side. Proofs and acceptance stamps.

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Figure 22. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 6383. Front of frame and bottom of barrel. The barrel serial numbers are stamped through the blue and display an aura around each digit.


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Figure 23. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 6383. Showing wood bottom matching magazine of sheet metal crimped construction.

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Figure 24. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 6383. Inside of grips. Both bear the full serial number and Simson style eagle/6.


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Figure 25. Blank Chamber Variation Simson Luger, serial number 6383. Front strap marked J.S. 206, which signifies: Infanterie-Schule, weapon number 206. The Reichswehr Infantry school was located in Dresden. During the 1920's “Hauptmann” (captain) Erwin Rommel was one of the Reichswehr Infantry School’s instructors. This Lugers association (if only vague) with the legendary Erwin Rommel greatly increased this collectors interest in it.

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Figure 26. Oberstleutnant Erwin Rommel reviewing his famous Goslarer Jager Battalion in 1934.


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Figure 27. With Italian officers, the legendary Erwin Rommel reviews the first German troops to land in North Africa. Rommel earned the name “The desert Fox” for his exploits in the North African desert.

The cavalry, artillery, and infantry war school Lugers shown above were used to instruct student soldiers in the use and firing of the Luger. The soldiers of the Reichswehr underwent intensive training at the various war schools and formed the core of the powerful World War II German Army.



Jan C Still
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R
Mr. JC Still
Regarding my simson luger ser# 1897B,I've taken photos and I don't know how to put the photos on line to you? Could I mail them to you,I'd need your address.Its the simson with the capital B at the end of serial # I think it was a presentation luger? Would like your thoughts on it
Ron
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taudelt
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Thought I'd do a little show and tell on my S code Simson.

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25.79KBNo unit marking.
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Jan C Still
Dave
Excellent presentation.
Jan
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G
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I am an italian milsurplus rifle collector... and the world of the Luger is new to me.
As you probably know... in Italy we cannot detect firearms in the 9PB caliber, so all the Lugers that you see in Italy have been rechambered in the IMI 9x21 mm. caliber.
I found a beautiful luger to buy... it's a Simson, but there is something wrong in it.
It's a blank chamber... and I cannot find any kind of markings on it.

Can you help me to identify it?

This is the left side

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Here you can see the serial number

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and here... the only marking on this Simson... A.S. 505 .... I think Artillery School

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Here you can see the Simson logo

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What can you say about this? Is it a sneak or reworked firearm?
It's in 7,65PB caliber (it's legal in Italy) and the chamber is very small... I can use only the Winchester or the Geco ammos, because the Fiocchi ammos are... too large :-(

Thanks in advance

Absolut
www.exordinanza.net (only in italian, sorry)
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Jan C Still
Massimo
Thanks for the photographs of your Simson Luger. It appears to be a blank chamber Simson similar to the two shown above: sn 4150 figures 9-16 and sn 6383 figures 20-26. All Simson military Lugers were manufactured with a 9mm barrel.
Your Simson Luger has been refinished, as the small parts were straw color at manufacture. The barrel has been replaced for one in 7.65mm cal. The original receiver may have been replaced by an unmarked receiver. It also appears that most of the Simson acceptance stamps have been ground off. Your Simson was reworked and refinished probably after the end of World War II. Most interesting is that it retains its Artillery School stamp.
Jan
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Rich
Jan,
I saw a close but poor relative of your beautiful 1925 Simson number 28 last week. It was represented as "beautifully restored" but I could tell at an arms length it was well polished down before rebluing. All the markings were present but all were weakened by the polishing. Part of the "Simson" on the toggle was especially thin. The crisp lines of the original machining were rounded too.

It was a 1925 Simson serial number 176, and it also had cavalry school marks on the front grip strap. It was K.S. gun number 155.

I thought perhaps this information would be of some interest to you?
Rich
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Joop van de Kant
Jan,

Thank you for a splendid presentation of Simson war school Lugers.
For your information: I have found last week an almost unused Simson (just very slight holster wear on the usual spots):

# 1649 a - no date, all matching (grip plates and magazine also).
It is a beauty, but I will not try to post pictures in this topic, because of the high standard of your tutorial.

Thanks again,
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Edward Tinker
Joop, start your own thread and post pictures, we would be very interested.

Ed
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Jan C Still
Joop
Please post photographs. We would be very interested.
Jan
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