[donmaus]

Does anyone know what the unit mark 2 RH 304 on the front grip strap of a 1921-dated DWM might stand for? I'm guessing its military. This mark is beneath a Schutzpolizei Berlin police mark and is apparently hard to read. The description may not be correct. I have not seen this pistol and don't have any more useful information at the moment.

 

[Ron Smith]

Hi Don, I've been researching. That one is a puzzler. Can you get photos? I would really be interested in seeing it.

Ron

 

[donmaus]

Ron, I've requested a photo. Realizing that this mark has possibly been ground or x'd out before the S.B. mark was applied, can you think of anything that may resemble this?

I'm intrigued by this because it may help answer questions I have on the Luger I recently bought. It has very similar S.B. marks on top of a completely ground off mark.

 

[Ron Smith]

Don, I have been trying to "Jigsaw" markings to determine if the mark could appear to be something it's not. Due to being X'd
out or -'d out. If the pistol is suffixed NS,A or B. It could be a military mark. As in 2 RR (Reiter Reg) Stab(staff) 304, or
2 R II(2nd Army) 304.


I do know that after WWI, the Reichswehr was reorganizing, and issued orders for provisional markings to be applied as a stop-gap until proper markings could be determined and applied. It's possible that it could be this type of mark.


The problem with this is. I can't figure a military marked pistol ending up in a police unit.


Görtz lists an "Rh.P" mark as "Rhinepolizei", but with lower case H. It could be a mis-interperated application.


Ron

 

[donmaus]

Ron,

Thanks very much for the effort on this. The pistol is a 1921 ns DWM, so it probably is/was military and was probably originally marked before the police marking orders were issued in April 1922. I can't explain how it might have made its way from the Army to the police but, with all the confusion of those times, almost anything seems possible. In the case of my Luger, the earlier mark was completely ground off, including any periods that may have been there.

Your speculation about the Rheinpolizei is one I hadn't thought of. Hopefully, I'll get a good photo and permission to post it so we can both play with it some more.

 

[Ron Smith]

Don, No problem! I enjoy this stuff, and would like to see photos.

Ron