[Luke]

This mark is stamped into the lower left-hand side of the frame near the location of the left grip screw. It appears to be 3 upper-case script letters.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this? Any idea what it means?

Sorry I couldn't get a better picture, but it is fairly easy to see when you click on it and blow it up to full size.

Thanks,
Luke

Download Attachment: Unusual Marking.jpg
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[Luke]

Maybe one of our German members could comment on the characters. I am not even certain that the image is properly oriented.

 

[tomathvl]

I don't know if this helps but changed the contrast and flipped one 180 degrees.
Tom

Download Attachment: mark1.jpg
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Download Attachment: mark2.jpg
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[Heinrich]

Tom,

The script letters are Hff, but have no idea what the meaning is.
Can you see whether it is made by a tool (punched)or engraved?

 

[Luke]

Heinrich -

The mark was clearly stamped (not engraved) before the frame was blued. This gun has never been reblued as evidenced by many other points, but this particular mark is blued all the way to the bottom.

This is a 1908 DWM Commercial-Army. I have never seen a similar mark on a Luger.

Was not there a character similar to an "f" in old German script which was pronounced like a double "s" ? ? ?

Luke

 

[keoki7]

Luke, I think the character you are thinking of is the eszet (have probably misspelled it). The english equivalent is a double s but it is written as something that looks like a cross between a capital B and an english cursive capital Z. It is still normal usage.