Luger Front Strap Markings

[penguin0123]

All I know is that this luger was taken off an SS officer. It is an early commercial model with no slide lock open and marked "Gesichert" for safe.

Any ideas what the numbers mean?

[penguin0123]

And what do these markings on the barrel / slide mean? The marking on the barrel and toggle looks the same.

[gunner336]

Probably unit markings. Done a lot in WW1. The top markings will at least tell when made. The side markings look like commercial proof markings.
IMHO.

[crotter]

Definitely WWI era markings on the front grip. The side proofs are imperial WWI era as well.

It should have a year stamped on the top of the gun, along with the maker stamp most likely a DWM or Erfurt

[penguin0123]

DWM mfg, nothing else on top. It is stamped "58" underneath the rear sight.

Sounds like the SS-man brought his dad's pistol (or maybe he is a WW1 vet) to war.

[crotter]

DWM mfg, nothing else on top. It is stamped "58" underneath the rear sight.

Sounds like the SS-man brought his dad's pistol (or maybe he is a WW1 vet) to war.

How do you know this was an SS officers pistol? Did you procure it directly from the vet?

My experience with these german bring-back pistols is that they usually have some outlandish "SS officer surrendered me his (insert sidearm here: luger, p38, pp, ppk) "

When in reality the captured weapons were just all thrown in a big pile and the GI's were allowed to pick one up and bring it home as a souvenir.





It is possible your luger was carried in WW2 and brought back as a souvenir. I have a 1918 Erfurt with WW1 regimental stampings on the front grip strap as well. After WW1 these guns were recycled back into the Weimar era police force, and eventually found themselves in use during the TR era.

[Milsurp Collector]

Any ideas what the numbers mean?

World War I unit marking. I believe the first part is for Bayerisches (Bavarian) 1st Reserve Regiment. I don't know the meaning of the next letter and number, but it would be a unit within the regiment. The last digit is Waffe (weapon) number 6.

[penguin0123]

How do you know this was an SS officers pistol? Did you procure it directly from the vet?

Not mine. Doing photos for a friend whose dad brought it back. Dad didn't talk about the war much, said he took it off a dead SS officer (that was literally it). Has authentic waffenamt marked holster to match.

[crotter]

Not mine. Doing photos for a friend whose dad brought it back. Dad didn't talk about the war much, said he took it off a dead SS officer (that was literally it). Has authentic waffenamt marked holster to match.

Thats great to have such provenance on a bringback luger! I wish I had more details on the pistols I own... Unfortunately they are now far removed from the person that captured them and brought them home.

If you have any additional pictures of the Luger and holster that would be interesting to see!

Thanks for sharing it

[penguin0123]

If you guys know what the markings on the inside of the holster flap is, that would be great.

[crotter]

Hard to make them out from that picture... Definitely hand written in. Likely a name and the serial number of the pistol maybe? Could have been done by the original German owner, or the GI that "captured" it

Interesting that it still has a WWI era wood based magazine... as opposed to the TR era aluminum base ones. Any idea if the magazine has a matching serial number to the pistol?

[penguin0123]

https://books.google.com/books?id=7Rf8AWdvX4wC&pg=PA16

Using that reference, I think the front strap reads Bavarian 1st Reserve Cavalry (?), 3rd Company (or Squadron), 6th weapon. But the book doesn't have R.C., so any insight on this would be helpful.

[penguin0123]

Using the same source, I have this luger as a Blank Chamber, Late Toggle, No stock lug, no grip safety, "gesichert". If anyone has the book, can you help identify which model this thing is?

[penguin0123]

Hard to make them out from that picture... Definitely hand written in. Likely a name and the serial number of the pistol maybe? Could have been done by the original German owner, or the GI that "captured" it

Interesting that it still has a WWI era wood based magazine... as opposed to the TR era aluminum base ones. Any idea if the magazine has a matching serial number to the pistol?

Yep. The serial # is 235x and it matches between the mag, frame, and barrel.

Not sure what the letters are. 364 matches the waffenamp number on the takedown tool. No clue what 4131 means, maybe the holster was originally issued with a luger with serial # 4131?

[Milsurp Collector]

I suggest you register at http://lugerforum.com/ and ask your questions there.