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Dwm Luger Serial Number Ranges

DWM Luger P-08 9mm Pistol

Theories of Development: A Comparative Analysis. It matters little how much information we possess about development if we have not grasped its inner meaning. Denis Goulet, The Cruel Choice Development must be redefined as an attack on the chief evils of the world today: malnutrition, disease, illiteracy, slums, unemployment and inequality. Theories of economic development pdf.

  1. Luger Identification Guide - Prototype, Commercial & Test Lugers (1895-1914) This is one of a series of identification guides for small arms. To the best of our knowledge, all the examples shown are original pre-1945 manufacture.
  2. May 11, 2005  Commercial serial numbering began with 1 in 1901, and continued to the 92,000 range in 1921. In that year DWM converted to numbering in the military style (four digits followed by a letter), beginning with the letter suffix i. The commercial serial range is separate from military production, the numbers are not intermixed.-Dwight-Dwight.

Sep 03, 2019  When yours was made the serial numbers started back over at the beginning of a new year, with the date on the chamber being changed. Your P.08 would be the 10,109th P.08 made in 1914 by DWM. P.08 production in 1914 went to approximately the 4000c serial number range, indicating production approached 35,000 that year.

By the Guns and Shooting Online Staff


The DWM Luger that is the subject of this review. Photo by Chuck Hawks.

The Luger (Pistole Parabellum or P-08) is perhaps the most aestheticallyand ergonomically pleasing of all autoloading centerfire pistols. It is alsoone of the strongest, most accurate and most recognizable service pistols evermade. (Bill Ruger frankly admitted styling his .22 Auto, the best selling .22 caliber pistol in the world, after the Luger.)

The standard Luger calibers are 7.65mm and 9mm for both civilian andmilitary models. The 9mm Luger cartridge, developed by Georg Luger, is the most popular andwidely distributed pistol cartridge in the world today.

Ranges

Georg Luger developed his famous pistol in 1898-1899 (startingwith the Borchardt/Luger transitional pistol). The Luger is, essentially, amuch improved Borchardt type pistol, which was itself based on the toggleaction concept used by Sir Hiram Maxim in the world's first practical machinegun. The Maxim shot its way to bloody fame in World War One, which also becamethe combat proving ground for the Luger Pistol.

The 1893 Borchardt pistol was the first commerciallysuccessful autoloading pistol. It was produced by Ludwig Lowe of Berlin,Germany, where Georg Luger was employed. Hugo Borchardt and Georg Luger wereco-workers for a time and their families' lives within a few blocks of eachother. It was Luger who, in 1894, exhibited a Borchardt pistol to the U.S.Naval Ordinance Board. Two years later, the Ludwig Lowe firm acquired the DMKammunition company and from this merger a new entity emerged: Deutsche Waffenund Munitionsfabriken (DWM). DWM became the producer of the Borchardt pistoland, in 1900, its famous successor the Luger pistol.

The Luger was officially adopted by the Swiss military in1901, the Imperial German Navy in 1906 and the German Army in 1908, which resulted in its common'P-08' designation. The standard German Army Luger used in WW I had a 4' barrel, the NavyLuger a 6' barrel and the Artillery Model an 8' barrel. The Luger wasalso the standard service pistol of Switzerland, Portugal, Holland, Chile,Brazil and Bulgaria. It was used, officially or semi-officially, in Austria, Luxemburg,Sweden, Finland, Norway, Spain, Persia (Iran), Russia, Bolivia, China, Japan(captured from the Dutch in the East Indies during WW II and remarked withJapanese characters), France (post WW II occupation forces in Germany), theU.S. (post WW II occupation forces in Germany), East Germany (GDR state police)and probably other countries. It was tested by the U.S. military on three occasions andalmost adopted as our standard service pistol. Many police forces around the world adopted the Luger.

In 1922, DWM was absorbed by the holding company B.K.I.W.and in 1930 DWM was acquired by Mauser. During 1930-1931, all Luger productionmachinery (and many technicians) were moved from the DWM factory in Berlin tothe Mauser factory in Oberndorf, Germany, where Lugers were produced until 1942,when the Luger was finally replaced as the standard German service pistol bythe Walther P-38. Mauser made Lugers bear the Mauser logo on top of their firsttoggle link, where the DWM logo had previously been stamped. Mauser producedmost of the WW II era and post WW II Lugers. Mauser sold commercial Lugers inthe 1970's and finally ceased manufacture in 1997.

Incredibly, the Luger's design changed very little duringits long production life. The principal change being the substitution of a coilmainspring for the flat mainspring used in the early 1900's.

The majority of German Luger pistols were produced by DWM.However, Lugers were also produced in large numbers under license by the RoyalGerman Arsenal at Erfurt between 1910-1914 and 1916-1918. (About 2,000,000Lugers were produced during WW I by DWM and ERFURT combined.) After WW I, Simson &Company and Kreighoff produced Lugers under license, as did Mauser after theiracquisition of DWM.

In Switzerland, Waffenfabrik produced complete pistols andSIG made parts. The Swiss turned out some 50,000 military and commercialLugers. Vickers, Ltd. of England produced a batch for the government of theNetherlands around 1921. Small runs of stainless steel Lugers were made inTexas, USA in the 1990's for Stoeger and Mitchell Arms, but the high cost ofproducing this exquisitely fitted pistol and disputes over rights to the designultimately scuttled these American efforts.

In the early post-WW I years, DWMassembled commercial Lugers from parts left over after the war. The pistolthat is the subject of this review is apparently one of those. It is chamberedfor the 9mm Luger (9x19mm) cartridge and was supplied to us by Harry Johnson ofWasichu Warrior Stoneworks in Florence, Oregon, USA.

We believe it was madebetween 1920 and 1922 and probably exported to North America. This is because'Made in Germany' is stamped at the front of the left frame rail inEnglish. Otherwise, it bears the usual 'crown over N' (for nitro)commercial German proof mark, 'Geschert' (safe) by the safety lever,'Geladen' (loaded) on the extractor and 'DWM' on the front togglelink. The serial number is stamped on the front of the frame and thelast two digits of the serial number are stamped on most of the gun's majorparts. The serial number on the frame is accompanied by the DWM suffix'h' indicating manufacture in 1918. (WW I ended on 11 November 1918.)Except for the 'Made in Germany' frame stamp, these are all typicalDWM/German markings.

Unlike military Lugers, there is no production year stampedinto the top of the front receiver ring. DWM commercial model Lugersusually lacked this date and Lugers assembled for commercial sale in the early 1920'sfrom surplus military parts usually had the date (if any) ground off the framebefore final polishing and finishing. Our test pistol has a wide trigger, lanyardring and stock lug, but no grip safety, characteristics typical of commercialLugers of the period.

It came to us with one original early type magazine with a woodenfloorplate and two aftermarket magazines with plastic (probably bakelite) floorplates.(DWM Lugers were normally supplied with two numbered magazines, but these rarelyaccompany used Lugers today.) The grips are the original, fully checkeredwalnut panels.

The typical DMW Luger pistol barrel lengths are 3-7/8' (after WW I only),4', 4-3/4', 6'and 8'. DMW Luger carbines normally came with11-3/4' barrels. Our sample Luger is unusual in that it has a 5'barrel. As far as we know, DWM did not supply 5' barrels on 9mm pistolsand the pistol's serial number is not stamped on the bottom of the barrel,which was common practice. Nor is there a witness mark on the bottom of the barrel, although there is an index mark on the frame. We therefore believe that this Luger was rebarreledat some point in its career. (In the 1920's and 1930's, serviceable Lugers werecommon in the U.S. and aftermarket replacement barrels were available in many lengths.) Despitethe barrel's odd length and questionable provenance, it has the typical'thick' Luger contour (early Luger barrels were thinner than later barrels) and wears aLuger dovetail mounted front sight.

We also believe that our test pistol was reblued at somepoint, as evidenced by the slight rounding of sharp corners and the shallownessof the proof and part of the 'Made in Germany' markings on thereceiver. (This is caused by the buffing and polishing required before a guncan be reblued.) The bluing is worn on the front and back grip straps and thebarrel and frame show some holster wear at the edges, but most of our gun'sbluing remains.

Specifications (as tested)

  • Manufacturer: DWM
  • Model: Commercial P-08 Luger
  • Vintage: 1920-1922 (estimated)
  • Type: Autoloading service pistol
  • Operation: Recoil operated (toggle action), striker fired
  • Action: Single action
  • Caliber: 9mm Luger (9x19mm)
  • Magazine capacity: 7
  • Barrel length: 5'
  • Trigger pull: 2-1/4 lbs.
  • Sights: Fixed; V-notch rear, dovetail mounted bead front
  • Sight radius: 8-11/16' (22.2cm)
  • Finish: blued steel
  • Grips: 2-piece; checkered walnut
  • Overall length: 9-1/2' (24cm)
  • Height: 6-1/2' (14cm)
  • Width: 1-1/2' (3.7cm)
  • Weight: 2 lbs. (with empty magazine)
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • 2013 used price: $1200 (approx.)

Today, over 110 years after its initial adoption by the Swissin 1901, the Luger is still in high demand. As a result, good used Lugers inshootable condition are priced beyond the means of many shooters. Lugercollectors drive Luger prices to ever higher levels and a large number ofLugers today reside in private collections.

What has made the Luger so desirable for so long?Here are some of the distinguishing characteristics mentioned by the OrdinanceBoard from the U.S. Army tests of 1907 (in comparison to all contenders, but inparticular compared to the Colt .45 Auto):

  • The shape of the grip conforms to the anatomical features of the hand.
  • The center of gravity is well to the rear. There are two points of support as the pistol lies naturally in the hand.
  • There is an automatic indication that the chamber is loaded, visible to the eye and sensible to the touch.
  • The empty magazine may be expelled by the pistol hand.
  • The parts are easily accessible.
  • Superior accuracy (10 shots at 25 yards = 1.3' Luger and 2.4' Colt Auto)

Perhaps the nicest thing about a Luger pistol, aside fromits superior pointability, is its obviously high quality and tight fit. Thereis no looseness or slop anywhere. It is assembled like a fine watch. There areno screws holding the Luger lockwork together. The only screws (one per side)hold the grips to the frame. You know you are holding a top quality,beautifully made and fitted firearm. No Browning type, tilt-barrel actionpistol comes close to the precision feel of a Luger.

Of course, the Luger action's great strength is reassuring.The toggle action is considerably stronger than normal tilt-barrel, recoiloperated actions. Lugers handle maximum loads with aplomb. It is underpoweredloads that can cause problems, by failing to fully operate the action.

This is how the Luger functions, as concisely explained inthe 'History' section of the online Luger Forum (www.lugerforum.com):

'The mostdistinctive feature of the Luger is undoubtedly the toggle-lock mechanism,which holds the breech closed by locking in a manner not unlike the human knee,which can sustain a heavy weight when straight, but once bent, is quite easy tocontinue to bend. . . . When a round is fired the entire breech, barrel and toggle movestraight rearward (on rails) until the toggle begins to ride up on a pair ofcams that 'breaks' the toggle (makes it bend at the joint). Once the togglejoint is no longer straight, it bends freely, allowing the bolt to comerearward and the striker to be cocked. The spent cartridge is extracted by acombination extractor/loaded chamber indicator on the top of the toggle and isejected as the toggle nears the end of its rearward travel; a new round isstripped from the magazine and chambered as the toggle is driven back to thestraight position by a spring.'

Our test Luger's single action only trigger has a longtake-up and some creep (typical of Lugers), but releases at a light 2.5pounds. After over 90 years of service, the parts are undoubtedly well worn-in!

The safety lever takes a fair amount of pressure to slide upor down. It is positive and unlikely to be moved accidentally. Lever down isSAFE ('Geschert' is visible) and lever up ('Geschert'covered) is FIRE.

Racking the action is different than with slideoperated autoloading pistols. We found the easiest way is to grip the pistolnormally in the shooting hand with the trigger finger alongside the frame (nottouching the trigger). Point the pistol directly away from the shooter andupward at about a 45-degree angle. Use the thumb and index finger of the weak handto firmly grasp the toggle joint knobs and yank back and upward at about a45-degree angle (in relation to the line of bore). This should retract thebreech block. To hold the action open, do this with an empty magazine in place,as it takes an empty magazine to activate the hold open catch. Once the actionis locked open, the empty magazine can be removed. To reset the trigger afterdry firing, the action only needs to be opened about 5/16'.

There is no external hold-open lever. To release alocked-open breech block, insert a loaded magazine (or no magazine at all) andpull the toggle joint about 1/8' rearward, then release.

Before venturing to a gun range to fire the Luger, wefield stripped and cleaned it. Field stripping is accomplished without anytools. The procedure is first to remove the magazine and cycle the action toensure that the gun is unloaded. Then, pull back the toggle and turn thelocking bolt (take-down lever) 90-degrees downward. The trigger plate on theleft side of the frame, just behind the take-down lever, may now be removed. (Sometimes moving the slide a bit forward helpsdislodge the trigger plate) The barrel, receiver, breech block, toggle jointsand their components can now be slid, as a unit, forward off the frame. The largeconnecting pin between the rear link and the receiver may now be pushed free and lifted out tothe left (a spitzer bullet point or the tip of a ball point pen works fine), thereby detaching the toggle joints from the barrel and receiver. Takecare that the smaller pin between the breech bolt and front toggle link doesnot fall out and get lost. This is as far as the pistol needs to bedisassembled for normal cleaning. Reassemble in reverse order.

We thoroughly sprayed the innards of our Luger with Prolixto flush out dirt and crud and then pulled a Bore Snake through the barreltwice. After drying the gun, we applied a small amount of SIG's white lubricantto the frame rails and breech block rails.

Our test shooting with the Luger was conducted at the IzaakWalton gun range south of Eugene, Oregon. This outdoor facility has coveredshooting positions with bench rests and target stands at 25, 50, 100 and 200yards. We did our test shooting at a distance of 25 yards, our usual range fortesting handguns. The weather was sunny, with a high temperature of about 75-degreesF. and 5-10 MPH winds.

We requested test ammunition from our friends at Hornady, Remingtonand Winchester, without whose help these reviews would not be possible. Theammunition we used included Remington/UMC 115 grain MC (MV 1145 fps), Remington/UMC124 grain MC (MV 1100 fps), Winchester 124 grain FMJ (MV 1140 fps), Hornady Critical Defense 115 grain FTX (MV 1140 fps), HornadyCustom 124 grain XTP-JHP (MV 1110 fps), Hornady +P Critical Duty 135 grain FlexLock (MV 1115 fps) and Hornady Custom 147 grain XTP-JHP MV 975 fps) factory loads.

We shot five-shot groups for record using a Pistol Perchrest. Guns and Shooting Online staff members Jim Fleck, Rocky Hays andChuck Hawks did the test shooting. Here are the shooting results:

  • Hornady 115 grain FTX - smallest group 7/8', largest group 3', mean average group size = 2.4'
  • Hornady 124 grain XTP - smallest group 1-3/4', largest group 2-3/4', mean average group size = 2.2'
  • Hornady +P 135 grain FL - smallest group 1-3/8', largest group 2-1/4', mean average group size = 1.7'
  • Remington/UMC 115 grain MC - smallest group 3-3/4', largest group 5-1/4', mean average group size = 4.6'
  • Remington/UMC 124 grain MC - smallest group 1-1/8', largest group 2-3/4', mean average group size = 2.0'
  • Winchester 124 grain FMJ - smallest group 1-7/8', largest group 3-1/4', mean average group size = 2.4'
Dwm Luger Serial Number Ranges
AVERAGE GROUP SIZE FOR 124 gr. LOADS TESTED = 2.55'

We know that Lugers of this vintage were designed for full power loads (today that would be NATO spec ammo) using 124 grain RN/FMJ bullets. Most functioning problems are caused by reduced power ammunition or bullets with flat tips or aggressive hollow points, which didn't exist when the Luger pistol's feeding geometry was designed.

In our testing, we had one failure to feed with the Remington/UMC 115 grain MC load and two failures to feed with the Hornady 124 grain XTP hollow points. The Hornady 115 grain Critical Defense and 135 grain Critical Duty loads caused the most malfunctions among the loads for which we recorded groups, essentially making the Luger a single shot pistol. The Hornady Custom 147 grain XTP-JHP cartridges have long bullets with a large hollow point; these would not even feed from the magazine by hand and testing was discontinued with this load. The Winchester and Remington 124 grain ball ammo caused no malfunctions. These results are about what we expected.

We tried one original Luger magazine and two vintage aftermarketmagazines of unknown manufacture. The aftermarket magazines simply did not feedcartridges correctly, jamming the gun with almost every shot. The originalLuger magazine worked perfectly. After testing the magazines, all subsequentshooting was done with the Luger magazine.

This time out, Rocky shot the smallest groups. TheLuger is a full size, all steel gun with a long, extremely comfortable grip that minimizesrecoil and aids accurate shooting. We have previously mentioned the pistol'stoggle action with straight line barrel recoil and light SA trigger. Thesecharacteristics combined to make our range session with the Luger pleasurable. As you can see from the results above, its accuracy was good for a90+ year old service pistol.

The fine sights, and especially the small rear V-notch, aredifficult to see with our aging eyes. They are certainly inferior to modernPatridge (square notch/square blade) sights, especially for fast acquisition and target shooting.Despite this, we managed to shoot some decent 25 yard groups from a benchrest with the Luger, although we probably could have done better withmodern sights. For most of us, the Luger shot to the correct elevation at 25yards, a good thing since the only possible sight adjustment is for windage andthen only by sliding the front sight laterally in its mounting dovetail.

If a windage adjustment is necessary with a Luger, move thefront sight in the opposite directionfrom the way you want the point of impact to move. For example, if you want tomove the bullet's impact right, you must slide the front sight to the left.

In summation, we found the Luger fun to shoot, accurate (with all loads except the Rem./UMC 115 grain fodder),very comfortable and exquisitely made. It points better than any other servicepistol we have reviewed. It is probably the highest quality and best fitted ofall successful autoloading service pistols. Those individuals who own a Lugerpistol are indeed fortunate.

Note: Most of the historical information in this article was gleaned from the book The Luger Pistol (Pistole Parabellum) byFred A. Datig. Also helpful in our research was the 33rd Edition of Fjestad's Blue Book of Gun Values and the Luger Forum (www.lugerforum.com) online. Therehave been myriad Luger variations and we do not pretend to be experts on the subject. Our historical research, almost inevitably given the long production span andmultiple manufacturers of Luger pistols in various countries, revealed discrepancies even between knowledgeable sources. This article can only attempt to skim thesurface of the Luger pistol's long history and any errors or omissions are ours and ours alone.

Luger (Parabellum)
Luger pistol, in this instance a regulation Wehrmacht model.
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of originGerman Empire
Service history
In serviceGermany (1904–1945)
Switzerland (1900–early 1970s)
Other countries (1900–present)
Used bySee Users
WarsBoxer Rebellion[1]
World War I
German Revolution
Irish War of Independence
Finnish Civil War[2]
Irish Civil War
Chaco War
Spanish Civil War
World War II
Second Sino-Japanese War
Indonesian National Revolution
Chinese Civil War[citation needed]
Indochina War[3]
Korean War (limited use)[citation needed]
Algerian War[3]
Vietnam War (limited use)
Portuguese Colonial War[4]
Rhodesian Bush War
Production history
DesignerGeorg Luger
Designed1898
ManufacturerDeutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken, Imperial Arsenals of Erfurt, Simson, Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik, Mauser, Vickers Ltd (final assembly only), Waffenfabrik Bern
Unit cost35 RM (1943)
120 EUR current equivalent
Produced1900–1943
No. built3,000,000
Specifications
Mass871 g (1 lb 15 oz)
Length222 mm (8.74 in)
Barrel length120 mm / 4.7 in (Pistole 00)
100 mm / 3.9 in (Pistole 08)
200 mm / 7.9 in (Artillery)
Cartridge7.65×21mm Parabellum
9×19mm Parabellum[5]
ActionToggle-locked, short recoil
Rate of fire116 rpm (semi-automatic)[6]
Muzzle velocity350–400 m/s (1148–1312 f/s) (9mm, 100 mm short barrel)
Effective firing range50 m (55 yd) (9mm, 100 mm short barrel)
Feed system8-round detachable box magazine, 32-round detachable drum
SightsIron sights

The Pistole Parabellum—or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum), commonly known as just Luger[7]—is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol which was produced in several models and by several nations from 1898 to 1948. The design was first patented by Georg Luger as an improvement upon the Borchardt Automatic Pistol and was produced as the Parabellum Automatic Pistol, Borchardt-Luger System by the German arms manufacturer Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM).[1] The first production model was known as the Modell 1900 Parabellum.[1] Later versions included the Pistol Parabellum Model 1908 or P08 which was produced by DWM and other manufacturers such as W+F Bern, Krieghoff, Simson, Mauser, and Vickers.[8] The first Parabellum pistol was adopted by the Swiss army in May 1900. In German Army service, it was adopted in modified form as the Pistol Model 1908 (P08) in caliber 9×19mm Parabellum.[1] The Model 08 was eventually succeeded by the Walther P38.

The Luger is well known from its use by Germans during World War I and World War II, along with the interwar Weimar Republic and the postwar East German Volkspolizei. The P.08 was introduced in 7.65mm Parabellum, though it is notable for being the pistol for which the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge was developed, also known as the 9×19mm Luger. The pistol has been used in fictional works by many villainous characters over the past several decades because of its association with Nazi Germany.

  • 3Model 1900 and Swiss Luger
  • 14Users

Design details[edit]

Cutaway drawing of the Luger pistol from Georg Luger's 1908 9mm. patent.

The Luger has a toggle-lock action which uses a jointed arm to lock, as opposed to the slide actions of many other semi-automatic pistols. After a round is fired, the barrel and toggle assembly travel roughly 13 mm (0.5 in) rearward due to recoil, both locked together at this point. The toggle strikes a cam built into the frame, causing the knee joint to hinge and the toggle and breech assembly to unlock. The barrel strikes the frame and stops its rearward movement, but the toggle assembly continues moving, bending the knee joint, extracting the spent casing from the chamber, and ejecting it. The toggle and breech assembly then travel forward under spring tension and the next round is loaded from the magazine into the chamber. The entire sequence occurs in a fraction of a second and contributes to the mud-resistance[9] of the pistol.

This mechanism works well for higher-pressure cartridges, but cartridges loaded to a lower pressure can cause the pistol to malfunction because they do not generate enough recoil to work the action fully. This results in the breech block either not clearing the top cartridge of the magazine or becoming jammed open on the cartridge's base.[10] This malfunction with under-powered cartridges does occur with Browning-type and other pistol designs as well, but the Luger is sensitive to cartridges other than the brass-cased ammunition which it was designed to use.[11]

Submachine guns were found to be effective in trench warfare during World War I, and experiments were conducted to convert various types of pistols to fully automatic machine pistols, including the P08. The Luger proved to have an excessive rate of fire in full-automatic mode, however, as did the Mauser C96.

Service[edit]

Luger Model 1900 pistol carbine

Luger pistols were manufactured in Germany and Switzerland to very close tolerances and exacting standards using the highest quality materials of the day, and original pistols were known for having a long service life.[12] The design requires hand fitting of certain parts for proper operation. Assembling the gun using a sideplate from another pistol, for example, may prevent the sear from working, making the pistol inoperable. The Luger barrel, which was rigidly fixed to the barrel extension and carried the front sight, provided excellent accuracy.[12]William B. 'Bill' Ruger praised the Luger's 145° (55° for Americans) grip angle and duplicated it in his .22 LR pistol.[12]The famous handgun author and revolver enthusiast Elmer Keith observed that the Luger design had been unfairly criticized by gun writers over the years as unreliable, partly due to poor experiences with Lugers constructed from salvaged parts.[12] Keith noted that the Luger was a 'natural pointer', one of the most accurate of all autoloading pistols—particularly at long ranges—and reminded critics that the Luger was the choice of more nations as their military sidearm than any other contemporary pistol or revolver.[12]

Swiss Pistol 06/29, 7,65x21mm
'Artillery Luger' Lange Pistole 08 with 32-round Trommel-Magazin 08 and removable stock.

Model 1900 and Swiss Luger[edit]

A number of countries purchased the Model 1900 Parabellum in 7.65×21 mm Parabellum (.30 Luger) caliber and issued the pistol on a limited basis to officers, non-commissioned officers and mounted troops, including Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.[1] The Model 1900 or Pistole Modell 1900 was issued to German officers and likely first saw combat in China during a bloody intervention by German troops in the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion of 1900.[13][14] On April 16, 1901, following a successful preliminary test of the Model 1900 at Springfield Armory,[15][16] the U.S. Board of Ordnance purchased 1,000 Model 1900 Parabellum pistols with 4.75-inch barrels, marked with what appear to be standard U.S. ordnance bomb proofs, but aren't,[17] and 'American Eagle' stamps over the chambers, and issued them to each troop of mounted cavalry of the U.S. Army for field testing, with the remainder to the light artillery and officers at West Point.[1][6][16] In 1902, U.S. Army officials purchased another 50 Model 1902 Parabellum pistols with 4-inch barrels, again in 7.65mm Parabellum caliber, for further testing and evaluation. This was followed by a third test of 50 so-called 'cartridge counter' Parabellum pistols in 9 mm caliber by Springfield Armory in 1904. Other nations either tested the Model 1900 or purchased small numbers for limited field service, including Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Holland, Luxembourg, Russia, Norway, Sweden, and Portugal.[1]

Commercial models of the Model 1900 were exported in quantity as well. In the U.S., Model 1900 pistols in 7.65 Parabellum caliber (aka .30 Luger in the U.S.) were first imported by Georg Luger, then by a DWM sales agent, Hans Tauscher, until World War I.[18] Referred to at the time as the 'Borchardt-Luger' by U.S. authorities, Tauscher consistently referred to the pistol in his marketing and advertising materials as the 'Luger', after its inventor. Model 1900 pistols shipped to the U.S. were typically stamped with an American Eagle atop the barrel extensions.[18] 'American Eagle' 7.65 Model 1900 pistols were used by variety of buyers, including American lawmen such as Stringer Fenton, outlaws, and Texas Rangers.[19][20][21][22]

Swiss Luger[edit]

After testing, the Swiss Army adopted the Model 1900 on April 4, 1901 in 7.65x21mm caliber as its standard side arm, designated Pistole 1900.[23] This model uses a 120 mm (4.7 in) barrel and incorporates a grip safety and leaf-type mainspring. A later Swiss military contract with DWM resulted in the latter supplying improved Model 1900/06 pattern pistols designated the Model 1906 or Pistole 1900/06. Commencing in 1918, these Model 1906 Parabellum pistols were manufactured and assembled in Bern, Switzerland.

In 1929, Swiss authorities adopted an improved version of the Modell 1900 designated the Modell 06/29 with improved sights, trigger and a stronger toggle link. Manufactured entirely at Bern, Switzerland, the 06/29 pistol served the Swiss Army until well after the adoption of a new service pistol in 1948, and was still in limited service in the late 1960s.

Model 1902[edit]

In 1902 DWM introduced a slightly improved version of the Model 1900 Parabellum as the Model 1902. The Model 1902, with its shortened 4-inch barrel, was the first Parabellum pistol to be offered in 9x19mm Parabellum caliber, along with a change from four-groove to six-groove rifling.[24]

Navy model[edit]

The Luger pistol was accepted by the Imperial German Navy in 1904 in 9mm Parabellum as the Pistole 04 (P04). The navy model had a 150 mm (5.9 in) barrel and a two-position ( 100 meters (110 yd) or 200 meters (220 yd) ) rear sight. This version was also referred to as the 'Marine Modell 1904' or, more colloquially in the US as the 'navy Luger'.[23] The Pistole 04 was later updated with a coil mainspring to Model 1906 pattern as Luger continued to refine and improve his design.

Model 1906 (Neues Modell)[edit]

Georg Luger introduced a new version of the Parabellum pistol in 1906 which would become known as the Model 1906 or New Model (Neues Modell). This latest version of the Parabellum replaced the old flat laminated main spring with a new, more reliable coil design.[1] As all models of the Luger built after 1906 have the coil mainspring, they are known as New Models.[1] Older Parabellum pistols in German service were usually upgraded to the New Model specification.

Replica of a 45ACP 1907 US Army Trials Luger

1907 U.S. Pistol Trials[edit]

By 1906, the United States evaluated several domestic and foreign-made semi-automatic pistols, including the Colt M1900, Steyr Mannlicher M1894, and an entry from Mauser.[23] Although Springfield Armory had previously purchased 7.65×21mm Parabellum pistols for two separate field trials in 1900 and 1902, U.S. authorities had rejected the 7.65x21mm cartridge as insufficiently powerful for military use. In 1904, a small number of Parabellum pistols were tested in the then-new, more powerful 9×19mm round, but U.S. authorities again rejected the pistol. By this time, numerous adverse combat reports of insufficient stopping power of the Army's Colt .38 caliber revolvers used in the 1899-1902 Philippine Insurrection and the published findings of U.S. Army personnel obtained from the Thompson–LaGarde Tests resulted in a requirement for a military handgun in .45 (11.25mm) caliber.

In 1906 and 1907, the U.S. Army held trials for a large-caliber semi-automatic pistol, which constituted the fourth and final evaluation of the Luger or Parabellum pistol design by U.S. authorities. At least two, and possibly three Parabellum Model 1902/1906 pattern pistols in enlarged form and chambered in .45 Luger caliber were brought to the U.S. by Georg Luger for the 1907 trials, each chambered in .45 ACP caliber.[1] Prior to his arrival, the U.S. Frankford Arsenal had provided Luger with 5,000 rounds of .45 ammunition for experimentation and to serve as a guide for chambering measurements.[1] Finding numerous defects in this prototype ammunition (U.S. authorities later were forced to produce new ammunition for the 1907 trials), Luger had DWM pull the bullets of these cartridges, which were re-loaded with a special faster-burning powder in new brass cases.[25] Luger brought 746 rounds of this new ammunition to the March 1907 trials with his .45 Luger pistol.[1][25] Two test .45 Luger pistols, bearing serial numbers 1 and 2 are known to have been used in the 1907 tests.[25] Although the .45 Luger passed the firing tests, it was ranked below the Colt/Browning and Savage pistols in number of malfunctions and misfires, though Army officials conceded that the .45 Luger performed satisfactorily with the DWM-loaded ammunition.[25] In the words of the testing commission: 'The Luger automatic pistol, although it possesses manifest advantages in many particulars, is not recommended for service tests because its certainty of action, even with Luger ammunition, it is not considered satisfactory, because of the final seating of the cartridge is not by positive spring action, and because the powder stated by Mr. Luger to be necessary, for its satisfactory use is not now obtainable in this country.”[26] DWM and Luger later rejected an invitation by Army officials to produce 200 pistols in caliber .45 for further competition against the Colt and Savage submissions, at which point DWM effectively withdrew from the U.S. trials.[1][25]

The fate of the .45 Luger, serial number 1 is unknown, as it was not returned and is believed to have been destroyed during testing. The .45 Luger prototype serial number 2, believed to have been a back-up to Serial Number 1, survived the 1907 trials and is in private ownership. Its rarity gives its value of around US$1 million at the time the 'Million Dollar Guns' episode of History Channel's 'Tales of the Gun' was filmed,[27] recheck by Guns & Ammo as of 1994.[28] At least two caliber .45 Luger pistols were manufactured later for possible commercial or military sales; one is exhibited at the R. W. Norton Art Gallery, in Shreveport, Louisiana. The other was sold in 2010 and remains in a private collection. A single .45 Luger carbine is also known to exist.[29]

Pistole Modell 1908 (P08) and World War I[edit]

In 1908, the German Army adopted the DWM Parabellum pistol as the Pistole Modell 1908 (P08) Parabellum to replace the Reichsrevolver in front-line service.[30] The Pistole 08 (or P.08) had a 100 mm (3.9 in) barrel and was chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. This version of Georg Luger's design reflected a number of improvements requested by German military authorities. The grip safety used on earlier versions was omitted, while a lug was attached to the heel of the pistol frame for attachment of a shoulder stock. The barrel was reduced in length to 4 inches (102mm), and the caliber was 9x19mm Parabellum, and the 9x19mm DWM cartridge (Catalog No. 278F) initially adopted by the German Army featured a 123-grain truncated-nose bullet design intended to increase wounding effect of the fully jacketed bullet.[31] With slight modifications, notably the addition of a stock mounting lug and a hold-open latch, the P08 would serve as the German Army's principal sidearm during World War I, augmented by Mauser C96 and Model 1914 pistols. Over 2 million Luger pistols were used by German forces from 1914 to 1918.[24]

The Bolivian Army also adopted the DWM Luger in 9×19mm Parabellum as an officer's sidearm; 500 were bought in 1913. They bore the legend 'Ejercito Boliviano' stamped on the chamber.[32]

Lange Pistole 08 (Artillery Luger)[edit]

The adoption of the Lange Pistole 08 or LP 08, aka the 'Artillery Luger', was authorized by the Kaiser on the 2nd of July 1913. This P08 variation was equipped with a 200 mm (7.9 in) barrel, an 8-position tangent rear sight (calibrated to 800 meters (870 yd)) and a board-type shoulder stock with an attached leather holster. In the event of close combat, the pistol was intended to be used as a carbine with the shoulder stock attached to a lug mounted on the heel of the pistol frame. When set for long range use the rear sight element visibly moves to the left to compensate for spin drift. While initially intended for use by German artillery units who could not be encumbered by the long and heavy K.98 rifle, the LP 08 was also used by Aviation units (prior to equipping aircraft with machine guns) as well as the Infantry, primarily on the Western front during World War I. The famous infantry Stoßtruppen or Stormtrooper units frequently employed the Artillery Luger equipped with a new large magazine – the 32-round Trommelmagazin or 'snail' magazine. Production of the LP 08 ended in 1918 with the end of the war. By that time, German troops had begun using the newly developed MP 18 submachine gun in place of the LP 08 for their stormtroop assault companies. However, by this time enough LP 08 barrels had been manufactured and stockpiled to fill LP 08 export orders into the 1930s.

Carbine versions of the LP 08 were also produced commercially, with yet longer barrels. The firm Armeria Belga of Santiago (Chile) also manufactured a detachable stock, the Benke Thiemann stock, that could fold out from the grip section.

In the early 1920s, carbine production was restarted, with barrels up to 600mm (24 in) long. Under a small contract, LP 08 or Artillery P08s were assembled in the 1930s to fill an order from the Shah of Iran for his artillery troops, with some of these weapons ending up with Thai police forces. Existing LP 08 pistols which had remained in storage were re-issued in WWII with new-production board stocks for some German units such as artillerymen and Waffen SS units, and these continued in use until the end of the war in 1945.

Luger Rifle M1906[edit]

The M1906 was an attempt to make a full-powered semi-automatic rifle using the same toggle-bolt action of the pistol. A single rifle, serial number 4, was found and put on auction and was said to be made by Georg Luger. The description mentioned a German patent No. 4126 of 1906—the patent applied specifically to serial number 4. The rifle was chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser, and the stock resembled the later K98k style.[1][2]

Interwar years and commercial production[edit]

From 1919 on, DWM rebuilt P08 frames with new parts or existing parts (including barrels) into complete pistols for sales to the civilian and export markets. These sales helped restore DWM to solvency after the Armistice.[33] Most of these commercial pistols were in 7.65 Parabellum (.30 Luger) caliber, although a number of pistols were also rebarrelled to 9mm Parabellum (9x19mm). The new component parts were stamped with serial numbers to match the frame to ensure that all the fitted parts stayed together. Many thousands of these pistols were thought to have been assembled and sold between 1919 and 1923. Some of these pistols were fitted with new barrels of different lengths by the importer upon customer request. Many so-called 1919 and 1920 Commercial Lugers were imported to the United States by such firms as Abercrombie & Fitch, Pacific Arms Co., and A.F. Stoeger Inc. The latter importer sought and registered the name Luger in 1929 in the United States.[18]

In 1923, A.F. Stoeger Inc., the predecessor to Stoeger, Inc. began importing commercial pistols from DWM stamped A.F.Stoeger Inc. – New York. and 'Germany'. These pistols were exported to the United States in both 7.65 Parabellum (.30 Luger) and 9mm calibers, with barrel lengths from 75 mm to 600 mm. These imported Parabellums were also the first pistols to bear the name 'Luger', roll stamped on the right side of the receiver. That same year, DWM also signed contracts to supply small numbers of P08 pistols to the armed forces of Finland (8,000 pistols, designated m/23),[2] the Netherlands, and Sweden.

Until 1930, DWM continued to export both P08 and commercial Parabellum pistols to nations in Europe and to overseas markets, including the United States and the Far East. Although never officially adopted by Nationalist forces, all variants of the Parabellum or Luger pistol were highly sought after by both Chinese Nationalist officers and irregular guerrilla forces. In 1924, just before the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War, a review of Chinese Nationalist small arms reported that 'Among officers, bodyguards, and police, the German Parabellum (Luger) 9-mm automatic pistol was the weapon of choice..'.[34]

In 1930, Mauser took over manufacture of the P.08 from DWM.[7] Additional P08s were produced by Simson and later Krieghoff.Many P04 and P08 pistols would continue in service with German army and navy personnel throughout World War II. Towards the end of 1937 (beginning with 't' & 'u' block pistols) Mauser phased out rust blue process and 'straw finishing' small parts and levers on the P08, choosing to salt blue all parts of the weapon at one time. In 1941 some of these pistols were fitted with inexpensive black Bakelite grip panels to cut production time and expense. Years after the war, these pistols would be given the name 'Black Widow' by a postwar US arms dealer as a marketing ploy.

World War II production[edit]

The P08 was technically replaced in service in 1938 by the Walther P38, but ever-growing wartime demands for handguns resulted in continued P08 production by Mauser until December 1943.[7][24] Mauser production was supplemented by a small contract for Luger pistols given to Heinrich Krieghoff & Son of Suhl in 1935 to produce a Luger variant for the Luftwaffe; a second contract for 15,000 pistols was only partially completed when Krieghoff ceased Luger production in 1944.[24] The German Army took their last delivery of 1,000 Mauser-made pistols in November 1943.[24] A further 4,000 pistols assembled by Mauser in December of that same year were sold to Portugal, which renamed them the Model 943.[24] German military authorities refused to take any more Luger pistols, leaving a large stock of parts at the factory in Oberndorf.[24]

Captured Lugers were much prized by Allied soldiers during both of the world wars as war trophies.[35] However, during World War II, German soldiers were known to sometimes use a discarded Luger pistol to lure unsuspecting trophy hunters, rigging it to detonate land mines or hidden booby traps when disturbed.[36] Word also spread of accidental discharges and deaths of Allied troops by users unfamiliar with the P08 and its safety mechanisms, as well as stories circulating that American soldiers were being executed if captured in possession of German weapons.[18][37]

Soviet forces captured tens of thousands of Lugers but they were never issued to their own troops but rather kept in storage.[38]

Post-WWII production and assembly[edit]

Although Mauser P08 production terminated in 1943, the P08 re-appeared in postwar form because of a continuing demand for handguns for military and police requirements. In 1945 Mauser restarted Luger production under the control of the French occupation authority to supply the French military and occupation police forces. Assembly commenced under French control from June 1945 until mid-1946. In the second half of 1946, tooling and some Mauser personnel moved from Oberndorf to Chatellerault in France, the location of MAC (Manufacture d’Armes de Chatellerault) to continue assembly from existing parts stocks. About 4,000 Luger 'parts' pistols, including a few LP 08 models, are thought to have been assembled for French forces, a sufficient number to justify the production of new-manufacture Luger magazines in France for several years.[13][24] Surviving examples of Lugers assembled under French supervision are sometines found with a distinct, gray parkerized finish.[39] A few early French control pistols bear a five-pointed star proof mark known to have been used by French Occupation authorities. Later pistols assembled in France often carry a French arsenal/manufacturer name, such as Manufacture Francaise d’Armes & Cycles de St. Etienne (Manufrance).[citation needed] Surviving French Control Lugers were retained in French storage depots of the paramilitary National Gendarmerie as late as 1970.[39]

Pistols were also assembled under the direction of Soviet (and later, East German) authorities to arm military and MP units, as well as the Volkspolizei.[24] During the immediate postwar period, complete Luger pistols were also assembled from rejected or salvaged parts with different serial numbers, then sold as souvenirs to occupation forces in Germany. Thousands of original Luger pistols were taken home by returning Allied soldiers after both world wars. Other Luger pistols were later assembled in the United States by gunsmiths of varying aptitude using secondhand, rejected, or salvaged parts imported from Germany and other countries. These pistols and their construction quality (or lack of it) would contribute to criticism of the Luger as a finicky and unreliable weapon. However, a well maintained Luger with new springs and suitable cartridges is a very reliable weapon.[40]

The Swiss Parabellum 06/29 continued in production until 1946. In 1969, after purchasing the Swiss 06/29 tooling, Mauser Werke in Oberndorf restarted Parabellum production, which ceased in 1986 when the last commemorative model was produced.[41] While new Mauser Luger production ended at this time, pistols continued to be assembled and sold from parts on hand until the 1990s.

The Luger pistol is still sought after by collectors both for its sleek design and accuracy, and for its connection to Imperial and Nazi Germany. According to Aaron Davis, writing in The Standard Catalog of the Luger, 'From its adoption, the Luger was synonymous with the German military through the end of World War II' and 'Ask any World War II vet of the [European Theater of Operations] what the most prized war souvenir was and the answer will invariably come back, ‘a Luger.’”[30] Colonel David Hackworth mentions in his autobiography that it was still a sought-after sidearm in the Vietnam War.[42] Vietnamese gunsmiths even copied the basic Luger design, producing a few crude 'Luger' pistols with which to arm Viet Cong and other irregular forces.[43]

Users[edit]

Luger 04 Pistol of the Imperial German Navy
  • Algeria: used by the National Liberation Army, bought from Yugoslavia or Czechoslovakia[3]
  • Austria: Armed forces used Lugers after 1945, supplied from the French controlled Mauser factory [44]
  • Bolivia:[44] delivered from 1912 and used during the Chaco War[45]
  • Brazil[13]
  • Kingdom of Bulgaria[46]
  • Republic of China: Used by Chang Tso-lin's warlord army.[47]
  • Democratic Republic of Georgia: Mainly issued to officers.[48]
  • Empire of Japan: Used Luger pistols in a semi-official capacity taken from disarmed Dutch forces in Indonesia.[8]
  • France: The French occupied and operated the Mauser factory 1945–46, then seized remaining Mauser parts stocks to assemble approximately 4,000 Luger pistols for French forces[44]
  • Finland[49]
  • Germany[50]
    • German Empire[35]
    • Weimar Republic[35]
    • Nazi Germany[35]
    • East Germany: Used until the 1960s by the Volkspolizei[38] and Stasi agents.[8]
  • Greece[citation needed]
  • Grenada[51]
  • Indonesia: Almost 14,000 Dutch KNIL M.11 Lugers were in Indonesia before the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. As such, the Luger was widely used during the Indonesian National Revolution. General Sudirman is known to have personally carried an M.11.[52]
  • Imperial State of Iran[8]
  • Luxemburg[18][verification needed]
  • Malta[18][verification needed]
  • Netherlands: Dutch arms factories made Lugers in 1912 for use by the Dutch East Indies Army.[44] Other contracts were completed for the Dutch Navy commencing in 1923, and the Dutch Air Force in 1928.
  • Lebanon[citation needed]
  • Libya[53]
  • New Zealand: Captured Lugers issued to RNZAF ADS officers 1942-45.[54]
  • Norway: In use from 1945 and phased out in 1987.[55]
  • Palestine: the Palestine Liberation Organization received P08s from East Germany[38]
  • Portugal[56][57]
  • Poland[citation needed]
  • Romania[citation needed]
  • Russia[18]
  • Spain[49]
  • Soviet Union: stored captured P08s but never used in combat[38]
  • Sweden[18]
  • Switzerland: The Swiss Army was the first to adopt the Luger. 1900-1950[49]
  • Turkey[57]
  • Thailand[32]
  • United Kingdom: used by Special Operations Executive[58]
  • United States[18] The U.S. Ordnance Board purchased 1,000 Model 1900 7.65mm pistols under an official military contract order and issued them to active duty cavalry troops for field testing.

Non-state entities[edit]

  • Irish Republican Army
  • Lebanese Forces[59]
  • Organisation armée secrète[60]
  • Yugoslav Partisans[61]
  • Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army[62]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations
  1. ^ abcdefghijklmDatig, Fred A., The Luger Pistol, Gun Digest, 1957 ed., Chicago Illinois: Edward Keogh Co. Inc. (1956) pp. 164-165
  2. ^ abJowett, Philip; Snodgrass, Brent (5 July 2006). Finland at War 1939–45. Elite 141. Osprey Publishing. p. 46. ISBN9781841769691.
  3. ^ abcGrant 2018, p. 57.
  4. ^Grant 2018, p. 4.
  5. ^German Infantry Weapons. United States War Department. 25 May 1943. p. 5.
  6. ^ abProceedings Of The United States Naval Institute, Annapolis MD, Vol. 27, No. 1 (March 1901) p. 436
  7. ^ abcFitzsimons, Bernard, ed. (1977). 'Luger'. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons and Warfare. 16. London, UK: Phoebus. p. 1778.
  8. ^ abcd'DWM Luger P-08 Pistol'. chuckhawks.com. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  9. ^Mud Test: WW1 & WW2 P08 Luger, retrieved 6 August 2019
  10. ^Hogg, Ian; Weeks, John (2000). Military Small Arms of the 20th Century (7th ed.). Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. ISBN0-87341-824-7.
  11. ^Dunlap, Roy, Ordnance Went Up Front, Stackpole Books (1948), p. 104
  12. ^ abcdeKeith, Elmer, Sixguns, Ravenio Books (1961)
  13. ^ abcWalter, John. The Luger Story. Greenhill Books. p. 127. ISBN1-85367-436-2.
  14. ^Cohen, Paul A. History In Three Keys: The Boxers As Event, Experience, and Myth, Columbia University Press, ISBN0231106505 (1997), pp. 185-185
  15. ^U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, Vol. 27 No. 1 (March 1901), p. 436: 'The Board..has recommended that $15,000 be appropriated for the purchase of $1,000 of the Luger automatic pistols, which recently made such a wonderful record in the tests at Springfield Armory. The sum allotted—for the recommendation of the Board was instantly approved by the Secretary of War—is sufficient to furnish five of these pistols for each Troop of Cavalry in the service..'
  16. ^ abAnnual Report of the Chief of Ordnance, United States, Army Ordnance Dept., 28 October 1902, p. 258
  17. ^1900 Luger U.S. Test Trials, by Michael Reese II, 1976, pages 1,7
  18. ^ abcdefghiDavis, Aaron, The Standard Catalog of Luger, Gun Digest Books, ISBN9780896894112 (2006) p. 6
  19. ^Tells Of Taking Bandit M'Curdy, Tulsa Daily World, 15 October 1911, p. 18
  20. ^Skelton, Bart, For The Love Of Lugers, Shooting Times, 4 October 2010, retrieved 12 December 2017
  21. ^Dolan, Samuel K., Cowboys and Gangsters: Stories of an Untamed Southwest, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN9781442246690 (2006), p. xx (Introd.)
  22. ^Farris, David, The Last Of The Old Time Outlaws, Edmond Life & Leisure 29 Dec 2016, retrieved 14 Dec 2017
  23. ^ abcDatig, Fred A. (20 April 2009). 'The Luger Pistol Gun Digest'. Gun Digest. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  24. ^ abcdefghiStephenson, Jan, The Parabellum Story, Part I and II, Gun Facts Magazine (July 1969) pp. 10-15, 35-37
  25. ^ abcdeAmerican Rifleman, The 1907 Pistol Trials,, (Feb 2001) www.nramuseum.com/media/940450/1907%20pistol%20trials.pdf
  26. ^Appendix, U.S. Army Annual Report for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1907 (1907), p. 89
  27. ^'Tales of the Gun: Million Dollar Guns'. History Channel – via YouTube.
  28. ^James, Garry (October 2010). 'Would you Shoot the Million Dollar Luger'. Guns & Ammo. InterMedia Outdoors. Archived from the original on 4 June 2013.
  29. ^'Investment Firearm – .45 Luger Carbine'. rennlist.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2004.
  30. ^ abHuard, Paul Richard (6 March 2015). 'The Nazis' Handgun'. War Is Boring. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  31. ^Kinard, Jeff, Pistols: An Illustrated History of Their Impact, Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Publishing, ISBN1851094709, p. 178
  32. ^ abGrant 2018, p. 28.
  33. ^Davis, Aaron, Standard Catalog of Luger, p. 25: In 1922 DWM became part of a holding company, Berlin-Karlsruher Industrie-Werke (BKIW).
  34. ^Waldron, Arthur, From War to Nationalism: China's Turning Point, 1924-25, Cambridge University Press, ISBN0521472385 (1995), p. 57
  35. ^ abcdBishop, Chris, ed. (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Metrobooks. p. 228. ISBN1-58663-762-2. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  36. ^Rottman p.49
  37. ^Rottman p.32
  38. ^ abcdGrant 2018, p. 59.
  39. ^ abGrant 2018, p. 58.
  40. ^InRangeTV (18 April 2016), Mud Test: WW1 & WW2 P08 Luger, retrieved 12 February 2019
  41. ^Bishop, Chris, ed. (1998). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. New York: Orbis Publishing Ltd. ISBN0-7607-1022-8..
  42. ^Hackworth, David H. (1990). About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN978-0-67169-534-7.
  43. ^McCollum, Ian (27 January 2016). 'Viet Cong Handmade Luger Lookalike'. ForgottenWeapons.com. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  44. ^ abcdWalter, John (1991). Luger Book: The Encyclopedia of the Borchardt and Borchardt-Luger Handguns, 1885–1985. London, UK: Arms & Armour. p. 66. ISBN978-0-85368-886-0.
  45. ^Alejandro de Quesada (20 November 2011). The Chaco War 1932-35: South America's greatest modern conflict. Osprey Publishing. p. 23. ISBN978-1-84908-901-2.
  46. ^Miller, David. Fighting Men of World War II, Volume I: Axis Forces — Uniforms, Equipment, and Weapons. Stackpole Books. p. 369. ISBN0-8117-0277-4.
  47. ^Jowett, Philip (2010). Chinese Warlord Armies 1911–30. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Ltd. p. 21. ISBN978-1-84908-402-4.
  48. ^https://history.mod.gov.ge/ge/page/39/msubuqi-sheiarageba
  49. ^ abcDavis, Aaron (2006). Standard Catalog of Luger (2nd ed.). Gun Digest Books. ISBN0-89689-411-8.
  50. ^Miller, David (2001). The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN1-84065-245-4.
  51. ^JWH1975 (18 October 2015). 'Urgent Fury 1983: WWII weapons encountered'. wwiiafterwwii. Wordpress. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  52. ^KNIL-wapens in Indonesische musea (KNIL weapons in Indonesian museums), D.W. Staat, SAM Wapenmagazine 85, p.51 (In Dutch)
  53. ^Grey Tiger (2015). 'World Infantry Weapons: Libya'. WorldInventory. Retrieved 13 December 2017 – via Google Sites.
  54. ^Osborne, John. 'NZ Arms Register'. ArmsRegister.com.Missing or empty url= (help)
  55. ^Hæren etter Annen verdenskrig: 1945–1990 [The Army of the Second World War: 1945–1990] (in Norwegian). Oslo: Fabritius. 1990. p. 563. ISBN8290545169.
  56. ^Telo, António José; Álvares, Mário (2004). Armamento do Exército Português, Vol.I – Armamento Ligeiro [Armament of the Portuguese Army, Vol.I - Light Armament] (in Portuguese). Lisbon: Prefácio. pp. 100–103. ISBN972-8816-43-X.
  57. ^ abArnold, David W. (11 November 2010). 'Classic Handguns of the 20th Century: The P.08 German Luger'. Handguns. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  58. ^Grant 2018, p. 69.
  59. ^'The Weapons: Semi-auto Pistols'. lebaneseforces.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  60. ^Perez, Jean-Claude (March 1992). 'Les armes de l'O.A.S.'Gazette des Armes (in French). No. 220. pp. 28–30.
  61. ^Scarlata, Paul (1 October 2017). 'Yugoslav Part II: World War II small arms: an assortment of small arms from friends and foe alike'. Firearms News.
  62. ^Stewart, Major Michael P. 'Art of War Papers'(PDF). Retrieved 12 March 2015.
Bibliography
  • Bishop, Chris (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN978-1-58663-762-0.
  • Rottman, Gordon (2011). World War II Axis Booby Traps and Sabotage Tactics. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN178096143X. OCLC650113182.
  • Grant, Neil (20 September 2018). The Luger. Weapon 64. Osprey Publishing. ISBN9781472819734.

P08 German Luger Serial Numbers

Further reading[edit]

  • The Borchardt & Luger Automatic Pistols by Joachim Gortz and Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess (Simpson Ltd, 2012)
  • Imperial Lugers by Jan C. Still (Still's Books, 1994)
  • Third Reich Lugers by Jan C. Still (Still's Books, 1988)
  • Weimar Lugers by Jan C. Still (Still's Books, 1993)
  • Lugers at Random by Charles Kenyon (Hand Gun Press, 1990)
  • Simson Lugers by Edward B. Tinker and Graham K. Johnson (Simpson Ltd, 2007)
  • La Luger Artiglieria by Mauro Baudino (Editoriale Olimpia, 2004)
  • Luger Book: The Encyclopedia of the Borchardt and Borchardt-Luger Handguns, 1885–1985 by J. Walter (Arms & Armour, 1991)
  • The Parabellum is Back! 1945–2000 by Mauro Baudino and Gerben van Vlimmeren (Simpson Ltd, 2010)
  • Imperial Lugers Ян С. Тем не менее (Стилла Книги, 1994)
  • Рейх Lugers Яна С. Тем не менее (Стилла Книги, 1988)
  • Веймар Lugers Ян С. Тем не менее (Стилла Книги, 1993)
  • Lugers наугад Чарльз Кеньон (Hand Gun Пресс, 1990)
  • La Люгер Artiglieria Мауро Baudino (Editoriale Олимпия, 2004)
  • Luger Книга: Энциклопедия Борхардт и Борхардт-Luger пистолетов, 1885-1985 Дж. Уолтера (Arms & Armour, 1991)
  • Парабеллум вернулся! 1945–2000 by Mauro Baudino and Gerben van Vlimmeren (Simpson Ltd, 2010)
  • The Mauser Parabellum 1930–1946: Analysis of a Million Luger Pistols by Don R. Hallock & Joop van den Kant (HaKa Arms Publications C0, 2010) 1945-2000 Мауро Baudino и Gerben ван Vlimmeren (Симпсон Ltd, 2010)
  • Маузер Парабеллум 1930-1946: Анализ Million Luger Pistols Дон Р. Халлок & Joop Van Den Кант (Хака Руки Публикации С0, 2010)

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to P08 Parabellum.

Luger Dwm Production Numbers

  • Luger 08 in parts

Dwm Luger Serial Number Ranges Lookup

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