1900 Test Eagle?

[MFC]

I was lucky to find this “Test Eagle” at the last Tulsa gun show. The dealer said it came from a recently purchased collection. It was labeled as a 1900 American Eagle (only). I recognized that the serial# fit into the Test Eagle range but, I didn’t mention it to the dealer. It was reblued long ago so the dealer was willing to negotiate. We finally agreed on a price as I was leaving the show Sunday afternoon. I struggle with the fact that it was reblued but, it is fully matched including the grips. It also came with a flaming bomb mag. It’s slowly growing on me.

#7008 fits into all accepted Test Eagle ranges but, it is not on the Bannerman list. It does have all the characteristics of a Test Eagle.
No proofs
No GERMANY export stamp
Takedown lever stamped on the right side

[Ron Wood]

Originally Posted by MFC

but, it is not on the Bannerman list

Yes it is...it is in the consecutive lot from 6361-7108 that Bannerman purchased. Congratulations!

[cirelaw]

Congrads She's A Beauty! A Proud Possession at any price! almost! You might want to check your grips. They will be numbered to the gun and each should have the 'Flaming Bomb' If it doesn't no biggy!

[DavidJayUden]

Don't you just love a new toy...
dju

[MFC]

Ron,
Thanks. I certainly feel a lot better about it now!!!

David,
You bet! It's hard to put it down. The fit of all the parts is immaculate... better than any of my other Lugers.

Eric,
Thanks. I'm now a proud member of the Test Eagle club. The grips are numbered but I can't make out the inspectors stamp. It doesn't look like a flaming bomb.

[DavidJayUden]

There is something about those early guns. Maybe the lines are sharper from using newer tooling, or maybe it is just how the parts seem to grow out from one another, perfect fit. But you know you are holding a rarely all handcrafted piece of gunmaker's art.
Like we use to say about old double-barrelled rifles, they were made before a man's time was worth anything.
dju

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

There is something about those early guns. Maybe the lines are sharper from using newer tooling...

Maybe they were made before tumbling machinery to break sharp edges (small rounded stones in constant motion)...

Back in 1969, when I worked as a milling machine operator at an aerospace subcontractor, all my stringer clips were tumbled before final inspection...Gave them a 'stone washed' look...

[Mike B]

The inspection marks on the grips of my test eagle look exactly the ones on Mike's grips. Cannot make out what it is, but it is certainly not the infamous flaming bomb.

Mike

[mcg]

Great example, Congrats!

I agree with Mike B., my grips have the same proof and I haven't a clue as to what it is.

Mark

[Lugerdoc]

Mike, I agree that the large "asterisk" marking inside the grips is a different inspector's marking than the "taurian" inspector's marking on the pistol. TH PS: )O is the astrological symbol for Taurus, not anything to do with the US military "flaming bomb". TH

[cirelaw]

Heres My Pair, another perspective! There are 2 I don't know! the D on the right and ?? top right.

[cirelaw]

I noticed my inspector mark on my grip is diffferent, Mine has a star. Can someone check your test piece to see if the were a consistant standard!

[MFC]

No stars or asterisks on mine. Mine look more like a Gothic F.

[Douglas Jr.]

Mike,

I would be very confortable with the AE Test Luger in my collection, no matter if reblued. The job seems to be very well done, and it already had some patina. At least, the guy respected the strawed areas. Not a perfect gun, but not a shooter for sure.

Congratulations and enjoy your new toy!

Douglas.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Douglas Jr.

...no matter if reblued. The job seems to be very well done...

+ 1

I think too much emphasis is put on re-bluing...It's the buffing that destroys the innate character of the piece...This seems to have no buffing, which btw is consistent with examples of armory reworks...

I would have no reservations about buying a re-blued (but not buffed) Luger of any kind...

[lugerholsterrepair]

Mike, The magazine by itself is a real treasure. The pistol as a whole is quite nice and one any of us could hope to own one day. Good score!

[DavidJayUden]

Jerry:
Educate us. What is special about the mag. and what is it's approx. value? I assume it is a combo. of un-numbered and the "FB" proof/inspector's stamp?
Thanks;
dju

[lugerholsterrepair]

David, Yes exactly. It is a rarely seen magazine. Value is hard to pin down because so few are on the market..That and not many people require one. A Krieghoff or an Imperial Navy magazine is in about the same catagory but more people have those types of pistols. And they are commercial so un numbered so either an easy match or no match!

I would guess $500-700 if one could be found? So much depending on overall condition and clarity of the marking. I have not ever seen one for sale that I can remember?

I have heard of these being faked though..

[DavidJayUden]

Thanks!
dju

[Ron Wood]

I wouldn't mind having that gun in hand because from the photos I am not 100% sure it has been refinished. I know that the inside is not all "in the white" but I have seen some original pieces where the rust blue has bled down over the receiver rails, and the frame on this one looks like old grease and age darkening. Would want to assess it carefully before writing it off as a reblue.
The magazine has a bit of a mystique with that marking, but as Tom said, it has nothing to do with US Ordnance (it is a flaming bomb and not a Taurus symbol...although the Taurus symbol is also found on some Lugers as an inspector's mark). Some collectors like them because they think they are "proper" for a test piece, but a plain unmarked base is just as proper. They do command a premium, but I suspect $500 would be toward the high end (more of course if it is mint). The base on Mike's magazine looks in very nice condition but does have the hairline split where it is pinned to the mag body, so care should be exercised to not cause further damage (don't load it or drop it!) since it is quite collectable.