Mauser Parabellum pistols .30 cal 5" barrels

[Joe in Colorado]

Here's a few quick photos of Mauser Parabellum pistols with the scarce 5 inch (12 CM) barrel length.

Photo 01 shows the sure fire way to identify the 5" barrel variation-it doesn't fit the styrofoam box! Notice the crude chunk torn out between the 4" and 6" front sight locations.

Photo 02 shows this pistol next to a Model 29. I would say this pistol-10 004558-is as close as Mauser ever came to duplicating the M29.

Photo 03-moving up 50 numbers to 10 004618-is the same type except with P08 style safety. Shown next to regular 6" length 06/73.

Photo 04 shows a 5" "Last Production" variation made in 1985 on it's related page (459) in "The Parabellum is Back", our must-have reference book.

Photo 05 shows this pistol with a 1900 AE. I could call this a "First and Last" Luger photo-spanning from @1902 to 1985. Kind of ironic the "Last Production" Luger harps back to the first model with the 1900 style dished toggle.

Photo 06 is just the other side of these two pistols.

Hope you enjoy these, best wishes, Joe

[Ron Wood]

Nicely done!
Ron

[rhuff]

I have to admit, that in my mind, the 5" bbl is the perfect length for a Luger. I have a "Heinz 57" Luger with a 5" bbl. and it is my favorite shooter.

Thanx for the photos!!

[Doubs]

Originally Posted by rhuff

I have to admit, that in my mind, the 5" bbl is the perfect length for a Luger. I have a "Heinz 57" Luger with a 5" bbl. and it is my favorite shooter.

I agree with 6" second as the ideal barrel length for a Luger. I also prefer a 5" barrel on a revolver.

[Vlim]

Initially, Mauser had no plans to bring out a 5" version. The 4" and 6" were planned first, with the 4" 7,65 version giving problems with the 06/29 style opening curve, that explains why most early 29/70 pistols were 6".

Then Mauser got the idea to seek permission from the Swiss army to get the 5" Mauser Parabellum officially recognized as a Swiss Ordnance pistol (so it could legally be used by Swiss army personnel for shooting). This was denied by the Swiss army, stating that the Mauser Parabellum could only be used as a 'free pistol' in official shooting matches, but not as a 'service pistol'. Basically, this decision killed a large market for the 5" version.

In the end only a couple of hundred 5" versions were made, the majority as 06/73 versions.
Interestingly, the early 29/70 pistols in 5" used original Swiss barrels, which Mauser had purchased from the Eidgn. Waffenfabrik in Bern.

[frankenlugerguy]

Vim,
Thanks, first of all, for the great information you give. Don't mean to be too basic in my question, but I'm in a learning curve here. When you refer to the "06/29 style opening curve", do you mean the rounded top of the breech block on the '06, as opposed to the flat top of the '00/'02 style breech block?

[frankenlugerguy]

"Vlim", not "Vim"! Sorry, must be my tired old eyes! Won't happen again.

[Vlim]

The shape and placement of the frame ears, where the toggle knobs strike the frame during recoil.

The Swiss decided to finetune it to their ammuntion on the 06/29 model. Mauser initially copied it and found out it gave problems with certain barrel configurations. In the end they fixed it by moving the frame ear surfaces 1mm to the rear.

If you compare a 29/70 frame and a 06/73 frame, the change will become obvious.

[frankenlugerguy]

Thanks for clarifying, Vlim. I was way off on that one!

[Joe in Colorado]

Thank you all for the great info!

Mauro-yes, we need to talk-do you have dates on all 3 of these 5" pistols: 10 004558, 10 004618, 10 005585?

Vlim, did I understand you to say that some or all of the 5" barrels came from Switzerland? Barrels placed on pistols with Swiss frames like 4558 and 4618 above?

I will start a new thread with more details on the 5" "Last Production", including the 1986 sales receipt from Waffen Walla and the business card of the Mauser Marketing Manager for domestic sales at the time.

Cheers, Joe

[mauro]

Hello Joe,
I have checked in the Mauser Ledger and I have found your pistol that is nicely displayed together with all the others (few) 5" Parabellum produced. Actually all the 5" production is tracked in the production book. Believe me your pistol is rare!

I have the production day of your pistol plus other info.

If you are interested in the certification please contact me: [email protected]

Cheers,
Mauro

[mauro]

Dear Joe,
For the 10 004558 everything is available. For the 10 004618 and 10 005585 only partial data.

When convenient to you, send me an email here: [email protected]

Regards,
Mauro

[Joe in Colorado]

Thank you Mauro, I will.

I'll attach a photo of the first certificate you made for me-for number 10 001075-one of the very first production pistols. (For those who haven't heard, production started at 10 001001.)

Pistol 1075 and 5585 above could serve as close to "First and Last" bookends for @20,000 regular production Mauser Parabellums-1970 to 1985.

One last question-do you also have info on 5" pistol 10 004515?

Finally-if anyone has a green Mauser hang tag to sell or trade please let know. (I need one for 5585.)

Cheers, Joe

[mauro]

Hello Joe,
Yes the pistols #10.004515 and #10.004558 are both in the same page of the original Mauser production ledger.

Greetings,
Mauro

[Joe in Colorado]

Thank you again, Mauro.

Here's why I asked about 10 004515: after I started this post a few days ago I did a Google image search or two-looking for evidence of more regular production .30 pistols with the scarce 5" barrel.

(I had done similar search months earlier looking for another nickel plated Mauser Parabellum (image 00) with zero results.)

Image 01 is a screen shot of one page from the search results-row one shows a 5" but its a commemorative. I saw, in the bottom left corner, what looked liked another regular production 5".

It was linked to Frontier Gallery LLC, a well known dealer in Colorado and a regular at the annual Colorado Gun Collector's Show (cancelled this year due to coronavirus).

Frontier Gallery moved from Denver to my hometown of Fort Collins a few years ago---what a coincidence---that I found another one of these ultra-rare pistols-still for sale-right in my hometown of all places!!!

Due to coronavirus panic buying it took over 2 days to clear the background check, but I took 4515 home last night. The pistol has really nice wood grain on the grips and could hardly be in more pristine condition. (Image 02)

By chance if anyone has what Vlim said is the more common 06/73 with a 5" barrel to spare and wants one with a Swiss frame perhaps we could do a trade.

Best wishes to all, Joe