Unusual Swiss Pistol

[Parusky]

Dear Members,

I need your help in identifying this Swiss Luger? that is a bit unusual in that it has two canons with two different barrel lengths. It has been suggested that this is a custom modified target gun from Switzerland. But who really knows? I do know that there is nothing like a Luger collectorsâ?? response to a mystery gun.




First, the frame. The only externally visible markings are on the front of the frame and show #2195 with a small â??GERMANYâ?� off struck under. Below this is a Gothic â??Aâ?� letter. The safety area is not marked at all. The area under the safety is milled which can be seen with the safety in the safe position. The safety itself has some heavy pitting on the exposed surface and may not be original. With the grips removed there are no marks under the right grip panel. Under the left, there are two and they are at the very bottom of the straps. The front strap has a â??Câ?� and the back has a â??Sâ?�. The gun is coil sprung. The takedown latch knob portion has been machine removed and is numbered â??56â?� and happens to match canon #1â??s serialization. The transfer cover plate also do not match with a â??86â?? number in its center.

Canon #1 has a 6â?� barrel attached. This barrel has 4 lands and grooves and is fairly bright. I has a steep and short step with little overall contour. There is a �¾â?� long integral sight pediment on the front of the barrel short about �¼â?� from the end and is shallow steeped. This pediment has a further step milled rectangular support dovetail milled for the front sight. The barrel crown is superficially deburred and the barrel origins are almost square. There is no witness mark on the barrel although there is one on the bottom of the canon. The cannon itself has a vertically oriented crown over N proof on the left flat, and a upside down poorly stamped â??MADE IN GERMANYâ?� that has half the imprint. There are no serials on the sear or ejector. The are two inspection marks on the bottom of the right narrow flat behind the guide rail, a Gothic â??Câ?? and a very small â??Iâ??. The toggle/ bolt assembly is a fully matching â??56â?? on the bolt, extractor, first link and on the back of the toggle and is DWM stamped on top. The proof mark on the left rear of the bolt looks like a Saguaro Cactus with legs. It has a vertical component with two arms and a flowing pedestal. Whose proof is this?

Canon #2 has a 9 �¾â?� barrel attached. This barrel has 7 lands/grooves with a decidedly slower twist that barrel #1. The step at the receiver seat is smaller in diameter than the other and the taper is relatively constant to the front sight support. This pediment is very crude and does not surround the circumference. It appears that there was once a dovetail that has been welded up and the sight is a crude flat blade and has been brazed/soldered onto the pediment. The crown angle is a bit better than the other but is also very shallow. The canon itself has the Swiss Cross and sunburst shield over the chamber, a horizontal crown over N and the serial # 2195 on the left flat. I also has the inspectors marks of a â??Iâ?? and a definite â??0â?? on the bottom left. This canon has no other parts but readily will accept the other slide toggle and linkage and will easily mount the frame. Again no witness marks on the barrel but does have one on the receiver.

I acquired the gun from my friend the famous â??early dayâ??sâ?� gunsmith Austin Behlertâ??s shop when it was just taken over by his son-in-law Art Leckie in 1988 or so. Art had received a consignment from the estate of a collector/gunsmith from upstate New York to market. It had mostly old rifles of every size and shape, a few shotguns, and two Lugers. There were at least 10 Lee Straight pull Navyâ??s and a pile of BSA falling blocks all with original cases of ammunition. Neither Austin nor Art could guess on the origin or basis for this Luger other than it had two major Swiss parts and was missing the original Swiss bolt and toggle. Neither of them had any interest in what they called junk. They thought the old gent might have made these a gunsmithâ??s special.

I have fired the gun one time after purchase both with commercial and reloaded .30 Luger ammo and it is a tack driver at fifty yards when you get used to the creepy trigger and over travel and rudimentary sights. It functions fine and ejected the empties into a nice little pile. It is well regulated however and shoots to point of aim at that distance. The cases reloaded with little effort. I have never really cleaned it and there is a bit of rust. The mag is a nickel plated and unmarked wooden bottom. There is quite a lot of old dried up grease and crap in the action that I have left alone while occasionally wondering what to do with this weapon. I have other collector grade Lugers and never gave this one much thought. I had a two cannon set done for me on an early Stainless Steel Mitchell, one in 6â?� and one 4â?� fitted to the same frame and was promised to get an 8â?� version at some time. This gun gave me the idea.

The question is what do I have here and what do I do with it? Does anyone know when it was made? The condition is such and the mismatched such that Iâ??m considering a restoration of the Swiss cannon to original and fit the other cannon with a 9mm longer barrel with swappable springs. At this point i see little collector value? Any suggestions or ideas?

Thanks for listening and any help.