U.S. Test Trial Lugers - 2015 Edition

[Ron Wood]

It has been a couple of years since I last posted an update to the list of reported surviving U.S. Test Trials Lugers. Since then there have been a few new serial number additions trickling in, 13 in the “accepted range” and 16 in the “out of range”…(both “range” titles are misnomers but they serve as a short hand designation).

The most significant addition of the list is the verification of some serial numbers of guns known to have been actually involved in the Trials that are not part of the “Bannerman Purchase”. Up until now the Bannerman list was the only authentication of guns that could legitimately be claimed to have been part of the test. Ironically other verifiable serial numbers such as maintenance records and the numbers listed by Lt. Palmer in his test report were also included in the Bannerman list. Now as the result of Clark Rickman’s search of the National Archives there are some new serial numbers available. Clark (forum alias “Hugo Borchardt”) has finally posted some of his discoveries on his web site, http://testluger.com, so now I feel free to share this information within my lists!

Usually after I post my lists it stimulates some additional numbers being reported. Hopefully this will continue.

Best regards,
Ron Wood