Lowest 1916 DWM sn reported?

westernsun · 02-03-2013, 02:48 AM

I spent an hour doing pics and lost it so here is the short versin. I am a 1911 guy and short on Luger knowledge. I have three and decided to do some research on them. So here goes, please help. 1916 Dwm, SN 253. Most current edition of "Blue book of gun values" states that the lowest reported serial number is "287", (page 1186) Out of ignorance I am asking: Do I have the same pistol with a lower SN? If so, should I report it and if so, to whom? Does this affect the value and how much? It is in about 80 percent and every little part has a "53" stamped on it and "1916" is on top in front of the receiver. The attached pic is on the right side. I cannot find any unit markings. There are some markings inside the frame like this is a clock face : a "7" at 10, a 0" at 2, a "6" 5, and a "6" at 7 with an "N" in the center of the dial.
Thanks for any help.

skeeter4206 · 02-03-2013, 04:59 AM

Im still kinda new to lugers, but I'm sure someone will ask about the letter on front of the trigger guard that goes with the SN. They are considred alphabet lugers.

I downloaded a spreadsheet off this forum that had a list of lugers and SN's which I will attach. There may be an updated one somewhere on this forum. Cant remember where I got it. But I did see a SN 48 M luger. Dont know years though. Ill let you browse through it.

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DWMCommercialDatabaseV4-Ed.pdf

alanint · 02-03-2013, 09:01 AM

The "alphabet" moniker is only applied to Commercial pistols with letter sufixes. All standard miltary productions had the letter suffix so no letter is used to describe them.

Edward Tinker · 02-03-2013, 10:09 AM

Not sure what is meant above....

But all military had NS (no suffix) or had a suffix.

So, sometimes it seems that you have a really low number, lets say 1916 sn 34 - wow, sounds great, however, there were about 150 thousand made in previous years. So, a low sn is nice, but many times not true.

The best answer is not looking for spreadsheets (not sure where any are located like that on any good forum), but buy books.

I hear folks saying they don't want to spend the money etc, and well, buy books. There are reasons that authors have spent hundreds of hours, thousands of hrs of research and made spreadsheets in them.

Dwight Gruber · 02-04-2013, 04:06 AM

Glenn,

What is the full description of your Luger? It appears to have a j serial number suffix. The army specifically avoided using the letter j as a suffix, and there are less then a handful known.

--Dwight

DavidJayUden · 02-04-2013, 08:58 AM

Dwight:
Please elaborate on the phantom "J" series.
dju

wlyon · 02-04-2013, 10:33 AM

Apparently DWM did not use the j suffix. However Erfurt did in 1917. They can be found. I sold one to a forum member last year. Bill

02-03-2013, 02:48 AM	#1
westernsun New User Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Lowest 1916 DWM sn reported? I spent an hour doing pics and lost it so here is the short versin. I am a 1911 guy and short on Luger knowledge. I have three and decided to do some research on them. So here goes, please help. 1916 Dwm, SN 253. Most current edition of "Blue book of gun values" states that the lowest reported serial number is "287", (page 1186) Out of ignorance I am asking: Do I have the same pistol with a lower SN? If so, should I report it and if so, to whom? Does this affect the value and how much? It is in about 80 percent and every little part has a "53" stamped on it and "1916" is on top in front of the receiver. The attached pic is on the right side. I cannot find any unit markings. There are some markings inside the frame like this is a clock face : a "7" at 10, a 0" at 2, a "6" 5, and a "6" at 7 with an "N" in the center of the dial. Thanks for any help.

02-03-2013, 04:59 AM	#2
skeeter4206 User Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Augusta, GA Posts: 448 Thanks: 52 Thanked 88 Times in 49 Posts	Im still kinda new to lugers, but I'm sure someone will ask about the letter on front of the trigger guard that goes with the SN. They are considred alphabet lugers. I downloaded a spreadsheet off this forum that had a list of lugers and SN's which I will attach. There may be an updated one somewhere on this forum. Cant remember where I got it. But I did see a SN 48 M luger. Dont know years though. Ill let you browse through it. DWMCommercialDatabaseV4-Ed.pdf

02-03-2013, 09:01 AM	#3
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	The "alphabet" moniker is only applied to Commercial pistols with letter sufixes. All standard miltary productions had the letter suffix so no letter is used to describe them. Last edited by alanint; 02-04-2013 at 09:41 AM.

02-03-2013, 10:09 AM	#4
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,935 Thanks: 2,034 Thanked 4,533 Times in 2,093 Posts	Not sure what is meant above.... But all military had NS (no suffix) or had a suffix. So, sometimes it seems that you have a really low number, lets say 1916 sn 34 - wow, sounds great, however, there were about 150 thousand made in previous years. So, a low sn is nice, but many times not true. The best answer is not looking for spreadsheets (not sure where any are located like that on any good forum), but buy books. I hear folks saying they don't want to spend the money etc, and well, buy books. There are reasons that authors have spent hundreds of hours, thousands of hrs of research and made spreadsheets in them. __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

02-04-2013, 10:33 AM	#7
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,637 Thanks: 3,174 Thanked 2,561 Times in 956 Posts	Apparently DWM did not use the j suffix. However Erfurt did in 1917. They can be found. I sold one to a forum member last year. Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

02-04-2013, 04:06 AM	#5
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,902 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,318 Times in 431 Posts	Glenn, What is the full description of your Luger? It appears to have a j serial number suffix. The army specifically avoided using the letter j as a suffix, and there are less then a handful known. --Dwight

02-04-2013, 08:58 AM	#6
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Dwight: Please elaborate on the phantom "J" series. dju