SCARCE DWM SWISS CONTRACT “A-SERIES” MODEL 1900 LUGER SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL

SCARCE DWM SWISS CONTRACT “A-SERIES” MODEL 1900 LUGER SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL

| Cal. 30 Luger. | S# 5046A. | Bbl. 4 3/4″. | 26-1170/MLW |

With the outbreak of World War I, DWM was fully committed to fulfilling the needs of the German military and declined further contracts of Lugers to Switzerland, resulting in a significant shortage for the Swiss Army. To help offset this shortage, Waffenfabrik Bern re-designated 100 of the “E-Serie” instruction Lugers for regular issue. These pistols were assigned S#s that duplicated the first 100 pistols of the P’00/06 range, falling between 50001-5100. To avoid confusion, these Lugers were stamped with an “A” suffix, and were matched as closely as possible to the original “E-Serie” S#s for the minimal amount of renumbering. This example, S# 5046A, is marked with the Swiss Federal Cross within a starburst crest over the top of the chamber, with a Swiss Federal Cross above “V” (indicating inspection by Major Vogelsang), followed by a Swiss Federal Cross firing proof (firing proof repeated on pressure bearing parts and components) on the left side of the bbl. extension. Toggle is marked with the intertwined DWM monogram logo. Front of the frame and underside of the bbl. are marked with the full “A” series S#. Metal components exhibit a Swiss arsenal blue finish overall, save for on some small parts including the takedown lever, trigger, mag. release button, safety lever, anti-rebound arm latch, extractor, and ejector, which exhibit an enhanced straw finish. Rear flat of rear toggle link exhibits a heated nitre blue finish. Toggle pins and grip screws exhibit a nitre blue finish. Frame is mounted with 2-piece checkered wood grips. Dovetailed blade front sight with Swiss modified U-notch rear sight. Old Model frame, breechblock, and dished toggle ears. Nearly all serialized parts are matching in DWM’s “hidden” commercial fashion, and include the frame, takedown lever, sideplate, trigger, grip safety, bbl., bbl. extension (lug), breechblock, forward toggle link (underside), as well as the rear toggle link. Grips are numbered “646”. As noted on page 644 in Vol. II of “The Borchardt & Luger Automatic Pistols” by Joachim Gortz & Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess, “The new numbers were matched, as far as possible, to the original E numbers, so that the small parts required the minimum of re-numbering, though the process was imperfect”. Likely indicating why, in this instance, the grips are mismatched only by the the 1st digit of their 3-digit S#. MAGS: x1 proper plated Swiss 8-rd. mag. with unmarked wood plug featuring metal discs on “ears”. (Former Doug Smith Collection, James D. Julia, Lot 1079, Fall 2008). UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: original brown leather Swiss holster marked with a crossbow between “O” and “M” within a diamond on the rear. Interior of closure flap exhibits a handwritten “1909” in black ink. PROVENANCE: The Estate Collection of John Eckert. CURIO GUN