Tranlsate - Click here for Altavista's Babel Fish Translator Click here to learn about the symbols by people's names


Visit our forums





Upgrade to Premium Membership



Luger Identification Guide - Prototype, Commercial & Test Lugers (1895-1914)

This is one of a series of identification guides for small arms. To the best of our knowledge, all the examples shown are original pre-1945 manufacture. If anyone has questions or suggestions, please contact Vern@GermanDaggers.com.

© 2000, 2010, 2013 by GermanDaggers.com



DWM Luger Identification Guide





Borchardt C93 - produced 1893-1902
First Mass-produced Semi-automatic Pistol
Caliber 7.62mm - 6.5" barrel
Approximately 3,000 produced



Borchardt-Luger - produced 1895-1896
1st model prototype
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 5 produced (2 originals known), not numbered



Borchardt-Luger - produced 1895-1896
1st model prototype (with modifications)
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 5 produced (2 originals known), not numbered



Borchardt-Luger - produced 1898-1900
2nd model prototype (used for Swiss and Dutch trials - 2 originals known)
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 40 produced, numbered 1 to 40



Borchardt-Luger - produced 1898-1900
2nd model prototype (with modifications - 2 originals known)
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 40 produced, numbered 1 to 40



Borchardt-Luger - produced 1898-1900
2nd model prototype (with later modifications - 6 known, 2 originals/4 rebuilt with later production parts)
Caliber 7.65mm - 5.25" barrel
Approximately 40 produced, numbered 1 to 40



1900 Commercial - produced 1900-1902
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 5,500 produced, numbered in the 1 to 19000 range



1900 Swiss Sunburst - produced 1900-1902
Production for Switzerland, Military and Commercial
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 2,000 commercial (numbered in the 1-21250 range) and 3,000 military (numbered 2001 to 5000)



1900 American Eagle - produced 1901-1902
Production for U.S. commercial sales
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 12,000 commercial numbered in the 2000-20000 range



1901 U.S. Army Test - produced 1901
Production for the U.S. Army pistol trials
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
1,000 numbered 6101 to 7100



1900 Russian - produced 1901-1902
Production for Russian military tests
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Less than 100 numbered in the 11000-22000 range (8 originals known)



1900 Serbian - produced 1901-1902
Production for Serbian military tests
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Less than 100 numbered in the 14000-22000 range (3 originals known)



1900 Bulgarian - produced 1902-1903
Production for Bulgaria military tests and sales
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 1,000 numbered 20001-21000 (5 originals known)



1902 Commercial - produced 1902-1903
Commercial production
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
Approximately 600 numbered in the 22300-23500 range



1902 American Eagle - produced 1902-1903
Production for U.S. commercial sales
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
Approximately 600 numbered in the 22100-22900 range



1902 German Army Test - produced 1902
Production for German Army testing at Danzig Arsenal
Caliber 7.65mm - 4" barrel
Approximately 50 numbered in the 22301 to 22400 range



1902 U.S. Army Test - produced 1902
Production for U.S. Army pistol trials
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
50 numbered 22401 to 22450



1902 Carbine - produced 1902-1903
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 11.75" barrel
Approximately 2,500 numbered in the 21000-24900 range



1903 Commercial - produced 1903-1904
Commercial sales, military tests
Caliber 7.65mm - 4" barrel
50 produced, numbered 25001 to 25050



1906 Commercial - Safety marked - produced 1906-1908
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 750 produced, numbered in the 25050 to 26800 range



1906 Navy - produced 1906-1914
Commercial production
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 6" barrel
2,500 produced, numbered in the 25050-65000 range



1906 American Eagle - Safety marked - produced 1906-1908
Production for U.S. commercial sales
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 750 produced, numbered in the 25100 to 26500 range



1906 Commercial - produced 1906-1912
Commercial production
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
4,000 numbered in the 26500-68000 range



1906 Commercial - produced 1906-1912
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 5,000, numbered in the 26500 to 69000 range



1906 American Eagle - produced 1906-1912
Production for U.S. commercial sales
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
Approximately 3,000 produced, numbered in the 26500 to 69000 range



1906 American Eagle - produced 1906-1912
Production for U.S. commercial sales
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Approximately 8,000 produced, numbered in the 26500 to 69000 range



1906 Swiss Commercial - produced 1909-1910
Commercial sales in Switzerland
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
1,000, numbered in the 35000 to 55000 range



1906 French marked Commercial - produced 1909-1910
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 4.75" barrel
Limited production, 2 known, numbered in the 51000 range



1906 US Army Test 45 - produced 1907
Produced for the US Army service pistol tests
Caliber .45 - 5" barrel
2 to 5, numbered from 1



1908 Commercial - produced 1908-1913
Commercial production, accepted for the German Army
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
9,000 numbered in the 39000-71500 range



1908 Navy - produced 1908-1910
Commercial production
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 6" barrel
1,000 to 1,500 produced, numbered in the 44000-50000 range



1913 Commercial - produced 1913
Commercial production
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
1,000 numbered in the 71000-72000 range



1914 Commercial - produced 1914
Commercial production
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
2,000 numbered in the 71500-73500 range



1920 DWM/Erfurt Double Date Rework - produced 1920-21
Refinished for the German Army and Police units
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
Many thousands numbered 1 to 5 digits with letter



1920 DWM/Erfurt Rework - produced 1920-21
Refinished for the German Army and Police units
Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel
Many thousands numbered 1 to 5 digits with letter



1920 Commercial Rework - produced 1920-23
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm or 9mm Parabellum - 3 5/8" to 6" barrel
Many thousands numbered 1 to 5 digits with letter



1920 Commercial Navy Rework - produced 1920-23
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm or 9mm Parabellum - 6" barrel
Unknown, numbered 1 to 5 digits with letter



1920 Commercial Artillery Rework - produced 1920-23
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm or 9mm Parabellum - 8" barrel
Unknown, numbered 1 to 5 digits with letter



1920 Commercial Carbine Rework - produced 1920-23
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 11.75" barrel
Unknown, numbered 1 to 4 digits



1920 Swiss Rework - produced 1920-23
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm or 9mm Parabellum - 3 5/8" to 6" barrel
Several thousands numbered 1 to 5 digits with letter



1923 Stoeger Rework - produced 1920-23
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm or 9mm Parabellum - 3 5/8" to 24" barrel
Less than 1,000 numbered 1 to 5 digits with letter



1923 Abercrombe & Fitch Swiss Rework - produced 1923
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm or 9mm Parabellum - 4.75" barrel
100 numbered 4 digits with letter



1923 Commercial - produced 1923-29
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 3 5/8" barrel
Approximately 18,000 numbered in the 73500-96000 range



1923 Commercial "Safe & Loaded" - produced 1923-29
Commercial production
Caliber 7.65mm - 3 5/8" barrel
7,000 numbered in the 73500-96000 range



Baby Luger - produced 1925-26
Prototypes produced in the DWM tool room
Caliber 32 ACP, 380 ACP - 2 1/4" barrel
5 or 6 produced, 2 known