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Pictured is an unusual early 1930s Mauser assembled Stoeger 3-line Artillery Luger, with an American Eagle, a.k.a. AE chamber crest.
The receiver, breechblock, and barrel are vertical C/N nitro proofed. The serial number is 94182, one of the highest post war commercial serial numbers noted. In the frame forward lug well are several factory inspection markings, among them a circle N inspection stamp indicating 1917 or 1918 manufacture, ergo the frame and toggle link assembly are also are of 1917 or 1918 manufacture. The 82 stamped integral rear link sight block “V” notch has been removed to make it a total artillery configuration, which is interesting as some, although not all identified Stoeger 3-line Artillery Lugers still retain an integral “V” notch sight rear link. The source information for this statement is from The Mauser Parabellum 1930 – 1946 on page 448 where it states: Notice that the artillery model pictured on page 86 (1935 catalog) has a standard toggle train, indicating that a 8” 9mm barrel was screwed on a standard pistol. It is known that Mauser delivered a few ‘real’ artillery pistols to Stoeger, these have a flat rear toggle link and are very rare. It has to be noted that the page 86 reference of the 1935 and later catalogs, picture a line-drawing rendering of an artillery Luger with a “V” notch rear link and may or may not be accurate, as the picture does not represent the ‘real’ Mauser artillery Luger described.
It must be emphasized that from the early 1920s DWM assembled i-suffix artillery Lugers, through the last DWM/BKIW and 1930s Mauser assembled “v” suffix Artillery Lugers, all have artillery Luger rear links without the integral “v” notch sight. As to whether the rear links are spare artillery rear links or modified, standard P.08 rear links, such as 94182 is not certain, although not all identified Stoeger artillery Lugers used spare artillery Luger receivers with the factory machined chamber step. Regarding the Artillery Lugers pictured in the Stoeger catalogs it is possible that Stoeger did install aftermarket artillery length barrels to otherwise standard P.08 frames with integral “v” notch rear links, however, it is uncertain, as no such identifiable configuration has been published.
The 94182 frame is of original blue and configuration, measures exactly 129mm, correct for a short frame Luger, making the under-the-blue stamped frame serial number original. Stamped in the forward lug well, among many other marks, includes a circle N indicating 1917 – 1918 frame manufacture, interestingly, with no frame GERMANY export stamp.
The form of the US Presidential Seal changed slightly during the pre-WWI period of New Model manufacture, the eagle’s tail feathers, instead of having a rounded outline became a downward pointing triangle with the edges formed by the points of the feathers making a right angle, which later style is found on all post WWI Stoeger marked Parabellums. Old Model, sn. 14895, rounded tail; New Model, sn 35935, rounded tail; New Model, sn. 67296, triangular tail; Stoeger Navy model, sn 1028u, triangular tail.
The above information was extracted from The Borchardt & Luger Pistols by Görtz/Sturgess where it states that the “later” style American Eagle chamber crest, a.k.a. variation 2 (V2) is found on all post WW1 Stoeger marked Parabellums, whereas the American Eagle receiver chamber crest of the subject 2-line, Germany export stamped and vertical C/N proofed receiver of 94182 is clearly the variation 1 or earlier chamber crest with the rounded tail feathers. Additionally, the factory pinwheel style inspection mark located next to the receiver underside stop lug, further tightens the manufacture to 1906 – 1909.
One can conclude that the AE chamber crest was applied to the spare receiver in the same 1906 – 1909 time-frame and the 2-line A.F. Stoeger address was later applied in the 1920s to the receiver right side, prior to bluing and the last item being the 1920s vertical C/N nitro proof to the receiver left side. A regular, used pre WW1 short frame, grip safety, AE chamber crested receiver would normally have the last 2-digits of the serial number stamped on the stop lug.
Since the manufacture of the 9mm short frame, grip safety variation 1, AE chamber crested Lugers was rather limited, about 3000 maximum and, as such, are considered quite rare by collectors, with the majority of identified examples in the 25000 – 35500[1] serial number range and very few grip safety examples identified above 36000, being the variation 2 and that above 36000 there were even less spares, especially due to the introduction of the no-grip-safety P.08 short frame commercial series, starting in the low 39000 serial number range it is, therefore, highly unlikely that very few of the variation 2 AE chamber crested receivers were available in the early 1920s for the Stoeger order(s). Jan C. Still reports in Weimar And Early NAZI Lugers, © 1993 on pages 13 and 14, Table 1a that Stoeger 2-line, American Eagle Lugers in the n, p, and q letter suffix range and the late 1920s t and u letter suffix range’ totals amount to only 300 examples, have been reported, which represents about 10% of all pre-war new model short frame/receiver American Eagle Lugers manufactured. 10% or 300 AE chamber crest stamped receivers could be considered a reasonable amount of “spare” inventory on hand, with DWM at the end of the war.
The 2-line A.F. Stoeger receiver stamping is original and reasonably sharp. The GERMANY stamping is a little light and uneven, but also correct. The receiver bluing is original, assuming a DWM spare was used, based on the blank stop lug and the Stoeger 2-line address, and the vertical C/N commercial nitro proof applied in the 1920s to a part made no later than 1909. Interestingly, most AE crested, 2-line A.F. Stoeger address receivers identified are from the 1906 – 1909 time frame, based on the variation 1 AE chamber crest with the rounded tail feathers. The variation 2 American Eagle chamber crests with the triangle termination tail feathers, per Sturgess, first appeared on commercial Lugers in the 65000 serial number range, which should be ratcheted down to half that number to 35000 based on the above information. There are at least two other examples of the variation 2 crest on a 1929 DWM/BKIW Stoeger 2-line receiver serial numbers 1107 and 7106t, with 1107 discussed and pictured in The Borchardt & Luger Pistole book set, authored by Görtz/Sturgess.
Pictured are several two and three-line Stoeger Lugers with the variation 1 and 2 American Eagle chamber crest.
DWM/BKIW assembled, c/n proofed Stoeger 2-line Variation 2 American Eagle chamber crest, SAFE & GESICHERT, serial number 1107.The Borchardt & Luger Pistols by Görtz/Sturgess, © 2010 & 2011,page 758, Fig. 11-79. LOB Collection.
Mauser assembled DWM/BKIW c/n proofed Stoeger 3-line Variation 2 American Eagle chamber crest, serial number 8739 without “GENUINE”. Third Reich Lugers by Jan C. Still, Copyright 1988, p239.
Mauser assembled DWM/BKIW c/n proofed Stoeger 3-line Variation 2 American Eagle chamber crest serial number 409v without “GENUINE”. Third Reich Lugers by Jan C. Still, Copyright 1988, p238.
Mauser assembled DWM/BKIW Stoeger 3-line Variation 1 American Eagle chamber crest serial number 559v with “GENUINE”. Weimar and Early NAZI Lugers by Jan C. Still, ©1993, p283.
Mauser assembled and Mauser c/u proofed DWM/BKIW Stoeger 3-line Variation 1 American Eagle chamber crest serial number 712v with “GENUINE”. Weimar and Early NAZI Lugers by Jan C. Still, Copyright 1993, p286.
The Borchardt & Luger Pistol book by Görtz/Sturgess has an excellent section detailing, in text and pictures, Artillery Luger barrels, and sighting configurations in Chapter 14, titled The Lange Pistole 08, pages 974 – 977 which was used to identify the particular configuration of the 94182 barrel. However, some unexplained inconsistencies of the 94182 barrel do not conform to the Görtz/Sturgess descriptions.
The barrel is an Artillery Luger spare, based the Imperial inspection stamp on the barrel right side, and 8,83 stamped on the barrel underside and the adjustable rear sight lack of the last two-digits of a serial number in the normal component locations;
The manufacturing date of the barrel is 1917 based on the fixed front sight and the non-adjustable gradient rear sight and the lack of the forward right side bed-lock screw, however, there is a two-digit number (82) at the base of the rear left side surface of the Tangent Sight Meter body, stamped under the blue, and directly below the same two-digit number on the Tangent Sight Block, stamped through the blue. These two number stampings are, coincidently, the last two digits of the complete five-digit commercial serial number 941(82) and were probably applied by DWM/BKIW or Mauser.
Per Görtz/Sturgess in figure 14-29, page 976 the upper number is the last two-digits of the serial number, pictured on a 1918 identified barrel. The lower, identical number is in a location, defined by Görtz/Sturgess as an “assembly number” or AN. It should be noted that all military Artillery Lugers have only four-digit serial numbers. The very fine finish seems original, being applied to an in-the-white spare barrel with the 94182 serial number added, which is mostly even and sharp, and is the identical style and font size as the frame serial number. The barrel serial number and vertical C/N proof are both stamped under the blue. One has to assume the barrel is a spare, in this case a 1917 or 1918, as it is well-known that Stoeger offered Artillery barrels in their catalogs, in the beginning using genuine Imperial army spares and later using aftermarket made Artillery Luger barrels, although, the 94182 Artillery barrel cannot be Stoeger installed, if one assumes the gun was assembled by DWM/BKIW or Mauser.
All the “white-out” from the 94182 Stoeger 3-line stamping was removed and the “third-line” frame rail stamping has been compared against several other Mauser frame rail stampings and the 94182 “Stoeger third-line” under-the-blue frame rail stamping seems correct, with minor differences between several other examples. The Artillery barrel adjustable rear sight is unusual, as it has been professionally modified at the rear underside by scooping or removal of metal to conform to the chamber contour, so as to correctly seat on the receiver. There are other, similarly modified artillery rear sights probably modified by DWM/BKIW during assembly, one most significantly, being 246i, an a early 1920s DWM assembled, 2-line Stoeger, cased, plain chamber Artillery Luger. The 94182 rear sight number stamping placements are compared against another Stoeger Mauser assembled Luger Artillery rear sight 1183v.
Pictures of 246i were generously provided by G. Sturgess with the following comments. Attached are the photos of the rear sight of my two-line Stoeger lP.08 246i, which is probably contemporary in assembly with your 94182. The modification has been done to the sight, not the receiver, even though the receiver has a standard blank commercial chamber, not an AE marking.