Phoenix Investment Arms


This Luger has the 100mm (4") barrel on the 1906 squeeze grip safety frame. The thumb safety is new style, and strawed while the old frame has the long sear. Walnut grips with no stock lug, the serial number placement is in the commercial ("hidden") style. The extractor is marked "Carregada". This Luger has all matching numbers.

The Portuguese were among the most important early supporters of the Parabellum. Receiving some test pieces of the 1900 model and a very few Marked with the Crown Carlos 1^st the Portuguese conducted tests in 1903 and 1904. After the murder of King Carlos 1^st in 1908 Manuell II took the throne and in 1910 DWM Delivered the Portuguese Army know as the “Army” model.

The purchase of ‘Army’ Parabellums encouraged the Portuguese navy to follow suit. However, like the German Navy they ordered the 9mm caliber and 100mm barrels. A contract for only 1,000 Lugers was placed with DWM late in 1909. Portugal was not a naval power.

There are a lot of differences between the writers concerning the serial numbers of the two variations of the Portuguese Navy. This serial number represents the DWM contract gun serial numbers beginning with 1 through the number of Parabellums ordered in that contract series. Walker in The Luger Book states the highest known 'Royal' is 769 and the 'Republic' is 993. Some writings indicate that the original Royal guns were modified after the revolution by placing the serial number series into the R.P. variations. Others find the placement of the crest stamp to be different. In any case, we have a low solid three digit Royal Portuguese Navy that be a proud addition to anyone's collection. Top Right: The original military order for the Army was a 120mm barreled in 7.65mm and now the 9mm entered the Portuguese inventory with the Cal 9mm marked bottoms as a solution to alert the user that DWM had used before.

The first 'Pistola Luger-Parabellum da Marinha Portuguêsa was delivered early in 1910 with only about 800 delivered by October 5th, 1910. On that date the revolution put the King to flight causing DWM to hastily change the style of the cartouche and they then delivered approximately 200 of the so-called 'Republican Model', in which R.P. (Republica Portuguesa), replaced the crown in the original crown-and-anchor chamber mark. Most of those issued in Portuguese possession had the Crown ground off make the "Royal" the rarer of the two.


The right side doesn't have any proof. There was a Portuguese inspector located in Berlin before the October 1910 revolution who marked the left side of the receiver with an MP (Marina Portuguesa) with a 2.2mm high (below) proof. For the 2nd batch that began in 1912 some were marked with a 3mm MP and for some reason this is not found on all examples. It may have been that the inspector was not present for the early and late gun batches because evidence supports the first 100 models were unmarked. See Kenyon, Lugers at Random P136

Another characteristic of these squeeze grip Portuguese Navy's is the extractor marked Carregda (above right) which means loaded. There are no other proofs on these Lugers except the MP. The MP stand for "Marina Portuguesa" and may either have been a condition of the contract or, like the Crown a sales tool of DWM.

The Top of the Portuguese Navy Pistole show the Crown over the Anchor which ended with approximately serial number 350 and the balance of the order was filled with the R.P. over the Anchor. No numbers on the extractor or the top of the first toggle. These are hard to find collector pieces as one of 350 pieces that might have survived.

Here, side by side are the two crests from the Portuguese Navy. The one on the left (sale Parabellum) is the Royal Navy Proof that was the original order for 1,000 Lugers. Only 800 of the "Royal" Navy's were believed delivered when the King abdicated and the remainder of the order was finished in the R.P. (Republica Portuguesa). It has been reported that a large quantity of the "Royal" Navy Crests were removed by the fledgling Republic and the R.P. installed. This grinding off the Crown makes these complete models more rare than the serial numbers represent.


The Luger has the long sear which prevents you from loading the gun with the safety on (later modified) and nitrate pins, the grip safety has the last two digits of the serial number. The grips are also numbered to the gun. This is a very clean gun, discovered by Charles Kenyon in the warehouses of Portugal and who negotiated the import of these guns.

Above Right: Here we see the "hidden" method of serial numbers with the last two digits appearing on the bottom of the side plate and locking lever vs. the military proofs on the outside of each. This gives you the very clean looking pristine Parabellum.


This gun is minty held within a personal collection a major collector it is almost out-of-the-box in condition. The two digit serial number on the grip safety (Left Above) and the last two digits of the serial number on the trigger with the MP proof visible on the receiver.


It is entirely subjective to give any Luger a rating of excellent or fine, just as it is to declare it xx% blued or strawed. Few Lugers are out of the box new and these are premium priced. Bluing percentages is like Beauty, in the eye of the beholder. We strive to provide pictures so you can judge for yourself if the gun meets your criteria.

This is one of the very rare Portuguese Royal Navy 9mm Parabellums that were proofed with the Crown of Manuel II prior to his abdication as King and establishment of the Republic of Portugal. Of the 800 deliver many had the Crown ground off and this early Luger must have been stocked somewhere because it was not tampered with and almost appears unfired. Just a beautiful variation that most advanced collectors see. We reserve the right to sell this gun at any time we receive a deposit so call before ordering on line.