1906 Imperial German Navy Altered Rig


Serial number placement is in the civilian ("hidden") style. The serial number appears on the front of the frame, on the bottom of the locking bolt, on the trigger, on the bottom of the barrel, the side plate, and under the first toggle. The safeties include both the grip safety and the thumb safety.

This is a very difficult gun to find in such a pristine condition. The German Navy was a salt-water service and the survivability of the German Imperial fleet was not enviable in the Atlantic. The Parabellums were initially issued with the safety down but then with the 1908 conversion to safety down the Navy recalled all the Luger's and had the thumb safety modified. This is one of the altered Lugers that was sent back for modification. See Kenyon *Lugers at Random* Page 152.

This Navy is the classic; complete with matching magazines. The first toggle link is marked with the DWM logo. There is the two-position (100-200m) sight on the rear toggle link and the last two digits of the serial number appear on the rear toggle. Note below the GELADEN showing the gun is loaded both visually and by feel by the shooter.

The difference between the 1st issue Unaltered and Altered 1906 Luger is very hard to determine at times. One of the keys is the type of lettering used was distinctive for the thumb safety. The "Gesichert" used a sans-serif Gothic type lettering with upper and lower case letters. This Luger demonstrates the original type used and shows the thumb down safe. This Luger is identified as a curio and relic and can be send directly to C&R licensees and above. Questions to: josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com

During the summer of 1904, while the German Imperial Army's procurement department was waiting for the submission of another Mauser pistol and had, as a consequence, postponed adoption of the Parabellum (aka "Luger" and eventually the Pistole 1908--P.08) in caliber 9x19mm, the Kaiserliche Marine commenced a series of trials. On August 1, the Marinestation der Ostsee was given five 9mm Selbstladepistolen Modell 1904 (essentially the Parabellum pistol already extensively tested by the army, with changes as noted below) from the dockyard at Kiel.

SMS Bayern

This biggest battle between battleships ever was a tactical German victory, but it did not change the strategic situation for the Hochseeflotte (High Sea Fleet): Locked up in the North Sea by a British blockade, the German ships were limited to operate in North and Baltic Sea only and could not support the few ships operating outside of Europe.



Above Left: The front view of the '06 Navy with a four digit un-suffixed serial number. Right Up: The rear displays the last two digits of the serial number on the rear toggle and the under laying mark of Wilhelmshaven Werft over stamped with the II (2nd) Torpedo Division. These were the "Marines" of the Imperial Navy. Below Left: you can see the two stage rear sight of the Navy Luger and under the thumb safety you can see where the original Gesichert was milled out and the safety reversed to conform to the 1908 purchase and safety arrangement of the Army.


This holster was modified for belt wear and comes with the double pouch matching magazines, a proofed loading tool and an original cleaning rod with the barrel wood top and brass end. The Navy holster was modified with belt loops and the period belt has the brass Army assigned buckle.

Marine on Land Duty.

Armed Marine Medics awaiting the action.


The top of the Navy is clean of any proof or serial numbers with the numbers on the side of the breach block and bottom of the first toggle and back of the 2nd toggle, A very clean almost commercial style.

Left:: Detail of the milled out original position of the safety where the thumb up to fire.

The inside of the Luger has been well cared for and there is no signs of rust under the grips from salt water exposure. The Luger is shown in full recoil and one can the large flange rear main axel pin the Imperial Navy required.

This Luger has all matching numbers. The magazine is the original with the *Marinen* Crown Proof and the matching serial number. Here you can see the matching serial number of the barrel, the front of the frame, the locking lever and the bottom of the side plate plus the grips are numbered to the gun.

Naval Marines wearing the LP-04 as both belt wear and on the over the shoulder on the sling. "Upper Deck" Navy Personnel, those that manned the big guns in combat and would as as infantrymen in an boarding or landing party were given their basic training in either I Matrosendivision in Kiel (I MD) or in the II Matrosendivision in Wilhelmshaven (IIMD) while they were waiting transfer to a ship.


This is a very clean gun for a salt water Navy. Well cared for for nearly 107 years.

The original 1904 Model (with the toggle lock) were issued with the 'up-safe' thumb safety configurations. So too were the original 1906 Models. The German Navy then wanted the safety moved to the upward position to match the '08 models that had been issued. This resulted in the recalling of all the weapons issued and the thumb safety was reversed and the Gesichert was milled out (in some instances crudely filled). So now we have the down-safe model.
	The picture at left is a 1906 1st Issue (Unaltered) and is a very rare specimen of this series. (This represents the gun for sale.) Some of the originally issued guns were not sent back to the factory for the conversion of the safety and as such became are rarity.
	This gun is known as a 1st Issue Altered. (This is not gun for sale.) This is an early altered example where the Gesichert is simply milled out. Collectors refer to these as the 1st Issue Altered. Then came the 2nd Issue (collector name) where the safety was filled, buffed and stamped in the down-safe configuration like the 1908 model.
	The picture at left: is a 1906 1st Issued Altered meaning that that gun was factory modified with the safety in the Upward Position. The Upper/Lower case is representative of the latter 1st issue altered. As with the other Imperial DWM the thumb safety was 'straw' blued.
	Here is a 2nd Issue, 1906 Imperial Navy. Note how the block type has been reset to the upper location making this gun a true 2nd Issue.
So within the German WWI official designation of the Pistolen 1904 (Navy) collectors have established four categories briefly distinguished as Old Model (with the right rear toggle lock, - extremely rare); the 1906 1st Issue Unaltered (thumb up-safe, no toggle lock, very rare), the 1906 1st Issue Altered (thumb down-safe, milled/filled and re-stamped Gesichert and finally the 2nd Issue with the manufactured down-safe configuration (only 2000 reportedly made).


This Navy is the classic; complete with matching magazine. The first toggle link is marked with the DWM logo. There is the two-position (100-200m) sight on the rear toggle link and the last two digits of the serial number appear on the rear toggle.

Front and Rear Pictures of the very rare Proofed magazine pouch designed for belt wear for the Navy Troops deployed as Infantry in Flanders when the decision to not take the fleet to the the Atlantic due to the size of the British Navy but rather control the Baltic and North Sea.

The dual magazine pouch and the grips serial numbered to the gun. These are original grips with the grip safety machined out. All the magazines have the rings distinctive of the Imperil Navy and the Crown M (Marinen)

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.


Here is the right and left side of the gun showing the proofs on the barrel, the side of the receiver and the breach block with the serial number on the underside of the barrel.

At the top of the pouch the Crown Marinen proof which identifies that authenticity of the supply system by which the pouch was purchased and supplied to the troops. Above Right: The "79" on the trigger matches the other hidden serial numbers on the gun.

The tool is proofed with the Marinen Proof and the belt buckle is that brass Prussian style buckle with the Gott Mit Uns (God with us) imprinted on the buckle, this saying was carried throughout WWII on the regular army (Heer) belt buckles.


The Navy is always the clean and most pristine of the military Lugers without any proofs on the right or on top of the gun it just strikes the classic Luger look. Below Left is the Marinen stamp inside the holster indicating the origin of acceptance.
	To understand the three variations of the 1906 Model we have to begin with the acceptance of the 1904 Navy. While the Navy was testing the Parabellum so was DWM, the Swiss, the Dutch and Bulgarians plus other countries which were testing the Luger. The requirements and request for changes we being sent to DWM and the majority felt the thumb safety was awkward in an up position. (The thumb safety began "UP" exposing the in-the-white polishing under the thumb safety when it was SAFE). Then came the stamping of the "Gesichert" (Safe) instead of the polished stripe which was down on the early 1904 and 1906 models. To fire the gun you had to push the thumb safety down to cover the Gesichert. The 1908 German Military accepted the Parabellum with the safety down, exposing an "up" Gesichert (Safe). The Navy didn't want to differ from the army in training so they ordered the the remaining part of their 1906 order with the safety down (up to fire) and recalled all the earlier guns to be modified similarly. Thus the 1906 "Altered" the thumb safety is marked "Gesichert" and when exposed (safety down) means safe.
Navy Holsters are rarely with cartouche with the manufactures stamp and are usually clean except for unit marking or weapon numbers that may appear. This holster is in excellent shape, still with the leather subtle and all parts functional.


The serial number of the gun is stamped in the holster. The belt loops use brass knobs so that they can be removed if the holster is re-united to the strap and stock.

The swivel barrel top Cleaning Rod with the brass tipped rod is a prize in itself as these are the original.


Here is the thumb safety side-by-side so you can see that the GESICHERT that is shown is the first type used and makes this a first issue, Unaltered, very rare as these were all called back to be altered. Undoubtedly this weapons was tucked away and missed the order of being shipped back.

Of all the Navy Lugers coveted by the collectors besides the nearly impossible to find 1904 is the 1906 Unaltered especially one in this minty condition with all the proofs and completely matching. Any questions to josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com. This unique weapons is offered for $8,695.00 to the discriminating investor. All sales in-store precede the internet so call before ordering on line.