1923 Simson/DWM Police Luger


This Lugers has the shortened sear, enabling the gun to be cocked while still in the safe position. This feature was adopted in 1916. The barrel is 4" (100mm) and the rear sight is "V" cut fixed and front dovetailed sight with the frame having the stock lug. Serial number placement is in the military ("exposed") style; displayed on the left side of the receiver, the side plate, the locking bolt, the sear bar safety, the extractor, the forward toggle link, the front of the frame, under the barrel, and on the side of the trigger. Original grips are finely cut diamond shaped checkering made from walnut. Original gun configuration see Kenyon, Lugers At Random, Page 200.

On the bottom of the barrel you can see a "4" and a gauge marking which customarily indicates this gun is on its fourth barrel. Being stamped for the Police Technical School that would account for the fact they have shot it through three barrels. Once can also see in this picture the unit markings that appear on the front grip strap.

The Luger has both the sear safety and a magazine safety as were installed on the police guns in 1929-34. The magazine safety (indexed below) was soon abandoned and removed and to find one complete on the gun is difficult. However its presence helps us establish the gun went back to the factory in 1933 for this addition and might suggest that was when it was re-issued to the Prussian police in the Osnabrück District.

Magazine Safety: The magazine safety consists of a "U" shaped leaf spring with two extensions, fitted into the left side of the frame under the grip. (Seen to the left with the hole drilled in the frame.) One of the extensions fits into the front and lodges behind the trigger while the other end fits through the frame into the magazine well. With the magazine in place the extension is pushed left and out of the path of the trigger. Removing the magazine allows the safety to move to the right so the bar moved behind the trigger and prevents it from being pulled. This was patented by Carl Walther in October 1932.

The serial number on the frame has a suffix "r" and the barrel has just the gauge marking and the "4" on the bottom. It is believed that this is the 4th barrel fitted on this gun during a re-work because of the E33 (Simson) proofs on the barrel. The bottom of the magazine is numbered 1 & 2 in the police fashion and a Star 'S' in the bottom of the then new extruded metal Haenel magazines.

During the Weimar Republic it was delegated to the seventeen states of Germany to operate their own police powers of which Prussia was the most powerful. The weapons of the 1st World War were plentiful and so the armaments of the Polizei included the Parabellum which had proven itself in the great war.

In addition to the organized Lander (State) run police there were quasi-military organizations that undertook police duties and classes with the German Police were frequent. Central organization was needed and the Nazi Party was ready.




Above: Forward on the right of the barrel is the PTV of Polizeischule Technik Verkehr which was an early proof for the School of the Technical Police. Under the school proof is the Weimar 'Dove of Peace" proof on the barrel. Below: The Eagle 33 which is another very early Simson proof placing the rework in the mid '20s. The Luger has a sear safety installed by the factory after 1929 and proofed by the factory for the re-work.

PROOFS THAT TALK: On the barrel is the Eagle 33 which is an early proof of Simson Suhl indicating this was a rebuilt gun with a barrel replacement. The vertical Crown N is a commercial proof indicating the Parabellum was originally designed as a commercial gun and then re-worked for a police gun. The extractor is marked GELADEN (Loaded) and gives the shooter both visual and tactile knowledge the Parabellum has a round in the chamber. On the breech block is the Crown N, another indication of the commercial intent of this firearm. Over the side plate we have marked the sear bar which is the police identified for German Police guns.
Sear Safety: During the 1920's it was determined by German authorities that one could remove the side plate with the gun loaded, thereby exposing the sear, and by then pressing on the sear discharge the gun. Patented in July of 1929 by Ludwig Schiwy of Berlin. [The P-08 is designed with the firing mechanism on the side and not behind or on top as most automatic pistols.] The Sear Safety consist of a spring bar riveted to the top left side of the receiver. (Seen over the sear bar lever). This bar has a vertical pin which is directly over a hole drilled in the sear bar assembly which when the side plate is removed falls into place preventing the sear bar from moving. Therefore you can remove the side plate while loaded (never recommended) and the sear safety should save you from an accidental discharge. The small bar on the left side of the receiver that appears to rest on the side plate and is most known by the round dome fastening rivet that appears over the safety bar identifies the sear safety.

The most distinctive feature of these pistols is undoubtedly the toggle-lock mechanism, which holds the breech closed by locking in a manner not unlike the human knee, which can sustain a heavy weight when straight, but once bent is quite easy to continue to bend. The toggle joint in its straight position resists the rearward force of the detonating cartridge, then "buckles" after enough time has passed. When a round is fired the entire breech, barrel and toggle move straight rearward (on rails) until the toggle begins to ride up on a pair of cams that "breaks" the toggle (makes it bend at the joint). Once the toggle joint is no longer straight, it bends freely, allowing the bolt to come rearward, and the striker to be cocked. The spent cartridge is extracted by a combination extractor/loaded chamber indicator on the top of the toggle, is ejected as the toggle nears the end of its rearward Free Travel Info, and a new round is stripped from the magazine and chambered as the toggle is driven back to the straight position by a spring.



The last two digits of the serial number appearing on the bottom of the locking lever and side plate are further indications the gun was intended for commercial use before being converted to a police weapon. Above Right: This close up gives a good examination of the Eagle 33 an early Simson proof.

In 1935 the police accepted the offer of Haenel for an extruded magazine instead of the wrapped crimped sleeves of the original design. This was condition that they would be inspected at the factory by Schmitt (Star S) or Krause (Star K). These magazines are prized by collectors for the significant improvement over the older crimped magazine which had a natural tendency to twist when ammunition was stored for long periods of time.

The Schutzmannschaft was first used to describe the urban constabularies that were merged in 1920 into the Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) or ORPO. In addition there was the Protection Police or Schutzpolizei served as Germany's municipal police force and was tasked with maintaining order in German cities and larger towns. The Schutzpolizei was further divided into the following: Schutzpolizei des Reiches (cities and large towns) which include police-station duties (revierdienst)and barracked police units for riots and public safety (Kasernierte Polizei) and the Schutzpolizei der Gemeinden (smaller towns).

There was also the Sicherheitspolizei (SIPO) that existed between 1918 and was absorbed into the ORPO during 1920 whose name meant "security police" and was literally a police army organized along military lines and made up mostly of veterans who retained their uniforms and weapons and sought to restore order from the growing communist agitation.


The holster is a standard model with the center strap and stud closure on the top flap. The leather is soft and pliable with the pull strap intact and functional.

Pictures of the front and rear of the holster shows a very good condition police style holster that gives us a date and the Star of the official police acceptance.


The top arrow points to the manufacturers cartouche and the bottom arrow points to the Star of the Police acceptance. The police had their own purchasing system and material control specifications. Originally for Prussia and Bavaria and later combined under the entire SS Polizei organization by Reichsführer Heinrick Himmler.

The loading tool is unmarked; this tool when inverted and dropped over the knob on the magazine allows the loader to be pushed down and rounds inserted. The end is cut to a screwdriver point to remove the grips and firing pin retainer. The rest of the gun can be field stripped without a tool. Above Right: The grips show the serial number of the gun and match the Luger.

Policeman wearing a Luger on his left side and an associate examine the papers at a communist headquarters in Berlin.


The gun is very clean showing slight holster wear on the muzzle, the side plate and front part of rails. This Police model is very unusual in that it has both the sear and magazine safety. These safeties were implemented for by directive for police units. The magazine safety's were mostly removed by unit armorers based on complaints and then slowly discontinued in the late 1930's.

The right side of the barrel show the PTV of the Police Technical School and the Weimar acceptance stamp. On the right the Crown N commercial proof is marked over by the serial number but we can only see the serial number of the locking lever and side plate from the bottom in the commercial fashion. This Parabellum really touches all the bases for a side arm of this period.

(Above Left) In 1932 the Reichswehrministerium issued an order that the rear connecting pin be serial numbered to the gun. In this case the Luger has missed this order but it does have the last two digits of the serial number on the bottom of the thumb safety. (Above Right) Both magazines are the Haenel extruded magazines adopted in 1935 by the Police and inspected by a plant inspect Schmitt whose Star S is seen on the magazines.

The unit markings are exciting. It appears that the gun was in Berlin at the Technical School, then a district school with the "PB" indicating the Police School in Bonn and then the O. (Osnabrück District) Hildesheim Precinct gun #37.

We strive to furnish pictures of all the highlights and angles of the gun just as if you held it in your hand. If you want any additional pictures to make a buying decision email josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com with your requests or questions.

With many proofs and such fine condition this is a great representative Luger. This is beautiful example of the Police Pistol used from 1918 until 1945 with this one beginning it's home in the police school in Berlin and by the unit marks ended up in Osnabrück District, Hildesheim Precinct.

LAYAWAYS: Sometimes our "significant other" doesn't understand the beauty, craftsmanship and investment potential of one of these investor grade weapons. In these circumstances where discretion becomes the better part of valor we will accept layaways of up to one year with at least 20% down and some activity occurring monthly to insure that after one year the sale is completed. Cancellations of layaways forfeit 33% if done within two months, otherwise 100%. You can transfer a layaway to a consignment sale at any time. See "Legal" for exact terms.

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