A F Stoeger Artillery Luger

This is a 1914 Model, built in the early 1922 for A. F. Stoeger by DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munitions Fabriken). It is 9mm with an 6" (150mm) barrel. This is a beautiful commercial Parabellum and represents the pinnacle for the American Eagle collector. The serial number places this at the very beginning of the post-WWI production, so early that the side die stamp "Germany" was not even in use. (2068)

NOTE: Photographs taken today with the high mega-pixel camera show more than we sometimes can see with the human eye. Magnified close-ups show us tool marks and natural surface conditions that one normally doesn't see in the ordinary handling of the weapon. Photographs are copyrighted, all rights reserved, any extraction, reproduction or display of gun pictures without the express consent of the Phoenix Investment Arms is strictly prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation.

Stoeger Luger


This is a 9mm weapon with all the matching parts serial numbered in a mixed military and commercial manner (hidden). The barrel is 150mm and it has all matching serial numbers. The commercial Crown N proofs are well struck and tell the story of the gun. Those guns marked with the vertical Crown N were commercial and those with a horizontal (lazy) were military models taken from commercial stock. The barrel inside is shiny with distinctive lands and grooves. The magazine is clean and marked with the Cal 9mm which make this gun very distinctive. There are very very few of this marked magazines and only because the Treaty of Versailles dictated no barrels over 100 mm and no 9mm guns.

Aaron Davis identified a collector model "1920 Commercial" in The Standard Catalog of Luger. He identified is as DWM Commercial offerings made from existing military stocks, with the commercial Crown N and in the extractors were either "Gesichert" or "Safe".

Randall Gibson in the "The Krieghoff" identified the "i" block as 1920 Commercial guns some which were obtained by Krieghoff existing stock in 1922. The contract for Abercrombie & Fitch was also filled using the "i" block suffix by DWM. This frame is an "P-08" model, the rear toggle does not have a 2nd rear sight from the use of a standard toggle and it bears all the characteristics attributed to the 1920 Commercial Lugers made from WWI produced parts.

Matching serial numbers and the commercial "Cal 9mm" marked magazine makes this a "correct" Luger and a very hard to obtain early Stoeger contract gun. Serial number is a four digit military number the placement is in the civilian ("hidden") and military style. The serial number appears on the front of the frame, on the side of the locking bolt, on the trigger, on the bottom of the barrel, and the bottom of the side plate. The bottom of the magazine is stamped "Cal 9mm" in an aluminum bottom, rarely found before the introduction of the aluminum bottoms in the late 1920's.

Above illustrate that this frame and toggles are standard artillery model; the frame is cut over the chamber to accept the front sight which when fully depressed is set into the receiver. The locking lever has the serial number exposed and the side plate is beneath. The gun had to have been finished after deliveries to the WWI Armistice stopped production. The rear toggle is the standard type. The Crown "N" is predominant telling us the commercial proof has been issued.

It is known that DWM accepted an order from A. F. Stoeger for 2,500 Lugers on March 7th 1922. Stoeger had requested of DWM to stamp the A. F. Stoeger Inc, New York on the receivers of this order. The 1923 Stoeger American Eagle was filled with the commercial 5 digit serial numbers in the n, p, and q blocks and some military undelivered guns from WWI. The 1920 and 1923 models represent the Stoeger "2 line" models.

Stoeger sought and registered the name Luger in 1929 in the United States and proceeded to use the word "Genuine Luger - Registered U.S. Patent Office. Stoeger catalogs from that period show the Luger and offer various barrel lengths. It is believed Stoeger imported a machine to change barrels to suit a customers special requirements.


This very rare two-line Stoeger in the long artillery barrel has a very strong barrel and the gun should be rated by most collectors as very good to excellent. The plumb color one is able to detect around the Chamber and on the side of the receiver during the bluing process where the metal was already case hardened and then the stamp die for the Eagle and Stoeger nomenclature was applied and that area was re-blued..

While it is recorded that the Stoeger order f0r the American Eagle was for delivery in 1923 this model in the "i" block was either an attempt to fill the order with early guns or this was a salesman's sample to show Stoeger how they would look.

Note the "Geladen" (Loaded) extractor and "Gesichert" (Safe) thumb safety. The frame has the stock lug and the barrel is numbered and proofed to the weapon. Notice the slot cut in the frame, these were cut for the magazine safety of police model guns implemented during the Weimar Republic.

There is always a discussion about the grips and their numbering to the gun. Over the past 40 years and our pictures of hundreds of Parabellum's and an unknown number of Lugers we have examined the numbering of grips was a usual occurrence of the military models. Although this is not a rigid rule it runs true on this Stoeger with the last two digits of the serial number on the grips.

Above Left: Located serial numbers under the side plate and with the Crown N commercial nitro proof. The finishing on these guns is outstanding. Above Right: The American Eagle was first struck on the 1900 models brought to the United States for military testing. It was a marketing success and American Eagle models were continued into the '30's for export to the US.

In 1930 through a series of mergers DWM machinery, parts and personnel moved from Berlin to Oberndorf and immediately began producing Lugers from existing stocks. The first contract filled was for the Dutch Air Force and this was completed in 1928. While during this period that majority of work at Mauser Werke were re-works, they did produce the contract for the three line A. F. Stoeger of New York.

This has been recognized by most authorities as falling in the 403v-463v. The notes of August Weiss indicated that the serial numbers 515v-524v were delivered in 1930. This was later revised to include 400v-600v in the original Stoeger order and dated the production to the 33-34 era. Most are described made with the safe and loaded indications.

The above picture shows the Parabellum in full recoil and the side plate and grip removed. Once can see the insides reflect the care and maintenance this 97 yr.. old collector favorite deserves. There is a hole in the frame and this indicates the original frame was meant to go to the German police as a magazine safety. The small notch cut in the frame was part of the mechanism. However, this was all discarded when it proved to be less effective than anticipated and those containing the device were ordered back to the factory to be removed or disabled.

Note the vertical Crown N on the receiver and toggle. During this period the polishing before the salt blue process was extraordinary. It is hard to find machine or tool marks on this gun.

It is entirely subjective to give any firearm a rating of excellent or fine, just as it is to declare it xx% blued or strawed. Few collectible weapons 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. Any questions or request for additional purchases email to josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com.
This firearm is eligible for transfer to C&R permit holder, even in California. We are registered with CA DOJ for firearms shipment.

This is considered a very rare 1922 A. F. Stoeger American Eagle Commercial artillery in minty condition with the reservation that the gun may be sold before being posted as such on the internet. This very rare variation is offered for $4,450.00 and may be placed on layaway for 20% down $890 down and a year to pay it off with no interest or charges. Call for more information.

We reserve the right to sell any internet offering to a direct sale and do not warrant the availability of any firearm that does not have a physical deposit. This gun may be withdrawn without notice for in-store sale. Call for availability. Any questions or request for additional pictures email to josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com.