1906 Russian

This is a 9mm Luger manufactured by DWM for Russian sale with the crossed Nagant rifles over the chamber. This is one of the most sought after and rarest of the Lugers that are collected. Reported to be not more than 1000 Lugers in this contract group, most of these Parabellums have been lost to war. (1480)

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.


This very rare variation was Manufactured by DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munitions Fabriken), in 9mm with the standard 100mm barrel and designated by collectors as the 1906 Russian. The frame is a new model with the long sear and fixed rear sight and no stock lug. Two of the four elements that designate this variation from the "Bulgarian" is the extractor marked in Russian "ЗАРЯДЬ". The thumb safety is the old Russian "ОГЪНЪ" for safe which also appears on the Bulgarian model. The serial number is low, 245/1000.


This model has the new type toggle with the flat checkered toggle knobs. These were issued with the new 9mm barrel 4" (100mm) in length an mounted on the short type frame with a grip safety, wide trigger and narrow trigger guard. The Russian has the long sear, a hold open and no stock lug.

The story surrounding the "Russian" variation is often woven with undocumented beliefs. Questions as to whether the Tsarist Russians ever adopted the Parabellum has been the subject of much debate. Most of the attention is usually drawn to the existence of some pistols marked over the chamber with crossed Russian type Mosin-Nagant rifles.

There is little doubt that Parabellums were tested at the Oranienbaum proving ground in 1904, because some of the results are noted by Federov. The German pistol was known in Russia as the 'Avtomaticheskii Pistolet BorkhardtaLyugera'. The 1900 model tested in 1904 was a 7.65mm 12cmbarrelled. The results were documented.


During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, Russian troops armed with mostly Berdan single-shot rifles engaged Turks with Winchester repeating rifles resulting in heavy casualties. This emphasized to commanders a need to modernize the Imperial army. The Russian Main Artillery Administration undertook the task of producing a magazine-fed, multi-round weapon in 1882. After failing to adequately modify the Berdan system to meet the requirements, a "Special Commission for the testing of Magazine fed Rifles" was formed to test new designs. Sergei Ivanovich Mosin, a captain in the Imperial army, submitted his "3-line" caliber (.30 Cal, 7.62 mm) rifle in 1889 alongside a 3.5-line design by Léon Nagant (a Belgian) and a 3-line design by captain Zinoviev. When trials concluded in 1891, the units which tested the rifles were split in their decision. The main disadvantages of Nagant's rifle were the following: more complicated mechanism, long and tiresome procedure of disassembling (which required special instruments - it was necessary to unscrew two screws). Mosin's rifle was mainly criticized for lower quality of manufacture and of materials used which resulted in a bit larger number of stoppages. The Commission voted 14 to 10 to approve Nagant's rifle. However, the head of the commission general Chagin insisted on subsequent trials held under the Commission's supervision during which Mosin's rifle showed its advantages, leading to its selection over the Nagant. Adopted in 1891 over 37,000,000 of these rifles were produced to bring Russia into the modern age of armaments.

Russian Imperial Commemoration with the Imperial Eagle of Peter the Great before the Communist revolution.

Tula Arms Plant (Russian "Тульский оружейный завод") is a Russian weapons manufacturer founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia in 1712 in Tula, Russia as Tula Arsenal. Throughout its history, it has produced weapons for whoever controlled the Russian state. Its name was changed from Tula Arsenal to Tula Arms Plant during the Soviet era.

During World War II, the German army invaded Russia as part of Operation Barbarossa (June 41). By December 5, the German 2nd Panzer Division had advanced to within a few kilometers of Tula, forcing the Soviets to evacuate Tula Arms Plant. As a result, far fewer weapons were produced there than at other Soviet factories such as Izhevsk Mechanical Plant. Consequently, Tula proofed weapons of World War II are considered more valuable by collectors.


Many of these early contract guns were used and then re-furbished by the factory or by contract gun makers. We strive to provide pictures so you can judge for yourself if the gun meets your criteria. In this case the gun reveals that it was re-barreled and refinished by the Tula Arsenal and probably captured by the Germans and from there, this war prize was then likely liberated by an American soldier.

A close-up of the Tula Arsenal early arsenal proof, probably in the '20s as the Soviet proofs changed to other of several variations on various parts. In addition the Tikka arsenal in Finland used a similar circle and triangle proof during the winter war with Russia in 1939-40 before the German invasion of Russian. Several foreign organizations sent material aid, and many countries granted credit and military materiel to Finland. Nazi Germany allowed arms to pass through Sweden to Finland, but after a Swedish newspaper made this fact public, Adolf Hitler initiated a policy of silence towards Finland, as part of improved German–Soviet relations following the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.


The left picture portrays a close up of the crossed Nagant rifles. The '06 Russian is designated by the crossed Nagant Rifles, the Russian Cyrillic ЗАРЯДЬ extractor, the safety mark (Old Russian for Fire) ОГЪНЪ, and the magazine is Cal 9mm.


Serial number placement is in the commercial ("concealed") style. The series for this variation is 3 digits and no letters. Production is only estimated at 1000 Lugers at the most as no serial numbers have been identified above 3 digits.


This all matching '06 Russian is serial numbered on the grip safety, trigger, locking lever barrel and other small parts. The front site is dovetailed fixed with the standard sight blade. The frame is the short "new" model with the crossed Mosin-Nagant rifles over the chamber. Serial number placement is in the commercial ("concealed") style. The series for this variation is 3 digits and no letters. This Luger has all matching numbers. The barrel is numbered and scored and matches the frame.

Extensive proof markings on the barrel, the witness mark is aligned and the magazine is proper for this issue. The front site is dovetailed fixed with the standard sight blade. The frame is the short "new" model with the crossed Mosin-Nagant rifles over the chamber. This Luger has all matching numbers. These pictures show the magazine marked Cal 9mm which was as the original magazines were reported to be. (These magazine bottoms are also highly prized by collectors.)

Serial number placement is in the commercial ("concealed") style. The series for this variation is 3 digits and no letters. There are no import marks on this Parabellum. The grips are walnut, fine checkered and are in excellent condition. This is an seldom seen variation, found in most texts (Kenyon 142, Walker ).

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.

Russian guns bear no DWM inspection marks, which precludes official acceptance, but it is possible that they were sold as private weapons to the army's officer class: this is known to have happened with the Mauser C/96 Broomhandle (which the Russian's cherished). It is popularly believed that the surviving Russian guns are of `Bulgarian' type, owing to subtle differences between the two languages. Collectors for a long time believed the 'Russian' guns were left over from the 'Bulgarian' contract.

However, as linguists have now pointed out, there was no difference at all between Russian and Bulgarian until the former was modernized in the early 1920s. Thus, when the Parabellums were supplied, the marks on Russian and Bulgarian guns would have been identical.

The chamber marks may have been added by DWM to a dealer's request, rather than to any official military order, explaining not only the lack of bayonets on the rifles in the chamber crest on some of the adjoining serial numbers but also why some guns remaining in the Soviet Union are said to be nickel-plated.

This 1906 All-Matching DWM Russian Contract Parabellum truly deserves the term rare and is a very difficult gun for the collector to find and the historical paradigm may not be an absolute answer of one theory or another but rather an evolution of knowledge gained over the years. The sales is subject to in store deposits, please call for availability. Any questions to josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com. This very sought after Luger is offered for $12,500 over the counter.

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.

See Credits, Bibliography, Notices and Disclaimers.

3 Day Return Policy

We honor a three day return policy. We will answer any questions, send you any pictures, as detailed as you want, to insure that what we are showing you is what you want to see, before you buy it. See Legal.

FIRING ANY WEAPON NEGATES ANY CHANCE OF RETURN!

WARNING: We do not represent these guns as safe to fire. They are not test fired before sale; they are sold as collectibles only. Prior to firing you should have it inspected by a qualified individual and abide by all safety requirements.

Genuine Lugers Sales - Luger History - Luger Accessories - Luger Holsters - Parabellum