This is a 1946 Manufactured Krieghoff Post-war or as some people call them the "PX" guns because they were made in the Krieghoff plant by the same craftsmen from surplus parts.  Truly a collector's find!                   (773)

This is a 9mm fully functional Luger with a 100mm barrel (4") black bakelite grips and a Type II  magazine with a matching serial number bottom.  The grips appear to be the late 1944 production because they are fine checkered but have only one screw hole in the back.

Much of what has been written about the Krieghoff has been done by Randall Gibson in his book "The Krieghoff"  Reference is made herein frequently to this book and full credit due.  While out of print we happen to have an extra copy if anyone has an interest please email josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com

In August 1945, units of the American 11th Division overran the Krieghoff factory at Suhl.  The only damage reported was vandalism and looting by foreign labor celebrating their liberation. There was no resistance to cause damage by the American forces and it had never been bombed due to the inability of the Allied Air Forces to locate the plant.

The military governor of Suhl from Sept-Dec 1945 was a Captain from the 563rd AAA Battalion. He documents that several of the craftsmen of Krieghoff were allowed to re-enter the factory and under guard assemble several Luger pistols as gives for the members of the Military Government. Gibson has documented in his book that this group numbered only twelve (12) guns and you are looking at #9.

This Parabellum has the Type II blued magazine characteristic of the Krieghoff magazines that were supplied early in the military contract (below 6000). The magazine is serial numbered to the gun.

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The toggle is blank and the only identification is the five pointed star that appears throughout the gun in addition to the individual marks of whomever assembled the gun after the war.

This Luger is covered with the five pointed rejection stamp found on mostly the "P" Code and commercial series guns.  Mr. Gibson on Page 111 indicates that they are seldom seen on the post-war models but this one, serial #9 may have been made strictly from rejected commercial parts and has been so marked. Note on the receiver, the trigger, the first toggle and several other parts. Really extraordinary.

In addition to the five pointed star is the Crown N or Nitro proof required by the 1891 German proof law.  Obviously post war guns were not proofed with the Nazi Eagle N as required by the 1937 proof law. While the safety is marked "GESICHERT" the German word for safe with the safe being thumb down there are no marking on the extractor where one would expect to find  "GELADEN".

The "X" suffix is a puzzler.  The original Krieghoff contract was for 10,000 guns, and these required no suffix.  3625 were assembled from remaining parts and 200 newly manufactured in 1944 would not have brought into play an "X" suffix. Mauser was in the "X" suffix as late as 1941 but this has a Kriefhoff five pointed star.  Then again whoever assembled this gun wasn't playing by anyone's rules and may have simply "branded" the magazine. (Below is the five pointed star on the stop lug).

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.  However, when you are dealing with a one of 12 post war Krieghoff your criteria cannot require out-of-the-box condition.

This extraordinary Krieghoff Luger is the final gun in a ten year series of Luger production by the craftsmen of H. Krieghoff of Suhl.  One of twelve so marked deserves an honored place in someone's collection.