1923 Stoeger

This is a 1923 Stoeger contract long barrel 7.65mm Luger produced by DWM for the A.F. Stoeger Co., of New York. There is an American Eagle over the chamber and the barrel is serial numbered to the gun indicating it was installed by DWM and not in the US. The extractor is marked "GELADEN". The bore is good with distinctive lands and groove. The thumb safety is new style, and straw blued. (819)

Hans Tauscher was the original agent for DWM in the United States. He managed the Army Test Trials and during WWI was accused of being a German spy and his assets were seized. BKIW the successor to DWM appointed A.F. Stoeger in 1922 to represent it. Thus began the association of the Luger with the Stoeger company of New York.

The early Stoeger Logo is referred to in the collecting community as the two line Stoeger as opposed to the 1933 Mauser order for Stoeger which represented a three-line logo to include the Genuine Luger registration which Stoeger undertook in 1929 to protect the term "Luger" by which we know the Parabellum today.

Serial number placement is in the civilian ("hidden") style. This is fine, well struck example. This Luger has all matching numbers and a Germany marked magazine which makes it 100% correct. The thumb safety is marked "GESICHERT" and safe is in the down position. The extractor is marked "Geladen." The barrel is numbered and proofed and matches the frame.

Here we see the "Germany" export stamp on the barrel, the Crown Nitro proof and the barrel serial numbered to the gun in the same type face as the Parabellum's serial number. We have to conclude that the barrel was installed by DWM in the 7.65mm as the 300mm Carbine barrels were produced during the 1920's. This was a very early attempt to convert military surplus into a marketable civilian weapon.

Although possessing a rather long barrel it still maintains it's balance as a shootable Luger.

At the end of WWI DWM (Deutsche Waffen-und Munitionsfabriken, AG found itself without it's greatest customer, the German Government. Awash in Parabellum parts and surplus military parts and not recognized as a legitimate producer of new handguns in 9mm the company took extraordinary efforts to convert it's best seller to the civilian market. Many variations occurred and the Stoeger contract represents one of these efforts.

The American Eagle Lugers were originated in the 1901 trials when the test guns sent to the US had the Great Seal of the United States over the chamber. This proved so effective as a marketing tool that DWM began to employ it on all it's foreign orders. The artillery sight also dictates the rear toggle without the "v" sight and giving it the flat top look. A Classic!



	While the magazine has the 'German' export marking it also has what appears to be the Crown RC which confirms it was a DWM (BKIW) re-manufactured gun.
DWM Commercial numbers were usually found in the five digits and no suffix. Traditionally under the serial number on the frame was the "Germany" export stamp. It is common knowledge that the long barrel frames were applied in the United States for the Stoeger guns.

If you collect American Eagles or Stoeger's or even the long barrel artillery or carbine version of the P-08 you will want this one in your collection. Simply a time-stamp in the history of Luger and a variation tied to the American market.

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