The Luger Story: The Standard History of the World's Most Famous Handgun

by Walter, John

• ISBN13: 9781853674365
• ISBN10: 1853674362
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-06-01
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl

Summary

The full story of Germany's most successful handgun from its creation to the present day.

Author Biography

John Walter is a respected authority on all aspects of weaponry

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	7	(3)
Books	10	(1)
John Walter
Foreword	11	(2)
Glossary	13	(6)
From the Maxim machine-gun to the Borchardt pistol	19	(23)
The action of the Borchardt pistol
Adoption of the Luger in Switzerland: the first real success	42	(16)
Early Borchardt-Lugers
The action of the Borchardt Luger
Variations of the Swiss 1900-model Luger
Trials and tribulations; progress at home and abroad	58	(33)
The advent of the 9mm cartridge	91	(5)
The Luger in the commercial market	96	(8)
Proof markings on typical Old Model Lugers
The New Model Luger pistols	104	(10)
The .45 Luger and the US Army trials of 1907	114	(5)
Military trials and commercial exploits of the New Model Luger	119	(12)
The ultimate success: adoption of the Luger for the Germany Army	131	(11)
Proof and inspectors' marks, 1911
The Luger in the First World War	142	(17)
Issue of the Luger in 1914
Ten typical pre-1918 unit markings
From the fall of the Kaiser to secret rearmament	159	(15)
Commercial Lugers and accessories of the Weimar Republic	174	(27)
The rise of Hitler, and Lugers of the Third Reich	201	(16)
The Second World War and the demise of the Luger	217	(11)
Non-standard handguns in German service, 1939--45
The New Luger: from Mauser-Jagdwaffen to Mitchell Arms	228	(14)
Identification and valuation lists	242	(9)
Bibliography	251	(3)
Index	254