This 3-line GENUINE stamped SAFE and LOADED marked Stoeger Luger has features and characteristics that will satisfy most Stoeger Luger collectors. It has all matching serial numbers, except for the original unmarked wooden grips. The full V suffix serial number is located on the frame, just above the through-the-blue GERMANY export stamp and on the replacement 120 mm 30 Cal Mauser c/c/U proofed barrel underside and most interestingly, 498V is stamped on the aluminum bottom magazine, along with 7.65, a rare combination.  Pictured are:

1. Top and left side view showing the variation 1 American Eagle chamber crest, the SAFE stamped frame, the full serial number, minus the V suffix, stamped on the receiver left side, next to the vertical C/N commercial proof
2. The right side view shows the receiver and frame rail 3-line Stoeger markings, including the added through-the-blue frame rail GENUINE stamping
3. The magazine left and right side and bottom view
4. The Mauser c/c/U proofed breechblock and two views of the matching serial number, LOADED stamped extractor
5. The take-down lever and side plate component parts serial number stampings,
6. The 120 mm 30 Cal barrel sight band and blade, three views.

Due to its higher serial number (400V - 524V), based on a sequential order of serial numbers, which may not be correct, mostly because it has the added third-line frame rail GENUINE stamp applied by Mauser prior to shipment, it is probably not one of the first batch of Lugers delivered to A.F. Stoeger, Inc. In New York. The gun was transferred from BKIW to Mauser with a 98mm, 30 Cal barrel installed in a spare 1906 – 1909 short frame receiver with a first variation American Eagle roll die stamped chamber crest with rounded tail feathers.  The manufacturing date and spare status of the receiver is based on an unstamped stop lug and pin wheel type factory inspection stamp located on the receiver underside, adjacent to the stop lug.  498v was probably completely assembled, partially serialized, and in the white, prior to being transferred to Mauser in May 1930 based on the added Mauser c/c/U proof applied to the DWM Loaded extractor/breechblock, prior to bluing. 498V was received by Mauser in-the-white, completely assembled with the 3-line inscription with an added, through-the-blue GENUINE stamping to a 1920s DWM manufactured SAFE marked frame with the C/N proofed 98mm barrel with V suffix serial number 498 font style stamping.

As to why the full serial number 498 is stamped on the receiver left side in the military style is unclear, however, presented is a theory put forth by Geoff Sturgess that mostly explains why most Stoeger receivers do not have the military receiver numbering: DWM seems to have instituted this practice when they changed over to military serial numbering with suffix for commercial pistols at the i suffix. However, the Stoeger SAFE marked frames and 2 line receivers seem to have all been made as a batch predating this, some obviously being early pre WWI spares, as even late Stoeger DWM 2 line guns, such as the 150 mm barrels examples I had in the u suffix range, and most of the v suffix Stoeger guns, do not have this numbering, which is also absent on other non-standard configuration commercial guns of this post 5-digit sn period, some also using old spare receivers like the AE Stoeger Lugers.

Since it is apparent that the commercial receiver numbering appears to have both commenced and ceased in the i-suffix, Sturgess seems to think this is because most of DWM's commercial 1920s production was allocated numbers in this suffix block regardless of when they were made, and the other suffices of the period (j - u) were almost entirely military (Army and Navy) or police guns which required receiver left hand side serial numbers under regulations, and the police guns were commercially proofed also. The commercial pistols after the i-suffix seem mostly to have been Stoeger 2 line guns which used the batch of receivers without previously mentioned, which pop up at random in the j - u suffix ranges as ordered.

The above explanations seem to support the idea that, for whatever reason, the 498 receiver stamping was done by Mauser. If one accepts the fact that the receiver, as a spare and unmarked assembly was delivered to Mauser C/N proofed with a short 4-inch, 30 Cal barrel and C/N proofed was replaced by Mauser with a 4¾-inch barrel with the 498 receiver stamping, being under the blue, then the receiver assembly was received in the white and subsequently blued by Mauser. Since the frame serial number is also stamped under the blue and is identical in font style and size to the receiver stamped serial number, then the frame was also blued by Mauser with the GENUINE stamp applied after, through-the-blue, when later requested by Stoeger, prior to shipping.

Sturgess further states regarding the serialization of 498 that: I have always thought it most likely that these were serial numbered in Oberndorf as they occur as a group, well after the previous group of Stoeger guns in the 87xx u group, which are surrounded on both sides by police 9 mm P.08s of the u suffix and very low v suffix blocks, all made up and proofed in Berlin. DWM would not have known of any further call off of guns by Stoeger before the time of transfer to Oberndorf and would  not have serialled these Stoeger components without orders, as it is noticeable that the later DWM Stoegers (u suffix) were made in small batches of 40 or so consecutive serial numbers, implying orders fulfilled as a group when ordered by Stoeger, even when rebarrelled (as the 10xx u Navys) by Mauser after DWM transferred production, and so I think these low v suffix Stoeger guns were made up and serialled by Mauser from DWM part finished Stoeger marked components.

Since the aluminum bottom magazine is also stamped 498 in the same font style and size it is also presumed to be stamped by Mauser, however, Sturgess had some additional thoughts regarding V suffix stamped Mauser magazines: Mauser v suffix mag numbers seem rather random among commercial guns, though the v suffix military foreign contract guns were numbered with the suffix. However, I had a Swiss commercial gun with a numbered magazine and have seen several others, but cannot recall other Stoeger Lugers. The 7.65 is not unique, I had a couple of guns of this period with otherwise plain mag bases marked 7.65, and one or two also marked 9 m/m - no real idea why this was done, considering the effective interchangeability of 7,65 and 9 mm ammo in these magazines. The v suffix on this magazine is a very curious shape, quite unlike other v suffixes, with a very long leading upstroke and no visible tail. Note, the V does have a tail, albeit lightly stamped.

498V is also described in The Mauser Parabellum 1930 – 1946 by D. Hallock and Joop van de Kant on page 442 in Table 24-02 titled: Reported 3-line Stoeger Lugers # 400V – 524V (1930 – 1937) as a 3-line GENUINE marked gun, unfortunately, again as is 460V, incorrectly identified, in this case as a 9 mm caliber, 6-inch barrel, not a 7.65mm, 4¾-inch c/c/U proofed barrel.