M1906 Swiss New Model Prototype 10132B

The 10132B breechblock is a transitional new model originally fitted with a prototype narrow eared, hand stamp Geladen marked extractor. The left side markings of the extractor are not visible, however, additional pictures provided of the extractor removed revealed that it is a Swiss model 06/29 production replacement extractor. Probably replaced as a result of the damaged breechblock. Also, although assumedly unrelated, the original Sear Bar has been replaced with a Swiss CN (Chromium Nickel) cross stamped production Sear Bar.

Other visible external differences of 10132B from a typical Swiss M1900 production Parabellum are:

1. the front sight blade has been replaced or modified and,
2. the rear sight V notch has been modified to a U notch,
3. the subject old model receiver chamber with a DWM Swiss Cross in Sunburst chamber crest application to the chamber top of 10132B is round or circular vs in a new model long frame Swiss receiver chamber top, which was machined elliptical prior to the roll die application of the Swiss Cross in Sunburst, done for better visibility of the production new model extractor with a round chambered.

Apparently, that subtly of machining was not a consideration with the submittal of 10132B to the Swiss military, although the receiver chamber top machining from round to elliptical was done to all other new model plain chambered prototypes, including the first batch transitional navy P04 series and the M1903 French Chargé Lugers. One has to assume DWM considered the Swiss prototype new model submission of 10132B adequate, without the added expense of adding a Swiss Cross in Sunburst to an old model long frame elliptical machined receiver chamber top.

Although, this is inconsistent with the effort involved with machining the 10132B old model receiver face to accept the new model extractor protruding tip. As a matter of note 10132B is not the only example of a new model long frame chamber face conversion from an old model plain chamber rounded surface. Another significant change is the modification of the barrel lower face feed ramp which was enlarged from the old model smaller or narrower feed ramp associated with the bottle neck 7.65mm round for proper feeding from the magazine entrance guiding the round into the chamber.

The enlarged barrel feed ramp of 10132B DWM, apparently considered an improvement, and is similar to the new model Swiss 30 Cal barrels which is similar to new model, long and short frame 9mm barrels. The resulting inconsistency here is the transitional navy P04 9mm first batch 150 mm (FAT) barrels sport the old model 30 Cal barrel narrow feed ramp, while the earlier 10000 B suffix, 9mm 120 mm FAT barrels have the wider feed ramp, similar to 10132B. Pictured is a row of barrel/receiver chamber faces, not in any particular order, illustrating the features described.

The 10132B old model receiver rail underside edges have been modified from the shallow, approximately 6-degree chamfer starting about 6 mm from the chamber face to the new model 45-degree chamfer starting 4 mm from the chamber face. This was done probably, to most new model prototype 10000 B receivers for weight reduction. Two other changes to the old model receiver were to the, 1) Sear Bar flat spring making it longer, requiring lengthening the slot in the left side receiver rail further to the rear by milling, 2) changing the anchor pivot relocation of the recess flush mount strawed spring ejector, installed in the right-side receiver.

This required relocating the ejector anchor pivot hole in the right-side receiver fork ejector channel rearward about 2 mm and filling the old model receiver fork anchor slot. Both these changes increased the length of spring, in the case of the Ejector with its tapered flat spring portion, moving the axis pivot anchor more toward the rear of the Ejector minimized the possibility of breakage in action. Simply increasing the length of the Sear Bar flat spring accomplished the same thing, longer life cycle without breakage.

Since no pictures of 10132B are available of the inside surface of the right-side receiver fork channel where the modifications were done to fit or accommodate the new model Ejector anchor pivot location, nor the lengthening of the left side receiver fork Sear Bar channel to accommodate the longer, new model Sear Bar spring one has to assume, based on the 10132B old model receiver round chamber top vs the new model elliptical chamber tops that the receiver still sports the old model ejector and shorter Sear Bar spring. Pictured are multiple views of an old and new model Ejector, removed for clarity from the right-side receiver fork channel and the 10051B redesigned ejector removed from the modified receiver fork.

After a picture showing the difference from the old to the new model ejector was provide to the seller it was determined that the receiver was indeed modified to accept the new model ejector and the new, longer Sear Bar spring. Note the modification of the new model transitional Lugers can only be viewed internally with the transitional new model toggle link assembly removed. Since no picture is available of the 10132B receiver rail or fork inside right side surface, the same area of 10051B is offered up to illustrate an example of the machining remnants of the modification. Pictured is the machining modifications to 10051B inside channel to the right side receiver fork to accommodate the new model ejector.

The width of the trigger guard of the 10132B grip safety M1900 long frame has been narrowed to the new model frame trigger guard dimensions in addition enlarging the left side upper trigger frame access to accommodate the replacement of the old model narrow trigger with the new model, wider trigger. The step or reduction of the M1900 trigger guard to the narrower trigger guard is a horizontal step. In 10132B the right-side forward trigger guard step is horizontal, however, the left side is not horizontal, although cosmetic, it is a case of sloppy machining. The M1900 frame has been converted from the old model, dual ribbon flat recoil mainspring to the new model coil mainspring.

Continuing with the 10132B frame, in earlier 10000 series B suffix grip safety Lugers the rear, in profile, contoured frame cam edges were softened, however, with 10132B the external rear frame cam ear edges are sharp and well defined. This apparently cosmetic feature in the “early”, chronologically speaking, including serial number 10051B was apparently discontinued, an example being the subject 10130B. Pictured are the rear link top views of 10051B, 10130B and the subject 10132B.

Interestingly, 10132B shares the same sharp and well-defined frame cam ear edges as on the Dutch 10130B basically because 10130B possibly, could have utilized a late old model production 20,000 plus serial number range M1902 short frame late old model 9mm prototype which, as stated, utilizes a M1902 production short frame, modified by narrowing the trigger guard to incorporate the new model trigger and the grip frame internals to add the new model recoil spring. One would easily conclude then that that the 10132B M1900 old model modified 131mm long frame was also production.

As a matter of note the change of the frame from the 131mm long frame of the M1900 old model to the M1906, 129mm short frame new model was a significant prototype B suffix series design event in the evolution of the Luger, first identified in 10051B ¹. However, it is not the first 129 mm short frame Luger, the first being 10056B. Resulting in the first production 129 mm short frame Lugers, called the late old model were introduced in the 20,000 serial number range, although notably, not the only change in 10056B being the 2mm shortening of the frame, leaving the wide trigger guard and the old model trigger, however, instead of the two Riband flat ribbon recoil springs, 10056B was fitted by DWM with a single, flat Riband recoil tapered spring, being thicker at the lower gripstrap anchor location and at its thinnest at the upper coupling interface.

Apparently, representing an interim design change by DWM in an attempt to improve the recoil function prior to introducing the much stronger recoil spring in the final new model B series prototype with 10051B being the first example. The interim recoil spring being a short-lived experiment as 10056B is the only known B suffix series Luger with the interim spring. Pictured is the 10056B frame with the grips removed showing the interim recoil spring installed along with four views with the spring removed with an additional picture showing a production dual Riband ribbon spring compared to the 10056B spring dimensioned. Note the continuous, smooth taper, a result of precise, controlled machining, also evidence of tempering. Aside from its unique B suffix prototype status, 10056B has a rich and storied history. Click here to learn more about 10056B.

Examples of the late old model short frame Lugers being the infamous 4-inch FAT barrel, caliber 9mm U.S. Army Cartridge Counter series, caliber 9mm commercial variants and the 30 Cal Danzig Lugers. Pictured are two views of 10051B (view 1, view 2), the 10056B frame, multiple views of 10056B ², the 22350 Danzig frame, and multiple views of the 22350 Danzig.

The old model Swiss chamber crested receiver chamber face of 10132B has been modified to accommodate the new model breechblock with its narrow-eared, hand stamped GELADEN extractor. The old model production receiver used was manufactured in the 10000 serial number range based on the remnants of left and right side of the bevel cut to the upper receiver chamber face. This modification was done to all old model receivers starting in the 10000 serial number range to correct a perceived spent cartridge ejection issue occasionally encountered with the old model breechblock flat extractor.

As a matter of note regarding the transitional old to new model chamber face machining there were a least two receivers used in the old to new model extractor machining: 1) an old model receiver with a blank, straight wall chamber face pulled from the production line, used before the old model receiver cuts were applied to which the new model extractor cuts were then manually applied, which was very close to the final production line machining and needs a close examination to detect the hand or manual cuts to the assembly line examples. The first batch of transitional navy Lugers are of the first example.

The second example, 2) the new model receiver extractor cuts were applied to completed, long frame old model production receivers in the 10000 serial number range with the rounded chamber face edge and the receiver face added bevel above the old model extractor cut. The new model hand applied chamber face extractor cuts utilized the remnants of the bevel on each side of the extractor tip chamber face recess as part of the machining. These modified old model receiver chamber face new model extractor cuts were used with the subject 10132B Swiss old model long frame/receiver chamber face and some new model grip safety 9mm protypes such as 10051B and 10078B and second batch transitional navy Lugers such as 79 and 136 and interestingly the 25000 serial number series M1903 French Chargé Lugers. The French Chargé Lugers are in their own category as they utilized late old model, circa 1902 short frames and receivers.

It has been reported, but not documented, that records survive stating that 10132B was submitted to the Swiss in 1905 and based on that, one can surmise that 10132B was assembled circa late 1904, early 1905 as was most of the grip safety new model 10000 serial number range of B suffix transitionals. Another distinction with 10132B is the old model receiver used the production Swiss crest applied chamber top was circular, whereas, the new model grip safety short frame 9mm 10000B prototypes the original, round, plain chamber top was elliptical or flattened for better visibility of the raised or elevated position of the extractor with a chambered round. Apparently, this was not a consideration with 10132B as submitted the Swiss. The M1906 production Swiss Ordnance Parabellums had a Swiss applied crest to an elliptical receiver chamber top.

Another 10000B suffix, new model Luger is 10078B which had/has a rounded chamber top with an American Eagle crest, of which 10078B was presented to G.H. Powell who was responsible for the U.S. Army Cartridge Counter grips. In both 10078B and 10132B, for expediency, receivers were used with already applied crests, however, does not imply that 10132B was also a presentation Luger, whereas, contrary to 10078B, currently, no Swiss military official is associated with 10132B, or for that matter, any claimed Swiss presentation Lugers with the exception of Swiss Test commission member Oberst Louis von Stürler, of which an empty presentation case survives and even then, the case being empty, cannot be associated with any particular Swiss Luger meaning, specifically, regarding 10132B being simply a new model prototype Luger would not be submitted to the Swiss without the well-recognized Swiss chamber crest. For more information on 10078B click here.

In a typical 10000 B suffix old or new model with a GL monogram stamped rear link, displacing the normally located last two digits of the serial number are usually relocated to the rear link right underside rib. This is the case with the 10132B rear link except the 32 is stamped on the opposite, left underside rib, because there appears to be a number 17 stamped in that location meaning that, 1) the original prototype rear link was replaced with a rear link salvaged from 101(17)B or, 2) or simply a numbering error. In either event the location of the 32 stamp is inconsistent with all identified GL stamped rear links, prototype, presentation or production. Pictured are some examples.

Although the 10132B rear link shares features with 10051B grip safety new model 9mm prototype being, 1) the edges of the integral “T” shaped section behind the toggle knobs have been softened or rounded as with 10051B, yet the rear link of Dutch 10130B, also a new model prototype Luger does not share this feature, curiously because it is a production new model rear link, 2) the serrated toggle knob outer circumference edges of 10132B are decidedly softer or rounded, similar to 10051B and not 10130B which, as stated, is a production rear link with more abrupt, almost “completely square faced” toggle knobs. Pictured are the examples cited.

Combined with the Swiss modified front and rear sight, it is the P.43 release stamping on the left frame rail that legitimizes 10132B as authentic and, most likely, presented to the Swiss authorities in circa 1905 as a new model prototype for consideration in a long frame configuration, especially since Switzerland insisted on maintaining the long frame configuration for interchangeability options, and additionally the 30 Cal bottleneck round, while DWM successfully offered the M1906 grip safety new model, with the exception of the long frame transitional navy P04, to the rest of the world as a short frame and long frame in both 30 Cal and 9mm, which included the long frame transitional navy P04. The interesting aspect of 10132B, despite being a DWM submitted new model Swiss prototype is that it was possibility used in service or at least in the possession of the Swiss Ordnance until 1943. From the 1943 release date to the present, 10132B could have, eventually resided in a (Swiss) collection. The individual that sold 10132B to the retailer was aware of its rarity.

Regarding the 9mm model the Swiss had a brief dalliance with a long frame 10000B prototype Parabellum with a 4¾-inch or 120mm 9mm FAT barrel, specifically 10028B which was auctioned off by Amoskeag Auction in 2002. The auction description referred to the magazine with metal Disc magazine wooden bottom inserts as similar to the Cartridge Counter magazines, however, the magazine was determined to be Swiss. That, in conjunction with the rear link sight notch, usually V shaped has been modified to a U notch, common to many Swiss Ordnance contract Ordnance Lugers. Pictured are two views of 10028B. View 1 and View 2. There is one other 9mm Swiss Ordnance Luger, a 1902 short frame FAT barrel Luger, serial number 22049 with a very distinctive, deeply stamped Swiss Cross in Sunburst chamber crest that is totally Swiss proofed, suggesting Swiss service, which is suspect with some collectors and is of dubious Swiss provenance. View 1. Although 22049 was acknowledged and listed as a variation by Jan C. Still in © 1991 Imperial Lugers, page 11, Table I.

The examination of 10000B and transitional navy new model breechblocks in the collection shows many common features or properties. All have narrow ear extractors with corresponding cuts in the breechblock extractor channel and while these prototype new model breechblock and extractor cuts are manually done by hand, they generally appear symmetrically similar in comparison and are hand stamped Geladen on the left side. From examination of several prototype new model breechblocks found that they are stamped with the last two digits or single digit of the serial number in the lower left channel, with the noted exception of 10132B where the breechblock is stamped in the production location adjacent to the extractor anchor pin. Pictured is the left side of 10132B breechblock serial number stamping location compared to other prototype new model breechblocks in the collection.

Additionally, the earlier one and two-digit long frame transitional navy and short frame, new model extractors, the serial number is/was scratched on the underside of the extractors, whereas the later 10xxxB last three-digit, new model extractors are punch stamped. Generally, if the narrow ear extractor is original to the breechblock, the bluing of the breechblock and extractor are the same, although, if the extractor has been replaced the bluing appears different, and in some instances the replaced extractor is ill fitting as viewed from the top and in profile, in some cases sits proud of the breechblock surface, 10132B breechblock as an example, as stated earlier the extractor was determined to have been replaced. Pictured are some authentic narrow ear prototype extractors, some hand stamped, some had scratched with the last 1 or 2 digits of the serial number. The 10051B original replacement extractor, the Dutch model 10130B extrator, the Transitional Navy P04 serial number 2 extractor and the Transitional navy serial numbers 2 and 79 underside hand scratched sns extractors.

This is not to imply foul play as some of these prototype new model breechblocks and/or extractors did fail during testing and had to be replaced, an example being 10051B, a grip safety new model short frame 9mm prototype where the extractor was replaced with another prototype extractor in the series, stamped 27 on the underside, probably salvaged from 10127B, possibly a Dutch trials Luger. M1906 Swiss 10132B appears to have a replacement extractor as well, as evidenced by the different bluing of the replacement extractor to the breechblock bluing and additionally when viewed in profile the extractor sits proud of the breechblock.

To compound matters, the top forward right edge of the breechblock extractor channel is damaged, which probably necessitated the extractor replacement. In the case of the 10051B replacement extractor, the replacement of a like-kind prototype extractor occurred, more than likely, while 10051B was in the possession of DWM, hence its originality, whereas the “replacement” of the 10132B extractor occurred, most likely in Switzerland, many years later with a replacement production extractor, either from a Swiss M1900/06 or a M1906/29.

Additionally, the 10132B extractor could have been replaced anytime in the lifetime of 10132B, before or after the P.43 privatization, whereas the replacement of the 10051B extractor was replaced within the period DWM testing of 10051B. In support of the in-house testing of 10051B it should be noted that it is the lowest serial number identified, complete transitional new model 9mm prototype with an in-house DWM tool room added Gesichert lower thumb safety stamping.

An interesting observation of the 10132B frame and barrel full serial numbers compared to other 10000B series frame and barrel serial numbers in the collection. Note the uneven alignment, varying depth and spacing of numeric stampings of frame and barrel serial numbers of 10028B, 10051B, 10056B vs the consistent precision, even placement, alignment and depth of numeric stampings of 10132B.