Made in Denmark Luger magazines

    

Per an internet search DISA is a company founded in Denmark (with the name Compagnie Madsen A/S) which since 1900 has produced metal casting products.

In 1936 it changed name from Dansk Rekyl Riffel Syndikat A/S to Dansk Industri Syndikat A/S and was a defense manufacturer most notable for producing the Madsen machine gun and Madsen M-50.

In the years 1951 to 1962, mentioned in a Luger Forum Discussion Forum 01/07/24 by a Danish member who stated that: the Danish company DISA produced magazines for the P.08. Some are stamped “MADE IN DENMARK, at the bottom of the magazine. Magazines were “delivered” to the USA, England, Germany and Norway, in addition to Denmark. In the years 1951 to 1962, the Danish company DISA produced magazines for the P.08.

P08 type magazines with aluminum magazine bottoms marked in English only “MADE IN DENMARK” to be offered/delivered circa 1951 – 1962 to several countries who, interestingly, never contracted or used the P.08 is, to say the least, unusual, with no identified demand for P08 Luger magazines in the 1950s and 1960s and additionally, since manufacture of the Luger in Germany ceased in 1945.

It should be noted that these Danish P08 Luger magazines are not identified or pictured in any Luger book or publication, probably because of little import. The one exception is the excellent, unappreciated book publication World Of Lugers, Volume 1 “of 1” by Sam Costanzo © 1977, page 232, Item 269B which, although not picturing the magazine, describes exactly the purpose and meaning of the marking.

These post WW2 “aftermarket” magazines, although not expensive when located, are seldom seen or offered for sale, but there they are, in this case, two such marked magazines in two period, unmarked twin magazine leather pouches of unknown provenance, although advertised by the seller as: 2 tan leather “Danish Luger magazine pouches” in good condition. Pouch #1 contains two Danish Luger (marked) magazines. Pouch #2 contains one wood faux (fake) magazine.

The use of the word faux or fake by the seller implies intent to deceive, which in this case, is not true as a wooden magazine cannot in any way be construed to misrepresent anything but what it is, in this case, a poor-quality wooden dummy Luger magazine. A more probable explanation could be that the manufacturer was offering, at the time, the newly manufactured Luger P08 magazine in a twin magazine leather pouch with one original magazine and a dummy as a demo or most likely the subject, poor quality dummy magazine was simply added as a filler at a later date.

After examining the wooden dummy magazine upon receipt, it instantly was determined to be a crude, damaged assembly with a crudely circular cut of leather “nailed” to each side of the wooden magazine body to represent the toggle knobs. The wooden dummy magazine was too crude to be done by the original maker of the twin magazine leather pouches and was added post manufacture, purpose unknown. The first inclination is to think that the leather toggle knobs were the cut-out holes of the pouches, however, the toggle knob leather pieces are 5.4 mm thick vs the 3mm cover flap leather thickness. At what stage or life cycle of these two identical twin magazine pouches, the dummy magazine or dummy magazines were added is unknown.

The excellent condition of the flat black painted, possibly parkerized magazine bodies of the two English marked Made in Denmark marked magazines is of formed sheet steel with a folded or pressed seam with an aluminum bottom, laterally secured to the magazine body with a laterally secured single, white metal steel pin, similar to the pre-WW1 commercial and WW1 military magazines. The spring is circular with metal follower which, viewed from the top the follower surface is a dull flat gray/black. The follower button, curiously is of the earlier circa 1899 – 1900 thin flat follower button surface pattern but thicker, including the shaft which is of a larger diameter than the smaller diameter M1900 original threaded shaft, but anchored/peened to the opposite follower external wall.

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The magazine appears to be of 1930s manufacture, a compliment to the Danish manufacture and nothing about the magazine, except for the flat follower button suggests later, post WW2 manufacture. The Made in Denmark (Freestyled i Danmark in Danish) marking was most likely an export requirement as stated above in World of Lugers, page 232, although does not explain its export to non-English speaking countries.

The accessory that changes the discussion are the two, heretofore unknown style, identical tan leather, twin magazine pouches with unique rear panel stitching pattern using three strand yellow thread, acquired with the two Danish made and marked P08 Luger magazines and one wooden dummy magazine, why only one dummy magazine is unknown. The two identical twin magazine leather pouches have a unique offset angled, triangular shaped cover flap which cover the top entrance portion of the left and right side pouch body, but secured via the lower extended cover flap affixed, small diameter, plain surface snap fastener to the right-side facing magazine pouch body.

As noted above, an additional observation or clue that could possibly identify the maker or manufacture of these two identical twin magazine pouches is the style or pattern type of stitching used, normal, spaced stitching on the front, but a “STEM” style of stitching on the rear.For example, RED HEAD, an early holster maker is associated with a “CHAIN” style of stitching pattern on the rear or back side of some of its holsters. Pictured are some stitching patterns or styles identified on period Luger holsters and magazine pouches.

The twin magazine pouch consists of two pieces of leather with the rear being of a continuous piece of leather, the upper portion extending to form the cover flap. The front portion uses a thinner piece of leather to form the two magazine pouches stitched on the left and right edge and in the middle to the rear panel. The bottom of each magazine pouch body is shaped to conform to the angle of the magazine body entrance.

The subject aftermarket twin magazine pouch(s) were designed so that when the P08 magazines were inserted and fully seated, the top portion of the magazine body(s) extended above the magazine pouch entrance lip. That was done for two reasons:

1. to aid in the removal of the magazine(s) by allowing a firm grip of the toggle knobs and,
2. allowing the cover flap to slightly expand front-to-rear to accommodate the wider width of the toggle knobs, aiding the cover flap to close and engage the snap fastener assembly without unnecessary tension, additionally, with the rear portion of the cover flap above the stiffer, restrictive, structural portion of the rear panel further facilitated closure.

This method of twin magazine pouch construction, with variations, was used by other early manufacturers. One example being HH Heiser of Denver, Co. as compared to the subject unknown maker twin magazine pouch.

The rear of each identical pouch has two vertically affixed belt loops, folded over at the top secured by a pan head rivet internally with the shaft bifurcated at the opposite end into two tabs, bent over to secure the upper folded over belt loops to the magazine body with the same method used at the bottom, except the belt loops are not folded over, but attached directly with exposed, bent over tabs. This is a non-German method used before and after WW1.

Above each of the rear panel affixed belt loops, in the cover flap portion of both magazine pouches is a post assembly, two unevenly aligned and crudely cut, quasi, mostly “circular” holes exposing the left and right-side magazine bottom grasping surfaces. The holes, no doubt, were aftermarket applied, to both pouches, with the only apparent reason being of visibility, i.e. possibly to verify without opening the cover flap that the pouch contained magazine(s), although the added heft of two inserted/loaded magazines should be sufficient.

The stitching pattern on the front of each twin magazine pouch is “normal”, the back side is not, but with an unidentified waving, twisting appearance, identified as “Stem” stitching, not seen in German holster or magazine pouch stitching. Pictured are several examples of typically encountered German and American stitching patterns.

An alternate explanation for the added circular holes becomes plausible or apparent when viewing one of the twin magazine pouches from the edge. In that view in profile, with both magazines fully inserted with the cover flap closed and snap fastener engaged reveals that the bottom edge of the right-side toggle knob extends out or away from the added leather hole about ⅔ the length of the right-side toggle knob, proud of the magazine base. This is in addition to the tight, closing fit in engaging the female portion of the cover flap snap fastener to the magazine body fastener male receptacle.

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With the same two magazines inserted in the second, unmarked magazine, the toggle knobs extend less and the cover flap engages the snap fastener assembly with less stress suggests vagaries of manufacture, i.e. tolerances, storage and time. Pictured are multiple views of both twin magazine pouches with the inserted Made In Denmark marked P08 magazines.

It is certain that without the added holes, that even though with the magazines comfortably, fully inserted/seated in the magazine pouches that the 3mm thick leather cover flap when closed, front to rear, measures internally 19.7 mm could not be closed over the 22.5 mm wide aluminum bottoms, suggests that possibly, these two twin magazine pouches were not made for Luger magazines. It also could be because of the thickness, poor storage and subsequent age-related stiffness of the cover flap leather through the years that necessitated adding the holes. Nevertheless, the two twin magazine pouches show evidence of long-term storage of P08 magazines. View 1. View 2.

Although, there is the possibility that the subject, two twin magazine pouches were actually made to hold P08 Luger magazines, but due to the typical, extra wide Luger magazine bottom toggle knob dimension of 22.5 mm vs the 11.5 mm width of the magazine body in conjunction with the extra thick leather cover flap and the magazine bottoms seating above the straight edge magazine pouch entrance, made closure very difficult without the added holes. This cover flap closure is a common issue with non-military leather magazine pouches which generally use thicker, less flexible leather than early DWM military style, thinner, more flexible leather twin magazine pouches, such as used with P04 navy Luger magazines.

The German navy P04 twin magazine pouches and other European Parabellum twin magazine pouches avoid the cover flap closing issue by providing a circular or contoured recess in the magazine pouch entrance lip, that in conjunction with slightly enlarging the magazine pouch cavity, thereby allowing the magazine circular bottoms to seat lower in the magazine pouch allowing the cover flap to close over the magazine bottoms without any distension of the cover flap.

This is the case, especially with American manufacturers such as HH Heiser. Pictured is an edge view of the subject twin magazine pouch and a HH Heiser Luger twin magazine pouch made of relatively thick leather with a similar, tight fitting cover flap, note the distended cover flap with magazine inserted. Pictured side-by-side are front and rear views of the subject twin magazine pouch and the HH Heiser example.

It should be noted, based on the retailer’s site the advertising pictures with the two Danish magazines resting on the front and rear views of the two “Danish” twin magazine pouches and as claimed and described in the text description that the two twin magazine pouches are of “Danish” manufacture, give no clue or verification of the claim that the two magazines when actually inserted, as discussed above, will comfortably fit in either of the pouches with the cover flaps closed.

Pictured together are front and rear views of one of the “Danish” twin magazine pouches with one certifiable Heiser made twin magazine pouch for Luger magazines. A second picture shows a close-up edge view of both pouches. Note the ample front to rear cover flap internal clearance for the full width of wooden bottom vs the restricted front to rear internal cover flap clearance of the “Danish” pouch.

It is also certain that both of the twin magazine leather pouches have changed hands multiple times since manufacture with first being the initial sale by the “Danish” manufacture where possibly the first buyer added the holes to both magazine pouches, a third time when they were acquired by the retailer/seller and the fourth time to the current owner.

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If indeed these magazine pouches are determined to be made in Denmark as are the subject magazines, it would be the second documented instance of a Luger or P08 accessory made in Denmark, the first being NORMA ^[1] 9mm Swedish Parabellum ammunition, post WW2 packaged in Demark (Dansk Ammunitionstabrik, Otterup ^[2]). Interestingly, while Denmark a country that had, purportedly, other than occupation by Germany in WW2, no prior, immediate post WW2 or current association with the Luger or P08, except for a brief dalliance in 1902 of testing a production Old Model 30 Cal Parabellum.

Since the stated manufacture of these magazines by DISA is circa 1951 – 1962 the meaning of the black ink, belt loop marked number 1958, suggested by the seller as a date on the right belt loop of only one of the two unmarked twin magazine pouches is inconclusive given the generic appearance of the two identical pouches. Also, if known how and why these unique, two identical twin magazine leather pouches stayed together through the years and ended up being offered as a matching pair would go a long way in explaining their origins and purpose.

2005: ...after all the speculation about the exorbitant cost of manufacturing Luger magazines (especially the original variety), it turns out that they must have been also manufactured in Denmark. D´you think someone could find out who made them - and whether they still have the equipment. Or maybe...

2005: I think the Danish magazines came with two styles of magazine follower buttons ^[3]...the one shown reminiscent of early M1900 follower buttons (but thicker) and a bulls-eye style.

2023: 9. Made in Denmark folded sheet steel with a pleasing black, less than parkerized finish. Single pin, no dents or dings, strong smooth spring. Good clean shooter mag? $50.

In the years 1951 to 1962, the Danish company DISA produced magazines for the P.08. Some are stamped Made In Denmark, at the bottom of the magazine. Magazines were delivered to the USA, England, Germany and Norway, in addition to Denmark.

Pictured are M1900 magazine examples with flat follower buttons and a 1930s rare Haenel Schmeisser flat follower button with extruded magazine body. Also, pictured are other examples of non-German commercial magazine pouches of different design styles, threads and stitching patterns, all different in some style or shape from the subject “Danish” twin magazine pouches. Examples 1, 2 and 3. Example 4. Example 5. Example 6.

It is interesting to speculate that if indeed the subject Made in Denmark magazines belonged to the subject belt loop twin magazine pouches since manufacture, what would be considered to be the appropriate holster and Luger pistol that would constitute a complete rig.