Since these Weimar Reichsmarine navy era Marinestation der Nordsee property number marked .22 Cal LR Sub Caliber Conversion Units are extensively discussed and pictured in both Görtz/Sturgess publications noted above, featuring N.130, serial number 514, both publications with the same excellent, detailed information on the history of the entire German manufacture of Sub Caliber Conversion Units, including all the markings and their meanings, will not be repeated, except where the information or pictures differs with the features or markings of N.100, serial number 548 and other previously published, navy marked large box units.
The large box conversion unit was first introduced in 1932 in the Weimar-Reichsmarine era, however, was used mostly by the Kriegsmarine. All the large ERMA/Erfurt boxes are dimensionally identical, being 15¾-inches long x 5¼-inchs wide x 2-inches deep, weighing 70.7 ounces (4.2 Lbs.) or 2004 grams. A coat of varnish was applied to the box exterior, probably upon receipt and after the top cover N.100 property number engraving was applied. The finish survives, mostly intact except the bottom surface, where it is mostly worn off. The work may have been done in an area where other navy items were painted, as an accidental drop of “battleship grey” paint is located in the top right corner of the box cover. Other observed large box, non-navy conversion units lack this finish.
There are no other external markings on the N.100 undated box except for a WaA85 inspection stamp located on the box front edge base portion of the metal plate, push button locking mechanism. The N.130 serial number 514 S.E.L.f. P.08 WaA… inspection markings are discussed in great detail in the two Görtz/Sturgess publications, where this N.100 serial number 548 WaA88 inspection stamping and location is not mentioned, so it is assumed that the marking and location is not present on N.130.
The Magazine
The markings of the N.130 magazine are not shown but are presumed to be the same and identically placed as N.101, centrally located on the magazine body left side, however, this is not certain as only the right side of the bottom stamped N.130 magazine is shown, presumably the serial number 514 is stamped on the right side below a WaA49 inspection stamp.
The N101 Nordsee navy property stamped magazine is only one digit off the balance of the N.100 stamped parts yet, what one assumes to be the magazine four-digit serial number of 1048 is 500 digits higher than the N.100 serialized parts of 548 and 48. It is, therefore, difficult to determine the complete serial number of the N.100 marked sub caliber conversion unit, be it four (1548), or three (548) digits. Another observation, based on the serial number of N.100 being 548 compared against N.130 serial number 514, a difference of 34 vs. 30 between N.100 and N.130 is not only not consecutive, but not progressive, indicating the manufacture and serialization of the conversion units and/or the application of the Nordsee “acceptance” property numbers, suggesting the delivery or acquisition was quite sporadic in nature.
The cleaning rod
The length of the cleaning rod, including the handle is 16½-inches, with one of the two supplied cleaning rod threaded accessories attached, the length is 17¼-inches. The steel shaft diameter, which the shaft rotates in the wooden handle is 4.8 m/m. The wooden handle diameter is 26 m/m and the notch in the handle is not for decorative or cosmetic reasons, but is actually a tight fitting, threaded joint, making the handle a two-section assembly, which was required for insertion of metal bearings, allowing the shaft to turn in the handle. The wooden handle is stamped with a stylized NAZI Eagle M over N.100 and one-quarter turn or 45° of rotation is stamped ЯK over eagle/Su58. There are no other markings on the wooden handle and none on the steel rod. The N.130 cleaning rod handle is identically marked, except the N.100 wooden handle has a dark mahogany wood finish, whereas the N.130 wooden handle is light brown or tan in appearance.
N.53 through N.969 represents an incomplete list, totaling 41 pistols, however, assuming the N property numbering is sequential and progressive would amount to a total of approximately 916 N property numbered 1929 to 1935 Reichsmarine pistols, excluding the three known navy S.E.L.f. P.08s and not accounting for other unidentified N property numbered S.E.L.f. P.08s dispersed throughout that range.
Also stated in Weimar and Early NAZI Lugers and Their Accessories, on page 162 that: These large box units are dated as early as 1932 as some were manufactured and issued late in the Weimar Era. In about 1935, after the adoption of the R.G.34 cleaning kit. The large box, with cleaning accessories, was discontinued and replaced with a small wooden box, which had no cleaning accessories. The Borchardt and Luger Pistols by Görtz/Sturgess states in the Fig. 19-29 caption on page 1389 pictures a small box that: The small boxed ERMA insert device made after 1935 without the cleaning accessories, and on page 1397 that the ERMA S.E.L.f. P.08 conversion units were made well into the late 1930s, citing serial numbers in the 35xxb range.
Based on the information presented in The Navy Luger book and assuming a 2,000 pistol supply and oneS.E.L.f. P.08 conversion unit per twenty-five pistols would amount to about eighty S.E.L.f. P.08s for target training, however, since only a maximum of about half that amount of N property numbered pistols were available up to 1935, based on Table 4 extrapolations of approximately 916 pistols would, subsequently half the amount of S.E.L.f. P.08s available for training purposes to about forty. This does not take into account the needs of the Marinestation der Ostsee or O. property numbered pistols in inventory in the same pre 1935 time period. This scenario is presented to emphasize the scarcity of the large boxS.E.L.f. P.08 target training cases and does not reflect the Reichsmarine P.08 handgun inventory of the late 1920s. It is interesting that the identification of the lowest two-digit N property numbers are mostly found on P.08 Lugers in the late 1920s, suggesting that the Reichsmarine N property number system did not start until the late 1920s. If this is the case, the Reichsmarine handgun inventory, prior to the late 1920s, and how were they marked, if at all, is unknown.
3./R.R.13.1. Weapon no. 1, 3rd Squadron, 13th Reiter, Prussian Cavalry Regiment .22 Cal Sub Caliber Conversion Unit serial number 3679.
Of the three large box variations featured: the early production, extremely rare Nordsee property N.100, Erma Erfurt Su45 factory stamped variation, and second the Prussian and thirdly the mid production WaA132 stamped variation, are prized collectibles and even with the more encountered WaA132 variation, relatively speaking, are seldom offered for sale.
However, the cover page statement that the manual contains sixteen (16) pages is incorrect as the subject 1940 dated manual consists of only twelve (12) numbered pages, along with figures/pictures on pages four, five and eight. Additionally, the cover and inside cover page states in two lines (actually one complete sentence):
Unveränderter Nachdrud 1940 – Unchanged reprint 1940 mit eingearbeiteten Deckblättern1 – 16 – inlaid with cover sheets 1 – 16
The statement “Unchanged reprint 1940” implies the 1940 printing hasn’t changed from the earlier dated reprints, yet the 1938 D 123 pictured cover does not have the statement “Unchanged reprint”, only the curious, single line statement: Nachdrudmit Eingearbeiteten Deckblättern 1 – 16 or Reprinted with incorporated (inlaid) cover sheets 1 – 16. Note the absence of the word “Unchanged.”
Per correspondence with G. Sturgess the above conclusions regarding the number of pages and interpretations may not be correct and alternate explanations by Sturgess are presented: The manual was always 12 pages in all editions, the reference to "eingearbeiteten Deckblattern 1 - 16" refers to the inclusion of the 16 modification sheets issued over the years from the first edition of 1932 - these were pasted into earlier manuals when modifications were made, but incorporated into the text when the manual was re-printed - it is not a reference to the number of pages. I don't have a record of the source of the illustration of the 1938 D123, as it is not my manual - I don't think the marks are staples, as this is not possible on the right side, but “accidental artifacts from the image preparation”. These manuals varied in size and format etc. depending upon the printing. I have two copies of the same edition you have, the 1939 edition/1940 unaltered printing, which are the same as yours, 12 pages long.
Per The Borchardt & Luger Automatic Pistols, figure 5-41 text caption states that: The first official Police manual for the ERMA self-loading .22 sub-calibre device, left, Anleitung zum Gebrauch des Selbstlade-Einstecklaufes (S.E.L.) für Pistole 08 mit Ziel-Munition Kal. 22 lang für Büchsen (Instructions for use of the Self-loading Insert Barrel (SEL) for pistol 08 with Target Ammunition .22 Long Rifle) was published by the Interior Ministry, Inspectorate for Uniformed State Police in 1934. It was a copy of the Army manual D 123 published in November 1932, with amendments only to the unit marking instructions. The same instructions were included in the Fischer manuals in abbreviated form, using, right, the same illustrations from D 123. The instruction at bottom right, Aufbewahrungskasten (Storage Box) refers to the storage of the P.08’s ejector and magazine in the box in which the S.E.L. was supplied, when these components were removed from the pistol to fit the S.E.L.
Pictured are several original pages and figures in the above referenced 1941 German manual by Karl Fischer titled:Waffentechnischer Leitfaden Für Die Ordnungspolizei or 1941 Weapon-Technology Manual for the Regular German Policewhich picture and describe in text the operational instructions for the use of the Erma 22 Cal Sub Caliber Conversion Unit. Pictured are:
[1]This designation is noted in both Görtz/Sturgess publications in the form of a Berlin, 2 November 1939 dated letter indication of German army delivery delays until May 1940. Stating a current number of produced 400 S.E.L.s for Pi. 08 or Pistole 08 produced to date, with a total 1,100 units.
[2] The use of the word(s) “incorporates” and “amendment sheets” are misleading, i.e. semantically unclear, as it implies all sixteen sheets are new and in addition to the original manual pages, i.e. an integration or combination of new materiel to existing materiel and “amendment sheets” implies alteration, which is inconsistent with the D 123 cover and inside cover statement of simply pages 1 – 16 and suggests a larger document or instruction manual.