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NN5I
08-22-2012, 06:20 AM
In response to Check Your Pockets -- how many can identify this object?

Hint: it was both Army and Navy standard issue in two world wars.

Radio
08-22-2012, 05:31 PM
Wow. It predates me. Something to service a weapon?

One end looks like a screwdriver and the other could be used to open a paint can.

Clueless.

KF5BET
08-22-2012, 10:37 PM
I must admit...I have no idea. Does look like a screwdriver on one end..

NN5I
08-23-2012, 06:04 AM
Well, I'll be. I thought this one was pretty easy and lots of people would know it.

It was standard issue, Army and Navy, in both world wars. Not our Army and Navy -- those of Germany, and quite a few other countries.

It's a Luger combination tool, supplied with every military and most civilian Luger pistols. The Luger magazine is difficult to load; you can do it without the tool, but it's tough on your thumb. The tool has a hole in the middle, which fits over the magazine-follower button to pull it down. There's a lip machined into the inside of the hole so it hooks on the button and won't slip off. Then you push on the bent-over end to lower the magazine follower so you can insert cartridges.

The screwdriver end is used for removing the screws that hold the wood or plastic grips; those are the only screws in a Luger. The screwdriver end is used also for removing the firing-pin spring retainer, which has to be rotated 90 degrees to remove.

The Luger shown in the photo is my moderately rare 1900 American Eagle, manufactured in Germany in late 1900 or early 1901. 1900 was the first year of manufacture for Luger pistols, and Lugers manufactured in the first two years differ in many details from those of 1902 and later.

KF5BET
08-23-2012, 10:42 PM
Oh...OK now I know. I always try to learn something new each day!

Radio
08-24-2012, 06:51 PM
Something to service a weapon?

Ahhh, I was close.

I like the way the barrel is tapered, as if it were designed by the same people who design field artillery pieces. I also liked the way the "action" on top of the gun moved when fired.

One of my uncles had one of those, but missing the little tool. He complained about how hard it was to load the clip. He may not even have realized the special tool even existed.

NN5I
08-24-2012, 10:54 PM
I like the way the barrel is tapered

Yes; the 1900 (Old Model) Lugers were all .30 caliber rather than 9mm as were most later ones; the barrel is slimmer and also about 3/4 inch longer than most later Lugers. I think it's kind of pretty.