Make: DWM

Model: "American Eagle" Model 1902

Serial Number: 23111

Year of Manufacture: ca. 1902-1904

Caliber: 9mm Luger

Action Type: Toggle Type Striker-Fired Semi-Auto, Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 4”, "Fat-Barrel"

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a base at the muzzle. The rear sight is a "V"-notch integral to the rear toggle link.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut panels, each marked "11" on the interior. The grips have even light handling wear with some discoloration from age and handling. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.

Type of Finish: Blued & Strawed

Finish Originality: Professionally Restored, numbered parts match.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is light erosion and a little minor pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6+/10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. The grip areas show minor handling wear. There is some muting on the strawed controls. There is infrequent minor erosion, mostly under the finish. There are some small nicks and scratches. There is infrequent faint surface oxidation. The left of the barrel at the muzzle shows some enthusiastic buffing. The face of the muzzle has some minor erosion outside the crown, mostly scrubbed out. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are generally clear, some proof marks are soft. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good-plus condition as restored.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single wood floorplate magazine marked "Cal 9 m/m".

Our Assessment: The Luger (Pistole Parabellum or P-08) is perhaps the most aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing of all autoloading centerfire pistols. It is also one of the strongest, most accurate and most recognizable service pistols ever made. Georg Luger developed his famous pistol in 1898-1899 (starting with the Borchardt/Luger transitional pistol). The Luger is, essentially, a much-improved Borchardt type pistol, which was itself based on the toggle action concept used by Sir Hiram Maxim in the world’s first practical machine gun. Soon after the Luger was developed, a small batch (1000) was made for testing by the United States Army as the M1900 American Eagle, chambered in 7.65mm Luger with a 4 3/4” barrel. Another 5000-7000 American Eagles were made for commercial sales in the United States.

This pistol is one of a later batch of Model 1902 American Eagles made, in 1902-1904. Approximately 600 were made chambered for 9mm with 4" "fat barrels", notably thicker than the original .30 Luger chambered barrels. These pistols are quite notable for Lugers as well as the history of autoloading handguns as it was the first to be chambered for the now ubiquitous 9mm Luger cartridge. This example has all the correct markings for a Model 1902 American Eagle with matching numbered parts and a beautifully restored finish. This is a fantastic piece for the collector. Please see our photos and good luck!