Book Review: The Parabellum is Back!

Published on November 29, 2012
Duration: 4:33

This video reviews 'The Parabellum is Back: 1945-2000,' a book detailing post-World War II Luger production. It covers French production at the Mauser factory immediately after the war, including specific markings like the French military star. The book also extensively documents Mauser's reintroduction of the Luger Parabellum in the 1960s and 1970s for a US contract with Interarms, exploring the challenges faced, such as acquiring dies from Switzerland. The review highlights the book's detailed coverage of these periods, including East German production and refurbishing efforts.

Quick Summary

The book 'The Parabellum is Back: 1945-2000' details post-WWII Luger production, including French manufacturing at the Mauser factory and Mauser's 1960s/70s reintroduction for Interarms. It covers French markings like the military star and manufacturing challenges, such as unusable Swiss dies.

Chapters

  1. 00:14Introduction to the Book
  2. 00:25Book Title and Authors
  3. 00:52French Luger Production Post-WWII
  4. 01:15Mauser's 1960s/70s Luger Reintroduction
  5. 01:49Book Details and Content
  6. 02:04French Production Section
  7. 02:11French Numbering Systems and Markings
  8. 02:31French Luger Service History
  9. 02:48East German Luger Production
  10. 03:00Modern Mauser Luger Production Story
  11. 03:17Mauser's Swiss Die Acquisition
  12. 03:38Book's Appendix and Blueprints
  13. 04:04Book's Place in Luger Literature
  14. 04:19Publisher Information

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the book 'The Parabellum is Back: 1945-2000' cover regarding Luger pistols?

The book focuses on the post-World War II history of Luger production, specifically detailing French manufacturing efforts at the Mauser factory after the war and Mauser's own reintroduction of the Luger Parabellum in the 1960s and 1970s for commercial markets.

What are some key details about French Luger production after WWII?

After WWII, the French occupied the Mauser factory and continued Luger production. These French-produced pistols can often be identified by a small star marking near the serial number, a French military indicator, and saw service in regions like Indochina and Algeria.

Why did Mauser reintroduce the Luger in the 1960s and 1970s?

Mauser reintroduced the Luger Parabellum for a US contract with Interarms, anticipating a market for new commercial Lugers. This was partly due to US gun control laws at the time that restricted surplus military arms but not new commercial production.

What challenges did Mauser face when reintroducing the Luger?

When Mauser initially began their post-war Luger production, they lacked their own dies. They attempted to acquire dies and an engineering package from the Swiss, but this package turned out to be largely unusable, presenting significant manufacturing hurdles.

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