M23 Finnish Luger Pistol in Guns World

Thanks to Kyrie Ellis / Moderator - Cruffler_Forum on Yahoo Groups for his contribution for this page ...

In 1923 Finland adopted the Parabellum pistol, chambered for the 7.65 Parabellum with a four inch barrel, as their standard sidearm. Between 1923 and 1929 Finland purchased approximately 8,000 of these pistols, with about another 1,500 pistols purchased between about 1930 and 1935.
Most of these pistols have been arsenal re-worked, and may be found parkerized, with replacement black plastic grips, Finnish made barrels chambered for either the 7.65 mm Parabellum or the 9 mm Parabellum in lengths of four or four and three-quarter inch, with mismatched small parts.

	Finn_M23_L.jpg Left side of a Finnish Model 1923 Luger, 7.65 Parabellum, serial number 6618 L. This pistol is serial numbered in the military style (four digit serial number, with a serial number suffix), but serial number placement is in the commercial style. Note the Crown/N commercial proof, and the boxed "SA" Finnish Army property marking. Also included in the photo is an unopened box of Finnish military 7,65 Parabellum ammunition. Also note the original grip panels (chipped below the safety) and original, but not matching, wooden bottom magazine. At the very least the barrel extension used in the assembly of this pistol is from a Great War Imperial Luger; the chamber date has been removed leaving the barrel extension out of round. This example of the 1923 Finnish Army Contract has been parkerized, and has some mismatched small parts.
	Finn_M23_R.jpg Right side of the same Finnish Model 1923 Luger. The SA property disk was removed prior to sale as surplus. This is one of the relatively small number of such pistols imported by Century Arms International in 1987.
	Finn_Property_Mark.jpg Close up shot of the Finnish Army property mark and C/N proof.
	Finn_M23_BBL.jpg Close up of the underside of the barrel, showing the serial number, C/N proof, and importer's mark.
	Finn_M23_Top.jpg Top of barrel and barrel extension. The flattened area above the barrel's chamber is due to the removal of a chamber date
	Finn_SN1.jpg The bottom of the barrel and top of the frame under the barrel, showing the barrel and frame serial number placement
	Finn_SN2.jpg A shot of the bottom of the takedown latch and side plate, showing the commercial style serial number placement. This shot also shows the take down latch is a mismatch.
	Finn_Luger.jpg A scan of the original Century Arms International advertisement for this pistol.