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In the aftermath of WWI and later in the great depression, Germany was in dire need of hard currency to stem its rampant inflation. Limited to a small army, one product they had in abundance was ex-military pistols and rifles. German Mauser 98 "sporting rifles" of varying quality flooded the market in the US and elsewhere, and converted Luger pistols were imported into the US by the ton. Since German makers were not allowed to make or sell pistols in the 9mm military caliber, the conversions were to the 7.65 Parabellum (.30 Luger or 7.65x21), which had been the original Luger caliber and required only a new barrel for conversion. They are very pleasant to shoot.
They have no caliber marking or "import stamp" (which was not required until 1968), but they are marked "GERMANY", the country of origin marking required since the late 19th century.
Jim
P.S. An oddity from that era was the Mauser 98 rifle converted to a two-shot bolt action 12 gauge shotgun. There were two main brands, the Geha and the Remo; googling either name will turn up more info for those interested.
JK
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