The sear safeties were actually put on to avoid accidental discharge when the pistol was disassembled (the old story of cops cleaning guns!), not when being carried in the holster.
It is very easy to 'fire' a disassembled Luger receiver assembly by simply pressing on the leading edge of the sear bar.
One should NEVER do this. If the toggle pin should somehow fall out (even partially), you would not have a fingers and/or a hand left.
The side plate prevented access to the leading end of the sear bar when the gun was assembled - with or without the sear safety.
The safeties could be added at the unit or armorer's level (and most were in fact, as opposed to being done at the factory) and this was done to many thousands of WWI guns after the war.
Magazine safeties were also added at that time to Police issued Lugers.
There were severe restrictions put on the number of State and local German Police after that first war.
Ironically, that lack of civil control led to a lot of uncontrolled civil unrest and the rise of the Nazi party.
Pics of the gun are in order. Top view, right side acceptance markings, and the unit markings.
Many police re-work Lugers were State marked. A large number had the 'double date' of Reichwehr issue.
There are a large number of variations in the amount of cosmetic changes to these between the wars guns.
So again, pics are needed to get a better idea.
JT
