Metal Hardness and Finish

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by John Sabato

Think about this scenario...My hypothesis for the missing parts is that the German soldier, or perhaps resistance fighter, probably about to be captured, disabled his sidearm by removing the missing parts and then pitched it so when he surrendered he would not be bearing arms.

The missing (broken) safety lever probably snapped off when someone attempted to move the lever upon discovery.

Disabling the gun in this manner makes it useless to the enemy, and at the same time protects any non-combatant who might find the gun... I imagine that many sideplates suffered the same fate.

John,
I thought about it, but removing the sear bar takes time, not to mention a tool to remove the spring- so I'm not buying.

Why not toss the whole thing? or remove the cannon and toss it one way, the side plate another, and the frame a third?

Takes way less time and serves the same purpose; though it is a stretch to see any real purpose in "disabling" a weapon.

How about this scenario:
Given to a kid to play with after the war(with sear bar removed),
lost in the woods for years. Found as we see it.

[John Sabato]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

John,
I thought about it, but removing the sear bar takes time, not to mention a tool to remove the spring- so I'm not buying.

Why not toss the whole thing? or remove the cannon and toss it one way, the side plate another, and the frame a third?

Takes way less time and serves the same purpose; though it is a stretch to see any real purpose in "disabling" a weapon.

How about this scenario:
Given to a kid to play with after the war(with sear bar removed),
lost in the woods for years. Found as we see it.

Don your concept is plausible, but my "tool" for removing the sear spring is my fingernail! it is what I have always used. I simply catch the spring under the curl on the end with my index fingernail and lift and it comes right out. Once the spring is removed, and toggle is locked back over the empty magazine, I would bet that the sear bar would drop out pretty easily.

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by John Sabato

Don your concept is plausible, but my "tool" for removing the sear spring is my fingernail! it is what I have always used. I simply catch the spring under the curl on the end with my index fingernail and lift and it comes right out. Once the spring is removed, and toggle is locked back over the empty magazine, I would bet that the sear bar would drop out pretty easily.

Even though my "tool" for removing the sear spring is the same as yours. I really don't buy your scenario. I believe the side plate would be missing too in such case.

And the mystery of the missing heads of the grip screws remains to explain.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by kurusu

And the mystery of the missing heads of the grip screws remains to explain.

The grip screws aren't that hard, and if someone attempted removal in their obviously rusted-in condition without soaking them in penetrant first, it's not much of a mystery why they're both twisted off!

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

The grip screws aren't that hard, and if someone attempted removal in their obviously rusted-in condition without soaking them in penetrant first, it's not much of a mystery why they're both twisted off!

The pistol appears to be in "as found" condition. Unless it was found more than once, I think no one tried to remove the grip screws, otherwise they most likely wouldn't be there anymore.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by kurusu

The pistol appears to be in "as found" condition. Unless it was found more than once, I think no one tried to remove the grip screws, otherwise they most likely wouldn't be there anymore.

Maybe... But if it were being used right before it was dropped/lost, what would have kept the grips from falling off? If the safety lever had broken before loss, I can envision using the gun without it, but my guess is that someone tried to take the grips off in order to loosen the mag, and probably forced the lever, as well, just trying it out. Without more info, we simply do not know.

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Maybe... But if it were being used right before it was dropped/lost, what would have kept the grips from falling off? If the safety lever had broken before loss, I can envision using the gun without it, but my guess is that someone tried to take the grips off in order to loosen the mag, and probably forced the lever, as well, just trying it out. Without more info, we simply do not know.

I'm thinking on the line, those parts (grip screws; safety lever) corroded away during all this time for unknown reasons.

Maybe a chemist among us could have an hypothesis on the whys.