Somehow it's been two years since I first posted pictures of my 1940 Mauser. It's been living a quiet life in my gun safe. I recently contacted Jim Solomon about repairing the "million dollar chip" in the left grip. In doing so I removed the grips for the first time ever tonight! Jim thought the grips would not be serialized to the gun. However, it does indeed have the matching "15" on them. Is this usual then for a 1940 Mauser? Also, there are a couple of large "W" only found on the inside of the right grip. Grips have the matching WaA655 to the gun. I and Jim would like to hear thoughts on this, see pics. Left grip will be going to Jim for repair soon :)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1491/...4a8f1b8f_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1555/...44b8f7b8_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1562/...740cb82e_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1498/...8ef7b1d2_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1688/...338efc70_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1450/...6a89ee32_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1570/...c0b20c38_b.jpg

Thanks.

Very Nice, enjoy.

She's a beaut!

Again, let me say all beaufitul pictures and lovely gun, enjoy it.

Kind regards.

I wanted to publicly thank Jim Solomon for the outstanding job he did fixing "the million dollar chip" and cleaning the grips from my 1940 Mauser.

I highly recommend his work.

Thanks Jim :)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1560/...9f2756f1_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1552/...2806ccdb_b.jpg

That Luger it's a pleasure for the eyes, he's done a good work I would say!

I just came across this thread. First, congratulations on a very nice Luger. What a great deal to find a "matching" 1940 holster.

Interestingly, my all matching, (except mag) Code 42, 1940 Luger is a very close "sibling" to yours. Serial Nr. 4897c so just 118 guns "older". :) (My magazine is numbered 9448c so 4551 guns later.)

The grips on mine, which I believe to be original are NOT inscribed with the gun's last two digit numbers. They each DO have the Waffenamt inspector's stamp E/655. And, the right one has a large W (or M) like yours, and what appears to be a an S (or 9 ?).

The left one, in addition to the E/655 has a large O and a C (or U).

So, I guess that around that period of time some grips got numbered and some didn't. Here's a shot of the inside of my grips.

Btw, if you're interested, here's a link to photos of mine posted last year. http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...060#post270060

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswje2wtv2.jpg

Wow! That's really interesting on your grips and being so close to the production of mine.

Thanks for sharing.

Serialed numbered grips on these lugers is a hit and miss type deal. The other letters are inspector marks . And again may or may not be there. So how do we know if they are original or not? We don't. If the grips appear to be original and have wear consistent with the rest of the luger probably are original. Inspectors initials add some credence. Bill

I just saw this - nice luger, nice story - obviously your dad over-paid (hah, hah, just April fools days - whether he over-paid or underpaid you can see how it has risen :) )

My first Luger was a hard buffed, reblued artillery - my second was a mismatch - upper matched and bottom matched, not to each other.

As to the original holster, it is very hard to say, as older holsters were issued with younger guns and also, many soldiers (US) would grab up a gun and holster from different piles or even trade for a different holster. Heck, it could have been matched up 10 years after WW2 :)

Ed