Some of the Chicago "strip and dips" have fooled not only collectors, but dealers who should have known better. These are usually the later salt blue Luger finishes but whoever did this upper knows his business. Thanks for an informative thread!

Why "Chicago" strip and dip?
Why not most anywhere?

This Luger's side plate shows an interesting anomaly...

In 1936, they were uniquely numbering side plates within the entire suffix letter groups. This gun is serial 4955n. The outside of the side plate has "55" as you would expect, but the inside has "5" instead of "50" which is what you would expect...

Looks like the worker forgot to stamp the "0" digit.

My 1936 also has a serial number stamping anomaly (overstamped first digit). There must have been some worker start-up issues at the factory at that point...

These problems could have extended to finishing issues...

Wouldn't rust bluing have required carding everything that was coated with chemical (including the recoil linkage and trigger lever)? The finish of this upper looks uniform to the lower. For the parts that are normally in the white to be blued, would this have had to be salt bluing?

I have a 42 dated Mauser Banner Luger that is as close to factory as anything I have ever seen. Sharp edges, uniform appearance. These normally in the white parts are blued on this gun... It's been discussed here:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...ilitary+banner

Wayne

I'm glad you got it back, consider yourself very lucky.
I'm not a expert but I'm almost sure that it has been refinished, as you correctly said it's a bit too good to be true... :rolleyes:

Most I have seen are in the Chicago area, just ask the guys who have been burned. I guess it's an honor of sorts, but the best work seems to come out of that area. There are also some well known Colt SAA magicians in that region. In one case, I recall who bought the gun from me as an honest but gray, and who was selling it as a convincing 90%er six months later. Of course it's highly likely that fakers in other locales have joined in the fun.

I should have added that a gentleman in the Chicago area who does this refinishing keeps a serial number record. The problem is that one or two owners later, the refinish is marketed as being original.

So the question on my mind is "shooter or non shooter?"

Hi Wayne,
Since this gun has been refinished I think you can shoot it with little downside risk.
Regards, Norm