Deadly Beauties by Varret and Hampe show a 7.65 42 luger with Mauser marking, German Eagles and Japanese writing on side plate supposedly purchased for Embassy in Berlin. Page 303.

Don,

I spent some time with a nationally known benchrest rifle gunsmith when I was younger. As you know, back then, the caliber designation on the breech of said barrel was hand stamped. Also as you know I am sure, there is stamping and then there is good stamping. The ole boy that ran that shop was kinda particular, hence the extra effort to do things correctly and also pass on the knowledge for another generation.

Most think all you need to do is to hammer the stamp, but far from it really for the results that one can be proud of. All hand labor takes touch, developed in time; lots of failures involved usually, but one has to keep the faith in many things.

As you insinuated by the happy face, technique and skill can be used for good or for other purposes. All I posted was "a" technique for such an operation.

All in all, there is absolutely nothing that cannot be replicated today, either by hand or by supporting environments. One other thing to note in the gun business is never to say never. I got caught on that when I viewed a rimfire Colt python and a 45acp automag; both with provenance.

Rick

slightly :_otopic:
Hi Rick... funny you should mention that Colt. Early in my Army career (about 1969) I worked with a senior NCO who put a notice on the small bulletin board in our workspace that he had a handgun for sale.

The gun had been owned by his late father. He told me wanted to sell it because he wanted to buy a CB-Radio and didn't have the money (I realize that any millennial members of the forum may not know that that is, but you can look it up on the History Channel website I am sure).

He was asking $65.00, and I told him I was interested. The gun turned out to be an original Colt Trooper (not Mark III), that was in .22LR caliber. I had never heard of one let alone seen one before... it came with not only the original grips, but a set of Hogue custom walnut grips, and from a distance you couldn't tell this gun from it's .357 magnum big brother until you got close enough to see the .22 caliber hole in a very thick barrel.

The gun has been in my safe ever since, except for an occasional plinking session over the years, and I still have not seen even photographs of another like it.

I wonder how long that CB radio remained in working condition? :D

If I can remember the next time I open the safe, I will take a couple of photos and post them...

Some of us millennials (though I was born right in the border time and consider myself more of a Gen X) were still raised old school and know what CB radio is!