Luger and Browning surprise...saved again
 

Today I went to a friends house to help his wife get rid of old dangerous guns left over from her father. The pics below will explain what I saw...I had to clear the loaded guns. I need help identifying the browning...I and need help on cleaning the leather. Any help?? I adding both guns only because they where a package

More pics

More pics...the luger has goldish brass colring parts? And differ proof marks

The Browning is a 1922

The holsters have a heavy infestation of mold. Likely these came out of a closet or basement with high humidity. Lucky the pistols are not covered in rust.
Your Luger holster is missing it's original roller buckle assembly. It has some sort of home made thing in place of it.

The gold colored parts on your 1936 are strawing, a mild protection for rust like bluing. 1936 was the last year Mauser used it.

The wood bottom magazine is decades removed from the pistol, WW1

Are the holsters salvagable? If so...what do I need to do?

When it was available, formaldehyde used to be used to kill mold. It was allowed to evaporate in a closed space with the object.

Unfortunately, it's a carcinogen and not readily available.

Marc

Nice find and welcome to the forum. Good to see someone else on here from the Augusta Area. Enjoy learning more about the guns you have recently received.

Frank, My treatment method is so unusual not many people will try it..Some molds it will not work on. Is your white mold oily when you touch it or dry?

The Mussette bag you found everything in also has value. Don't just throw or give it away. An original like this is worth $100, +

I think it is dry white...but I didnt want to handle it too much. I will test it after I get home from work tonite....so far what I read was....haair shampoo after wiping it off, another said 1/2 achlocol and water...that seams harsh. And then after that use leather cleaners. I will let you know later afternoon. I was surprise to see the guns in such good shape...I think the leather absorbed the damage.

Jerry,

Don't the markings Frank shows make this a Krieghoff Holster?

(Dagger surrounded by H K).

Cool...

Personally I'd pack all the leathergoods up and send them to Jerry. It will be well worth your time and shipping expense.
dju

Send everything to Jerry and let him work his magic.

The second hoster has the 1940 marks and proof(see above)...so I couldnt imagine it as a p-38 holster. The luger fits perfect. But then again...I dont know.

awesome find. You saved them from a couple three four thousand dollars worth of guns.

Frank, I mean the one on the left in the photo with all the straps. I called it the "second holster" because we are already discussing the WW2 Luger holster.

Welcome to the forum.

The other pistols is a FN Browning Model 1922 (a.k.a. 1910/22). Your pistol was made under German occupation as indicated by the WaA140 stamps (this Waffenamt was in use from 1941 to 1944). As its serial number does not display any letter suffix, my guess is this pistol was made in 1942 or so (note: I do not have my books at hand).


Its holster (the one on the left on your picture) looks like a typical "drop holster", mostly preferred by Luftwaffe troops and is the pattern often linked to this gun. One of the marks shown (Eagle/2) is a Luftwaffe acceptance mark.

A nice pair of guns, for sure.

Douglas.

Great info...a Luftwaffe browning...neat. I know the holsters are a bit used/dirty...but what is the value of the browning? The luger I can make a guess...apreciate the help

Doug..Don't the markings Frank shows make this a Krieghoff Holster?

The Browning 1922 holster IS a Luft but not because of the HK marks..many Browning 1922 holsters have that but the Eagle 2 on the front DOES make it Luftwaffe issue. Not all of these holster have the Eagle 2.

I just noticed that the p08 hoster is black front brown rear...weird. By the way...the mold is dry to the touch.

Ok I left the 2 holters out to dry for a little and wipped all mold off....would should I do next??

Frank, I would gently wipe down the holsters with white vinegar. Acetone won't hurt either. It's used to clean leather. The holster might have been dyed but since it's a 1940 the back might just have had the black worn off. Look on the inside panel and tool pouch. Whatever color those are is the holsters original color.

Interesting, the interior is brown, same as back...so it must have been dyed. Neet... does brown mean anything? For branch of service.?

does brown mean anything? For branch of service. Yes and no..a very interesting subject that has been much discussed here. Do a search..almost anything one can think of has had many pages written about it.
Jerry

The Viniger worked...:)

ok...I cleaned both guns...and they look amazing...will post Sat. The Holsters tooo

Frank:
Seems like I see those Brownings in the $500 range, but I'm no expert...
dju

Here they are cleaned up...nice with matching mags:cheers:

More:rockon:

The last:cheers:

That is not rust on the luger...discolor...and light piting

I think both pistols are in very good condition.
I would be glad to have any of them in my collection.
You did nice with the holsters too...

BTW, Jerry, I never made any connection between the HK letters and Luftwaffe service, all the time I was referring to the Eagle/2 mark. We were talking about the same thing!

All the best,

Douglas

Douglas..for sure! I still don't really understand the HK logo on the back. I am sure Heinrich Krieghoff made Lugers but did they make these holsters? Is that really a maker mark? Not all of these HK logo holsters have the Eagle 2... in fact very few of them do.

Just wondering...is this LWaffe holster unique then? With both marks? I think, finding a LW gun and holster is exciting...I am sure there are many of them out there. BTW Jerry I appreciate the advise, I also search alot of your coments on treatments...you are a wise Jedi Master. :)

Frank..you are a wise Jedi Master. Not according to my Wife!

The Eagle 2 marked 1922 holster is not unique but not common. I couldn't tell you the ratio of an Eagle 2 mark on 1922 holsters but you don't see many. Keep in mind..just because the holster is Luft marked doesn't mean the pistol was Luft issue. I can't say if 1922 pistols were ever Luft accepted..if not there is no way to tell about the pistol. Anthony Van der Linden wrote a great book about FN pistols but my copy is not here. There is probably mention of it in there.

Yes, the Browning 1922 pistols were very common issue in the Luftwaffe.

Yes, the Browning 1922 pistols were very common issue in the Luftwaffe. It stands to reason ANY small auto pistol was common issue in the Luftwaffe. But does anyone know if there is a way to detect if one issued to the Luftwaffe was marked in any way?

Although I do not make it a point to collect Md 1922s I am not aware of any that were marked to the Luftwaffe.


It should be noted however that the Luftwafffe also preferred 'bigger' weapons.

Remember, the anti-aircraft batteries were controlled by the Luftwaffe, also the Fallschirmjäger. Then there were the Luftwaffe standard infantry divisions . that were used chiefly as rear echelon units to free up front line troops. Also, don't forget the armored paratroop division called Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring, (later a Panzerkorps).

I have a Hi Power that is Luftwaffe marked, plus a Luftwaffe marked bayonet.

""I have a Hi Power that is Luftwaffe marked"" what do they (LW) marks look like on guns? Flying Eagles? Or just differ proof marks?