"Afrika Korps" luger?
 

Buddy of mine who is looking for a luger has a lead on one. Had palm tree w/ swastika stamped on it? I'm guessing was done after the war by somebody but I have no idea. I'll try to have him get pictures next time he sees it.

Can't wait to see it! My GSD was not named Rommel for nothing!

I do not believe any, any Africa corp insignia was stamped. Never seen it

The Palm Tree and the Swastika was certainly the unit emblem for the Africa Corps. But... while I have seen it embossed or stamped/painted on plenty of web gear, tanks, trucks, etc, I have never seen it roll-marked, stamped or engraved/pantographed on a Luger.

FWIW.

John

With all the respect, it would be the first time that I see a Luger with A.K. insignia (stylized palm tree and the swastika?) on it.

Can't wait to see the photographs.

Fooling with Lugers since about 1962.
This is a new one.

The only way to tell if a Luger served in the Afrika Corps would be through authenticated capture papers or a reliable veteran's story. No Luger was ever so stamped.

Is it a chamber stamp??? That would be interesting... :)

Such a mark is documented by Costazo.

--Dwight

Pictures!!??!!😃

Wont be able to get out there for the next week or two. Would the capture papers indicate North African theatre instead of European theatre? I know it wouldn't be the Pacific theatre but it's not Europe either.

+1

maybe looks like this
https://www.ww2incolor.com/d/90333-4...tional_Madness

Explanation for this mark is found in Costanzo, page 176: He says it is an "Africa corps symbol noted on 1940/42 Mauser Military 9mm 4" models. This symbol is also found on some 9mm 8" artillery models. Watch for fakes. Locations noted: Left side frame panel." I wonder if the ones he has seen or heard of could also be "fakes"? :confused:

Lon

If I remember comments here on the board correctly, Costanzo is full of errors and outdated information. Can anybody scan a photo from the book and post it here?

Lon, you can bet your ass they all were.

That's pretty much my conclusion too George, it would be great to have one, but only as a shooter class pistol and not as a serious collectible, much like a Luger with the "Death's Head" symbol.

Lon

I completely agree that there is no "real" Parabelums marked with Afrika Korps insignia. But the members of my family were involved at El Alamein, and Tobruk, and I would still LOVE to see this!

Just to see to which lenght the fakers went (the size of the die used, whether it was etched, rolled,...whatever!). I hope the OP posts the close up pic.

Can anyone answer this question

"Anything" is *possible*, I suppose. Capture papers issued to a soldier from the N. African TO seem to me to be highly unlikely, as the US was just getting into the war in Europe during the N. African campaign (perhaps most famously, "the Big Red One").

Back then, enlistees/draftees were "in for the duration", and the drawdown didn't happen until well after the war in Europe had been won, and the war in the Pacific had been decided as well. I know for a fact that many ETO veterans were to be redeployed to the PTO for the upcoming invasion of the Japanese home island of Kyushu, until the Japanese surrender in August 1945.

I would view any "capture papers" from the N. African theater of operations with deep suspicion. Such documents are altogether too easy to fake... I cannot state categorically that such papers do not exist, but in my limited experience I've never come across any.

A "capture paper" is only a document signed by some officer detailed to examine items turned in or presented as an intended souvenir.

Most state something about them being examined for intel purposes and released.

I have a G33/40 that was mailed home before war's end along with a Drilling. Papers no longer exist and I place no value on them.

I don't know when these papers started, but it is possible the pistol could have been mailed home from N Afrika. With or without papers.