Mauser byf 42 side plate question
 

Good evening, all -

About two weeks ago I acquired my first Luger, a Mauser byf 42. I have a question about the side plate.

Looking at many of the fine photo examples on the Luger forum, I've noticed that the long vertical rectangular "lug" on the front end of the plate is very pronounced with very cleanly-defined edges and corners when compared with mine. On mine, the lug is less pronounced, with rounded edges and corners; however, its s/n is clearly stamped into the main face of the side plate, and there doesn't seem to be any apparent signs of grinding. My question is: has my side plate's lug been ground down for some reason, or was this the style for byf 42 Luger's?

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

Best,
Tom

Assuming that your pistol has a four digit serial number, check the backside of the sideplate to see if it has a two digit number which is 1 number higher than the first two digits of the serial number of the pistol.

The first places to "wear" on Lugers are the sides of the barrel right at the muzzle and the raised portion of the side plate. These areas are in constant contact with the inside of a holster, and with enough time the side plate island can wear very smooth. You don't say what condition the finish of your Luger is in general, but even the most completely finished Lugers will show wear there--hard use will wear it considerably.

The other possibility is that your Luger has been refinished, and heavily buffed. Buffing wheels attack high spots and sharp spots, while having much less effect on larger, flatter areas. It is possible for an aggressive refinisher to make the side plate island almost completely round.

Go to the Auctionarms, Gunbroker, and Gunsamerica websites and look at all the pictures of the guns for sale there. You will see many exammples of buffed-out Lugers to compare.

A picture, in cases like this, is always more expressive than a description; if you can post some of your byf42 it would be very interesting.

--Dwight

Do anyone know if they stopped putting the serial number plus 1, one inside of the side plate in 42? I seen several that appear to have the original side plate and have no number on the inside.

tracyp, I can answer for all byf 42, but I have four, including the K-Block where the +1 condition exists.

Frank,

Does your k suffix 42 have the barrel diameter marked on it? How's the quality of the machining on your 42's compared to earlier years, say even a 41? I've noticed the machining is much rougher.

Recently looked at an (L) block byf 42 that still had the number inside the sideplate, but no bore diameter measurement. Also had black plastic grips and mag bottom.

Johnny Peppers -

Unfortunately, my byf 42 has a mis-matched side plate and locking bolt (although the other parts match). I'll look at the backside of the plate, but its two digits (if present) won't correspond with the first two digits of my pistols s/n (+1).

Out of curiosity, what would it have meant had everything matched up, and the two digits on the backside of the plate were +1 more than the first two digits of the pistol?

Inquiring minds want to know! <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />

Thanks,
Tom

For whatever crazy reason, one plus would be your serial number to your gun. On gunbroker a guy stated he had a mismatch, because the sideplate oddly enough was one number off..... Yet that was a good gun, at least the sideplate for that year was!

And no one is really sure why they decided on that, I asked the same question about my 1940 / 42 a couple of months ago. [img]smile.gif[/img]

tracyp, no bore diameter on the K-Block. Maybe they lost the gage!!

Frank,

That's what I expected. I have an F suffix that does not and C that does have the barrel diameter. So somewhere in between they stopped.

Gentlemen, my BYF42 H suffix has the proper last two digits on the outside of the trigger plate and no barrel diameter stamping.
There are machine marks on the front toggle link and the frame where it says Gesichert that attest to rapid pruduction. This kind of workmanship has never been present on any other Luger I have had. The rest of the pistol is good and it functions flawlessly.

OK Guys, we are narrowing it down. I have a D-Block with the bore diameter. Maybe we can get some help from some other forum members with byf 42's !!!

My c block has the bore diameter stamped on it.
Lonnie

My 42 byf 5279i has the serial number without the "i" or bore diameter on the bbl, and HAS AN "8" INSIDE THE SIDEPLATE ????????.
[img]confused.gif[/img]

Nothing on the inside of the sideplate of 6229H.

Thought this picture might help (Thanks Edward) my BYF42 should have the number 70 on the inside you can see where it looks like a 1C It was a 70 at one time but extra tooling or machineing has almost rubbed out the 70 wondering if maybe some others might have had there completely rubbed or machined out?

TH

http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/sideplateTH.jpg
Added by EBT

ed will get around to it shortly I am sure. Ask him when he is going to finish working on the Posting Photos to the Lugerforum tutorial [img]biggrin.gif[/img] - a lot of new users need to know how to do this

Added by EBT - Hey did I forget I volunteered for something? [img]biggrin.gif[/img] I can do that.

I deleted the two posts above once I added the pic, hope that was okay... [img]smile.gif[/img] ed

John,I know, I know What do you expect from a person who did not have his Luger grips marked on the inside now I found out my 2 digits on the inside of my sideplate was rubbed out The price of my Luger keeps going down.......This Luger must have been made on a Friday 10 mins. before 5........That how it goes .....I have learn a bunch from you guys,the next thing is learning how to post pictures!!!!!
th

I think those are machining marks, not a 1C. It would be great if others would post the inside of their sideplates. I'll try and post mine tonight when I get home.

It is hard to see in the picture but i can make out where the top of the 7(faintly) is suppose to be I picked the number 1 on the keyboard because it represented the closest thing i could find.

FYI
I have BYF42 B & C block with bore dia stamped.
and have a I, K and L block without bore dia.

Ken D

It seems like the bore diameter was eliminated somewhere around the E suffix. I was going to post some pictures of the inside of the sideplate of my 41 and 42, but the close ups don't look that great. The quality of machining between 41 and 42 appears to have deteriorated.

Tracy, once I get my scanner working again, I will scan in my 40 and if I think about, my brothers 40 at some point.

Sideplates from: top-1940/42; bottom left-41byf; bottom right-42byf
http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/sideplates-1.jpg

Hugh,

Great pictures. If it has a single digit, then I'm assuming the full serial number is three digits. Is that correct?

tracyp,

in the case of the 1940/42, correct, in the case of the byf42 there is a "0" to the left of the 8 that was almost all machined away or stamped very lightly, it dowsn't show up in the picture. The "80" is stamped upside down, the guns # is 5279i. [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]

Hugh,

It's plus one on the first two digits of the serial number, so the serial number should be 79xx i

Tracy

Gentlemen,

After wiping the oil off my trigger plate I suspect there might have been something on the back. It could have been mostly obliterated by the mandrill during the application of the last two numbers of the serial #. There is a definate C by the flange that fits under the sideplate on the frame. This is probably just a inspectors stamp. (BYF 42 6229H). The machine work appears rather skilled on this part.

By George, Tracyp, I've got it! My old eyes were decieving me! Got the ole loupe out and discovered my mistake. The number is right side up and is 53 with the 5 almost obliterated.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />
http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/53.jpg

Hugh thanks for the pic's I think a lot of this side plates has been machined out I know you can not see the top of my 7 but it is faintly there. Was this on your BYF42? and what letter block? I think you said i...Mine is a H block like G.W.

th, 42/byf, SN 5279i [img]wink.gif[/img]

I have a byf42, i block, 2 digit serial #, has a 1 stamped inside side plate.

Ken D

I have a k block 42 byf all matching 35xxK . SInce i'm new to Lugers I removed the sideplate and found a stamped 36, very clear. I take it thats correct , plus one ? As for the barrel diameter , where would i find it ?

The barrel diameter is located on the underside of the barrel, below the serial number. They stopped putting the barrel diameter on somewhere in 1942.

From observations of several members, it's around the E suffix. So, yours will probably not have the barrel diameter.

[quote]Originally posted by tracyp:
<strong>The barrel diameter is located on the underside of the barrel, below the serial number. They stopped putting the barrel diameter on somewhere in 1942. From observations of several members, it's around the E suffix. So, yours will probably not have the barrel diameter.</strong><hr></blockquote>

tracy, hopefully without stepping on your toes I'd like to correct what you've said. It is the bore diameter that's stamped under the barrel; usually 8,81 or 8,82.

ESU:

Being fully aware that you are just getting into the "Luger" thing and while not meaning to sound overly technical, we should all attempt to use the tecnical terms correctly. The 3 diget numbers, 8.81-8.85, stamped on the underside of the barrel beneath the serial # (nearest to the receiver) indicates the diameter of the inside of the barrel measured from the top of the lands, not the "barrel diameter". If the technical terms are used correctly, people will be given the impression that one is knowledgable even if one is not.

Good Hunting,

Garfield, you are one sweet talking son-of-a-gun. I'm impressed!!! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Frank:

I never know when you are "funnen" me.

Now here are what are probably the last two byf 42 Lugers in existence which have not been listed in this thread:

My 7916i shows no bore measurement and the inside of the plate is clearly stamped number 80 with half of the 0 machined away so it looks like 8C.

My 6129g shows no bore measurement and the inside of the plate is clearly stamped with number 62.

By the way, note how deftly I sidestepped the proper name for "bore diameter" or whatever.