Spot the fake! Test for Newbies.
 

There is something very wrong with this auction. Can you tell? More experienced collectors wait a bit before you tell.

FAKE LUGER AUCTION

Well, it looks correct except it's been reblued and the magazine has been re-stamped with the matching serial number. The magazine is a poor attempt at a matching magazine. No aceptance stamps. W should be below and is not the right style. He says the ejector is straw color. It really is a redish color.

Can't tell from the pics if the grips are original or not.

Tracy

STRAW on a BLACK WIDOW??? Really? I thought you guys said strawing stopped in '37. Black Widows were made '40-'42.

Many times a salt blued ejector will look red because it is hard, just like extractors. Even proper Mauser made Black widows will sometimes display red looking extractors and ejectors.

Great! Fun post!.... Thanks...

The mag is a "Toad".

My opinions on this gun. The first thing that jumped out was the way the uninformed "Booster" made a matching mag for this gun. I believe that the blue looks ok although the poor picture quality makes it difficult to tell. But all sharp edges are still sharp. Unless this is a dipped or professionally refinished gun and hot salt blue is hard to tell age. The real shame of it is that someone took a $150 magazine and ruined it!

If the mag is the only thing wrong,then I passed this test. If there is more, then it's back to the corner with the dunce cap!

How can you tell the mag has been restamped?

The mag probably was unmarked prior to the attempt to match it to a gun. All WWII era mags will have the numbers stamped near the middle. The letter suffix if any will be below the number. The + for extra mag and then the proof mark. The only exception will be police mags that have the number 1 or 2 above the serial number.

Doug G., the fxo aluminum bottom magazines do not have inspection marks on the bottom. Most 122 magazines do not have inspection marks either, except some very early magazines have E/37 stamped on either the top or mid portions of the bottom. :)

Frank you are correct, I guess I was generalizing on earlier mags. :bigbye:

Doug G., I just wanted to make sure the new collectors had the information for the 122 and fxo magazine Waffenamt Marks. As you know, they are on the side of the magazine tube as E/37! :)