Is it a Factory Nickel finish?
 

Hey everyone. I need some assistance in how to tell if a Mauser has an original factory nickel finish. I figured someone here could help. I have a Mauser Collectors website that was recently launched, and a discussion board there where a person believes he has a factory nickel finish on a model 1914 pocket pistol.
http://www.mauserguns.com/forum/defa...s&fid=9&tid=37

Is there a clear way to determine if the finish is nickel or chrome?

Is there a clear way to determine if it is an original finish or an overcoat?

Thanks Luger fans.... you guys rock.

Tim Burke
www.mauserguns.com

Preserve the past.

Tim, From the photo i doubt if this is a nickle finish. Nickled pistols aquire a yellow tint over the years. It is quite noticeable on Luger magazines. It is a soft yellowish color to the silver of nickle. Chrome does not have this charecteristic. It is bright and stays that way. In general, chrome is thicker as well. Look for underlaying buffing, if the original blue was removed it was likely buffed and the numbers and letters will be washed out. Sharp edges will be rounded.
Maybe a Mauser expert will come on and blow me out of the water....Jerry Burney

Bubba's Bumpershop and Pawn

Tom A

It appears to have been brushed pretty heavily prior to plating. I would suspect a factory job, if there were such things, would have had a mirror like finish before plating. I have to agree, it does look like chrome and not nickel.

I wonder how many true factory nickel's were done, or at least done contemporary with the mfg, that collectors have dismissed over the years? Certainly there were pimp-daddies even back in the days of our grandfathers. However, this one appears to have been a GI's prized war trophy.