serial numbers on my 1937 S/42
 

For my 30th birthday my father gave me a luger, marked 1937 S/42, serial number 6278. My grandfather brought it back from the war - he was in the USAAF and bought it from an American serviceman before he returned from Eurpoe. It has been in my family since then, and has been basically untouched - fired a few times and cleaned occasionally. The bluing is worn somewhat and there is a small gouge in one of the wooden pieces on the handle, but it's in decent shape. I'm sure it hasn't been altered, restored, repaired, etc. since my granfather brought it home.

This brings me to my question: the serial numbers don't quite match. As I said the SN is 6278, and all of the smaller parts are numbered 78, except for the part that holds the chamber open when the magazine is empty (on the parts diagram I found on this site, part number 022). This part is stamped 77.

I just wondered if anyone has any idea why this part is different - perhaps it was replaced during the war? Is it only a coincidence that this part is 77, while everything else is 78? As I said, I'm sure it wasn't replaced since my grandfather acquired it in 1945.

I'm not really concerned about the value, since I would never sell it - it is too important as a piece of family history - but I'm curious.

Also, what sort of ammo should I use? I don't intend to shoot it much, but I'd like to put a couple of rounds through it, just to see how it feels. But I'm concerned that modern, high pressure ammo might not be suitable.

Thanks for helping out a newbie to your forum - I'm impressed by the amount of quality info and expertise!

Welcome Aldous, always good to see a new face. It is unlikely, in fact highly unlikely that the hold open was mistakeningly marked. So, at one point it broke or got lost and someone replaced it. Always possible it was done at a unit armory, but probably by a GI...

Value could be $500 and it could be $1200, all depends on if the person buying it was turned off by the mismatched piece and how original it still is (reblue, pitting, scratches, etc)

Mostly likely your sn is 6278 and a small suffix on the front of the frame. There are two variations of the 1937, most likely yours is with the blued trigger, etc, a much smaller number were strawed (before they swtiched to all blueing).

Ed

Hello Aldous and welcome to the forums. :D

What Ed said, but I would ask if you can post some pictures. If you're not able to do so I would be happy to do it for you. I do love me some gun porn, especially of the Luger variety... :cool: You can PM me and I'll give you an email address you can use to send them to.

I hope ya stick around and learn more about these wonderful guns. :)

Aldous,

Welcome to the forum, the Gurus here will be able to tell you what is worth knowing about Lugers. I like the fact that you want to shoot it, I also have several guns (including one of my Lugers) with a lot of family history attached to them. I take them all to the range every now and then.

Balder

Regarding Tac's completely accurate statement: Most modern stuff is nowhere near the original loading for most military calibres, as you would find by shooting WW2 7.92x57 Mauser stuff and then the modern squeak-pip stuff.

The German Commission Rifle developed in 1888 was an 8mm rifle. However, it had a bore diameter of .318. When the model 1898 Mauser was adopted, it was also an 8mm rifle although it had a bore diameter of .323 (or 7.92 x 57mm) and was a much stronger action than the earlier Commission Rifle.

Commercial ammunition manufactures were concerned that the average plinker might not know the difference. And some folks still refer to the 1888 Commission Rifle as the 1888 Mauser, even though it is definitely not a Mauser. Anyway, commercial manufacturers made all their loadings using the .318 bullets and the weaker loadings because of these safety concerns.

Mauser720 - Ron

I got a new modern (at the time) fireplace for my 30 birthday, quickly to be replaced with a type that is actually providing some heat.. anyway, point is, you did well receiving a Luger!

Also.. to be honest, I think Luger can handle more than we give them credit for. They are old.. and they do not like hot ammunition. But they are not made of porcelain example. An excample to this is one of my previous shooters.. Started it's life in the hands of the wehrmacht, shooting corrosive ammunition with iron covered bullets. Then into the the norwegian army, beeing feed with hot MP-ammo. Sold to an officer using what he had available for free, plenty of hot NATO ammunition. Sold again to another officer doing the same.. before it ended up in my hands. The only non-matching part was the sideplate. The Luger was worn on the surface, but still going strong as I sold it to a home guard officer, most likely feeding it with NATO ammunition even today (agains my advice..)
Why I'm telling this.. no idea.. it is without doubt silly to shoot hot ammunition in an old Luger, some NATO boxes are even marked "not for P08/P38". I beleve in seeing things from both sides..
Welcome btw:)

Thanks for all the info - very interesting - and I will try to post some photos - I do understand the pleasure derived from viewing "gun porn".

Hi, Aldous,

My case is exactly like yours. I have a Luger 1938 s/42 with all matching parts, except the part you were talking about (and the magazine). And, also in my case, I'm sure that nobody has replaced that part in past 60+ years (but it could be replaced during the war).

And, just as you said, neither I'm concerned about the value, caused by this mismatch. I'm not going to sell it.