1937 Mauser, Discovered Non-matching
 

I have had a 1937 Mauser for a few years that I love. The gun is an honest 90% late year with a mint bore, and all matching except for the magazine, or so I thought.
It has mostly sat in my safe for the last 3-4 years, but recently I read on, I believe, another forum, that it is good for older guns to strip them down, and soak them in oil for a while. It sounded like a good idea, so I did, and I thought I had done it before, but this time I really looked, and all the little parts had a 60 on them, even the pin that holds the toggle to the upper receiver.
I all of a sudden notice that the small number on the hold open doesn't look like a 6-0, but a 6-something, and I get a flashlight and it is a 64!
I was understandibly upset, especially with the condition of the gun, that does not look like a weapon that has seen much use in its 70 years of existance.
Oh well, I used to brag to my friends about what a good deal I got on this luger, now it seems a little more in line.

Michael, I have done the same thing. In fact, had a really nice 1937 that I sold as matching a few years ago, got an email from the guy, "hey the firing pin is mismatched!". I of course sent him his money back. Oh well, thats life and now the story has a twist and you can tell it that way ;)


Ed

Michael,

What's the serial number?

Ron

The purists are likely to flame me for saying this but IMO, a non-matching internal part is not as big a deal as it's made out to be. I read somewhere that a mismatched firing pin would cut the value in half and I just don't buy that. If that is the case, where are all those half-priced Lugers with mismatched firing pins or hold opens? The last matched (except mag) P.08 I bought cost a grand. I would gladly pay $500 for one in similiar condition with a mismatched firing pin.

I have a very early "P" block 1937 in excellent condition with an un-numbered, strawed hold open. It's tempting to replace it with an S/42 marked armourer's replacement that reposes in my parts box, but why tamper with the gun's history?

Ron,
My serial number is 860 and it looks like a lower case cursive L?
One of these days I want to take pictures of it, and figure out how to post them on here to share them with all of you.
thanks
Mike

Seems that the parts that usually end up mis-matched in Lugers tend to be the grips, firing pin and hold open. I am sure there are several reasons for this but I have learned to strip the pistol down (or have the seller do so for me) before buying the "all matched but magazine" Lugers. A mis matched hold open is not that bad overall.

Another thing to look for on Luger buying is check out the sear/firing pin contact points and make sure no one has been filing on them to make a better trigger pull or whatever. Have seen that a few times also and it is real easy to miss.

I love Lugers but so many of these have been screwed with that it gets to be a crap shoot buying these without handling them first.