False negative (S/42, 1939)?
 

I looked at the this S/42, and I could not find what's wrong with it. It's claimed to be "very professionally reblued, possibly just dipped". Although professional and just dipped do not sound compatible, I could have missed something.

Putting magazine aside, anything wrong with it?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=94356660

The intention is not acquiring this one, so did not ask the seller.

Looks original to me

Could it be he means just blued and not buffed?

Think it may have been rust blued, but not dipped. Somthing has been done to the muzzle, perhaps to improve accuracy.. other than that it's looks good to me. ..never seen a mag bottom like that btw!

The slight "plum" finish on the extractor indicates salt blue. It would be necessary to have the gun in hand to see if the gouges in the side plate are blued or not. From the evidence of the photos in the auction, there is a strong possibility that this finish may be original.

--Dwight

I agree the plum finish is nothing to be afraid of and is quite common with some variations of salt blued P.38's , PPK's and their parts when improper temperature or bathmix strength was used.You find it a lot on certain parts made in different areas of the same factory with Walthers.I would think if a reblue was attempted it would not come out like that. Maybe he means it was possibly a Dipped gun that was professionally cleaned up thus revealing the true finish under a dip ,You'd have to have the gun in hand and closely inspect all the small parts to see if the dip is still in some nooks or other hard to reach areas .Thank You, Dale