1942 unmarked toggle pin
 

I have a nice 1942 BYF with all matching numbers that are supposed to be matched , except the toggle pin. It is blank but looks proper in every way to other toggle pins side by side. I guess this may be a dumb question, I hope not, but what could be a reason the toggle pin is not marked? I wondered if all toggle pins had to be and were marked? I wondered why anyone if it were the case, would switch it out. Does this just make it an unmatched shooter now? It is such a nice luger, but any thought or comments would be appreciated if you have similar guns or experiences. Thanks.
Dave

I do not know whether the pin is correct if it is unnumbered (WWII guns are not my area of interest in collecting). But anyone that would suggest that a nice collector grade Luger with an unnumbered toggle pin, even if it was supposed to be numbered, must be reduced to just shooter status should be led away to a nice quiet place where they won't hurt anybody.

Ron
Amen !
Bill

Thanks for the input. I would agree with what you said, but I'm sure many would think something like that has been messed with. That is what bugs me. Why would something like that be taken and replaced with a blank one? It doesn't make sense when all the other parts match. That is why I can't help but think that was the way it came. Is that something plausible or not with the 3rd Reich efficiency?
Dave

Dave, these pins can get worn out over time.
If the pin was frequently fallen out of the receiver when it's apart from the frame, down to the former owners furry carpet, he may have slamed his fist on the table an replaced it with a 'tighter' one.

As to non-matching, I agree with Ron and Bill. ..even if the pin was pink with green dot's, it would not place the Luger into shooter's category based only on that.

Original WWII Era German replacement pins should be "42" numbered. Otherwise, post war replacement.

Tom A

Thank you for the replies. I'll have to keep an eye out for a marked toggle to get it back if ever possible.
Dave

Hi Dave, if you are going to look for a new toggle main pin, make sure it is numbered with the last two digits of the Luger serial number. For instance if your S/N is 1234h (The alpha-numeric on the front of the frame), then the proper pin would be numbered "34".

You might check with Tom Heller (Lugerdoc). He has helped me out with pistol parts in the past.

Good Luck!

Dave;

According to Gortz's book on Luger markings, the German military started marking toggle pins between WWI and WWII. I don't have the book here at work so I can't give you the specific date but I think it was 1933.

My guess is the gun you have had the wrong numbered pin in it (common on war trophy lugers; the first two "all matching" guns I bought had mis marked toggle pins). I am not sure if this is because GI's mixed them up where comparing guns, or if this was common due to field-stripping and cleaning in the German Army; probably some of both. At some point one of the owners of the gun replaced it with an unmarked WWI pin. At least it doesn't have a different number on it, but to be correct for that year it should have the last two digits of the serial number or the 42 replacement marking Tom A indicated. Some over sized parts used in WWI had markings to indicate it was oversized 0.1, 0.2, etc.

Thanks,
Bob M.

I will check with Tom H. Thanks to you all.
Dave

Hi Dave,

i have a byf 42 luger and the pin is numbered with the last two digit of the serial #.

Ciao

Alberto