Help ID Markings
 

I have a 1939 42 with the following markings on the barrel underside:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/DSC01376.jpg

L to R
8,82 (know this one)
8835 (the SN) suffix t BTW
3 proofs, the bottom one is NP
9 M/M
.752" (which is ~19mm)
13 or 15 tons

The pistol came with a mag marked 2/1001, a marking so rare that I've only ever seen several many.


Hermann G�¶ring presented this pistol to Hitler's American cousin, hence the markings that appear to be inches and tons. I have created a letter of authenticity to prove this. For the sake of discussion, lets say there was another not as rare pistol marked in similarly the exact way (without letter, of course), what do these markings mean and what do they tell us of this pistols journey?

Thanks,
Matt

The markings are standard British proof marks required for any non-English made firearm brought into country and sold on the British market. The 2/1001 marked magazine is East German made on the old Hanel tooling.
i would love to see the letter of aunthenticity that you have created.:)

For grins and giggles I would love to see your letter too.

I dont know, it may be boosted!!!

Maybe presented to a WV Coal Miner in July of '52, fer Loadin' 15 tons of #9 Coal?

I do want to know if your letter of authenticity is written on authentic paper with authentic ink, however.

Gaffaw! I was thinking the same thing when i saw the "15 TONS".:burnout:

Here it is:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...uns/letter.jpg

Classic... lol

I was skeptical, but after seeing that Letter of Authenticity, I'm a believer! :thumbup:

...Just what does that "752" refer to???... :confused:

Well, I've figured it out thanks to a post I found about a similarly marked Webley. From what I read, the markings aren't for non-English guns sold in England, but rather any gun sold by the British government as surplus.

On my gun the three markings between the SN and 9 M/M are actually one light mark. It should be an arm holding a sword over the letters NP, which stands for nitro proof. This stamp is the commercial proof put on when the gun was sold by a government store. This particular stamp was used in the London proofing house. 9 M/M is obviously the caliber. The mark .752" is the chamber length (case length). I guessed that was the case since .752" roughly equals 19mm. The 13 tons is the cartridge mean working pressure (not the proof pressure). Wiki says the working pressure of 9x19mm is ~40,000 psi. Math would probably tell us that that equals 13 tons.

I'm so glad Al Gore invented the internet.

Interesting link:
www.riflebuilders.com/proof1.pdf