PLUM Pretty Mauser Lugers
 

For some of the new collectors, I thought I would bring back an old topic and pictures. You may have seen plum colored extractors and ejectors on Salt Blued Mauser Lugers but some even came out that way. You might see this in 1937 late model Lugers as the switch over from rust bluing to salt bluing occured but this one is a 1938 S/42 next to a more common looking 1939 42 code Luger. Another interesting part of Lugers and even some P.38s will show their "colors" too.
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/PlumLuger.jpg
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/PlumLuger2.jpg

Thanks, Thor! But now how does that affect 'Yeller Boots"?

Fn

I think this is an interesting aspect of some of the early Mauser Salt blued Lugers. I see it occasionally on P.38s.

My purple Luger.
It's been re-blued, so there's no telling what happened.
It doesn't show very well in that photo but the receiver and toggle are really purple. The barrel and the frame are black.

This does seem to be more common with P-38's, especially the frames for some reason.

My Gunsmith says he make most parts blue or plum by adjusting the temperature of the salt bath.

The slides on some CZ-27's must have took on this purplish tone too, this one is from around 1943. They also never finished or stopped with the finish near the back of the pistol and left it in the white.



Dave

Thor,

here is a nice plum color extractor on a 1939 S/42 with 98% finish

steve,

I think the metallurgy of the part has a greater effect on the color of the blued part than the temperature of the salt bath.

The Harder the part the easier to plum it up. Extractors and Ejectors and toggle links are really hard and some receivers do this too. Mauser Lugers are harder in general than DWMs and Erfurts, at least that has been my experience with them.

Sturm Ruger had this "problem" with their revolvers when first produced in the ealy to mid 1950's. They determined it was because of the high nickel content of the steel castings. I have always loved the "plum"!

Here is another 1938 with a brightly colored extractor.
Tom

Not a very good picture, it doesn't show the plum as well, but here is another 1938 with plum extractor.