Serial Number Fonts
 

Is it considered correct for the serial number "font" on the frame to be diffeent than the serial number "font" on the barrel, and the rest of the pistol? Numbers are the same, "fonts" are different.
thanks

Bruce,
Some variations have different fonts, such as flat top and rounded top 3's. I can't remember which, but I think it's OK for some Mauser made Lugers. Someone else should be able to tell you which ones are OK to have different styles.

Bruce, welcome, tell us the year and model and we can be more specific.


Ed

Sorry, I should have included more specific info. The situation I'm asking about is in an auction on Auction Arms #9496591. It's a Mauser "byf" produced in 1941. My original question involved the "1's" on the frame and the barrel. The barrel "1's" look like the font I'm using here on the computer. On the frame, the "1's" in the serial number don't have the horizonal base line under them.
So my question is whether the "one's" in a given serial number be different between the frame and the barrel?

Serial Number Fonts
 

Here's a couple pictures of the serial number fonts I'm talking about. The "one's" are different and now that I've looked a little closer, the frame serial number "font" is different from the barrel "font" on all the numbers.

Hi Bruce, I looked at all the photos of this gun on the AA site and it looks OK to me. Mauser was turning out over 100,000 Lugers a year (thats over 300 a day!), and they would have been using several, perhaps dozens , of number die sets. Regards, Norm

Hi,

Mauser actually used automated numbering equipment in those days as well. Since some parts were stamped on machines and others probably by hand, you can expect different font types.

Question - on the first picture where the s/n 1271 is.. beneath it is another character... can you tell me what that is... I have the same character on my gun but cannot find anything about what that is in the book I just bought ?

Another question about picture #2.. beneath that s/n (1271) is another set of characters/numbers ... what is the purpose of those characters ? It also appears that again my pistol has the same characters on the barrel too ?

Hi Bruce, Those numbers (8.83) are the measured diameter of the barrel interior, land to land. Regards, Norm

Brushing mark is also important, but this one does not, or at least those pictures do not, perform well. Especially on the sear cover.

i think its a cursive n
 

. . i had the same question. i believe its an "n", and is part of the serial number. i think they went to the next letter after 9999 were made.

bill

Here is another example of fonts. I like this one, but timing is wrong for me.

Link : gunbroker.com Mauser 1935 "G"

The suffix is a "P", not "N". This is one of the most common errors in suffix identification.

Thanks for your help and comments.
 

Thanks... after referencing the technical info on this website, I kind of thought the symbol was a 'P'; not an 'N'. I could not find any information about the numbers 8.83 that was shown on the barrel but now I know what that number means too.
Thanks again... I really appreciate all of your answers. I have to watch out... collecting these lugers could be habit making. Just as an afterthought, is there a way that I could put out a want notice - I'm looking to swap out or buy an extra magazine that has my serial number on it... is there a process ?

Getting your serial number is the dream of every collector but next to impossible. Post your magazine on the site's magazine list and look over what others have. If you are lucky enough to find yours or one that is more correct/close to yours, the ownwe may wish to swap or sell to you...

Good Luck!!