1940 Mauser, What else can you tell me?
 

This gun has been in my family since my Grandfather brought it back in WWII. I inherited it about 4yrs ago after my father passed away. It has not been fired for at least 40yrs since everyone thought the firing pin was broken. I took the Luger to a gun show recently as I found someone familiar with lugers and had the fluted firing pin the pistol needed. He examined the gun and the firing pin is indeed intact and original along with all the other parts. The part that fell out some 40yrs ago was the "L" shaped retaining pin that goes on the lever to remove the plate for removal of the slide. The grips as I have found from this Forum are "Sweet Heart" grips, but the story I was told was my grandfather had made them out of aircraft windshield while he was overseas. I have nothing to compare them too so maybe someone here can validate this? I was told by the gentleman at the gun show that this was a police issue Luger by the marking and he said it was a rather rare pistol? The only item that I don't have with this pistol are the original grips, but I honestly think the sweet heart grips make this pistol unique since there is a picture of my grandmother on one side and a picture of my grandfathers sister on the other. The running joke for years was the other woman was his girlfriend while overseas! I mentioned this pistol has not been fired in 40yrs, after finding that the firing pin was indeed intact I took it out a few weeks and put a few rounds through it. I have fired several pistols and calibers over the years, but the Luger was so smooth and dead on accurate. Here are some pictures of the markings and items I have with the Luger.

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Great story.


For us to help, we need pictures, serial number, suffix and anything besides the 1940.

Unit markings on a 1940 would be very unlikely, so would need to see them.


Welcome to the forum,


ed

I think I have all the angles covered, had some issues downsizing the pictures to be uploaded to the sight. Glad to be apart of the forum and enjoy what I have seen so far.

Looks like a 1940 Mauser Banner Commercial without the right grips.

It is a rarer gun, not because it was a police but because it is a Mauser Banner, a commericial gun taken into military service (thus the 1940 date).



Ed

I like the gun and love the grips! A great heirloom. With that kind of history I wouldn't even think about trying to find original grips. Thank you for sharing the gun and the story.

Great pistol...I like the grips too.....the matching mag is a huge + :thumbup:

Thanks guys for all input, I am glad that I was able to share it with you.