1937 S/42 t block
 

I have a question for the Mauser experts or anyone that has experience with late 1937 1st variation Lugers. I understand that the 1st generation 37's were rust blue, I have a t block that has a rust blued barrel but the receiver and frame appear to be salt blued. The receiver and frame do not appear to be refinished, the tool marks and finish look very similar to my 1938 S/42. All numbers are matching including the grip panels.

My question is, during the transition period did they mix rust blue parts with salt blue parts? Has any one else see any late 1st variation 1937 S/42 with mixed rust and salt blue parts?

Here's a few more photo's, I can add more if requested.

Chris,
Cool luger! The matte/shiney finish on the receiver near the date I have seen before on early salt blued 1937s. Looks like Mauser was using up the remaining rust blue parts as they were changing to all blue guns. Check out the post by "blcman" (post #205) on Jan Stills forum in the 1937 data base.
He has #1164t and states the "frame has a odd dull finish". Maybe his is similar to yours.
http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...t=3206&page=21

Tom

Thanks, tom

One more question that I should of asked earlier, did Mauser rust blue the inside of the receiver and frame? My Erfurt has the interior of the receiver and frame still in the white.

Your Erfurt was totally rust blued and the bluing solution was swabbed on only the exterior. The salt blued guns were blued by immersion in the bluing salt solution, so the interior is also blue.

Ron thank you for your response, I do understand the two bluing processes and guess that I really shouldn't be comparing rust blued Mausers with Erfurt’s. My thoughts were that all rust blued lugers interiors were in the white and salt blued guns were completely blue. I’m just trying to figure out if that was different for Mauser rust blued Lugers.

As you can see in the photo where the barrels chamber begins is still in the white and the inside of the receiver and frame are blue. At first this led me to believe that the receiver and frame were salt blued. After taking another look at Jan C. Stills Third Reich Lugers I'm more confused. The 1937 S/42 1st variation should have strawed small parts and be rust blued as stated in Jan C Stills Third Reich Lugers pg. 39. It also states that after the 1936 S/42 n suffix block the interior surfaces were rust blued.

Were the 1937 S/42 1st variation rust blued on the interior and if so does the photo that shows the barrel in the white correct for a t block 1937 S/42? Or were salt blue parts and rust blued parts mixed during the transition?

Chris
Third Reich Lugers has been updated. The change from rust blued finish with interior surfaces bright to salt blued finish with interior surfaces blued happens at about the early "t" suffix block of 1937. This change is not abrupt and at the transition strawed Lugers may be found with blued insides.
Jan

Thanks Jan that was the answer I was looking for.

Is the updated version of Third Reich Lugers available yet?

Chris

For what it's worth I have a 1937 S/42 sn 1066t and it is completely salt blued. MR

no

I just saw 390t and it was rust blued with bright interior surfaces.