GI Bring-back Certificate
 

The attached photo of a GI Bring-back Certificate is suppose to go with a byf 42 with an 8xxx i serial number. This is the first such certificate I've ever seen, either in person or on the Internet.

Shouldn't the number written on it be that of the pistol it represents?

Wouldn't a six digit number with a letter be more common to a Walther made P-38 than a Mauser made P-08?

It certaintly doesn't go with a luger. Bill

I agree with Bill. This bring-back certificate does not belong with a Luger pistol.

The form and length of the serial number may give some clue to collectors of other types of military pistols just what type of pistol this certificate was intended to accompany...

How about it collectors and those who study other types of pistols... what type of German pistol has serial numbers that start with an "S' (or other alpha character) and a hyphen (-) followed by 6 numbers???

Jan C. Still? Are you listening? :)

This looks like a Walther PP or PPK serial number.

The preceeding "S" may not be part of the serial number at all; The "S", followed by a "Dash" may be the signing officer's contraction for the phrase "Serial Number"

Could be for a variety of German or axis pistols! I've seen papers interpreted many ways according to who was doing the writing! Some times missing or crossing numbers. It was common to leave out the suffix!

My first guess would be a Sauer 38H?? But again, just a guess!
Bob

The guys signing these were just on a detail or temporary assignment for something needing a signature.
Different day, different stuff.

I have a HSc my dad, 506th PIR brought home,
The authorization paper was around when I was a kid.
The OIC at that time had recorded the mismatch mag number instead of the pistol number.
Probably had spent all day signing those things, and that was the 1st number he saw.

Also, see the type (in my books you can see many, many types of bring back certs from WW2).

Prior to being standardized (this is my conjecture, but pretty sure I am right); certificates looked like this, they were typed up and were for soldiers going back or shipping guns home.

After the war, they have a totally different look to them.

The ETO / European Theater of Operations was even more different.

Ed

Ed - I am curious; your comment seems to indicate that this certificate did *not* come from ETO...Even though it says "German Pistol" on it...

What is it about it that makes you say that this is from some other theater??? :confused:

Thank you all!

I've been thinking about joining the P38, PP, & PPK Forum for years, and this has inspired me to do so. I've made this same posting on that forum too. And indicated the consensus opinion here on the Luger Forum, that this certificate is not for a P08.