41 BYF safety lettering
 

I have a 41 BYF "Black Widow" with the original finish intact, and there seems to be no trace of the GESICHERT lettering having ever been filled with white paint.
My question is, was the lettering originally painted in 41, or was this step skipped for these late model P 08's?

I can't answer your question...But the wear line for the safety looks suspiciously new...and small...Almost like the pistol had been re-blued (dipped; not buffed)...

Hi Steve, The lettering on Mauser Luger safeties was white filled until the end of production in 1942. Your missing paint is probably due to a past cleaning with a solvent. Here's a link to a recent discussion on this issue. As you can see, restoring the original ivory colored paint is no big deal. Regards, Norm

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...testers+enamel

It would be interesting to put it under a mag. glass to search for tiny traces of white paint in the lettering.
dju

Thanks Norme, I had seen that thread, but wanted to make certain that the lettering was inlaid in white in the first place, before I restored it. I have seen pictures of "original" byf 41 Lugers with and without white lettering and this led me to wonder if they began to cut corners in the later years.


Steve.

Attachment 26946I had the same suspicion at first glance, but when you have the pistol in your hand, the finish looks original. There is holster wear on the high points as expected and the trigger lever and S link on the toggle are in white as they should be. The muzzle crown also appears to not have been blued either and there are no VOPO markings anywhere on the pistol. I am no expert, however, so it is possible I am being deceived.

Here is an overall image, please ignore the blue cast on some surfaces - probably a function of the white balance being off and light reflection on surface lubricant. The finish is uniform to the naked eye.

The gun looks entirely correct to me.

Congratulations!

Thanks, it was an impulse buy at a gunshow last year. It was all matching except for a missing hold open. The bore is a bit rough, but the overall appearance was right, so I decided to pick it up after a little negotiation.

I assume that the takedown lever is also blued?
dju

Yes, it is. Light is just being reflected off the blued surface.