When did WW2 magazine numbering cease?
 

This has probably been discussed here many times but approximately at what serial number range did the numbering of magazines
cease during WW2 on the BYF41 Lugers?
Thanks for your help-
JohnB/

JohnB,

During the the U-suffix of the byf41, Mauser starting phasing out serialization of magazines.

No absolute date or serial number but there is a significant reduction of serial numbers seen on magazines beyond the U-block.

John

Thanks Guns
So a BYF41 in the "L" block should have a matching magazine then? What type would be in use at that point in production? Black plastic FXO? Aluminum base, numbered?
I appreciate you help on this.
JohnB/

JohnB,
Are you sure about a 41byf with a "L" suffix? The "L" suffix is a little too early for 1941.

Tom

Hi Tom
The letter looks like a "flowing' capital L" with a small horizontal bar through the middle. I had thought a fancy script 'L' but perhaps a 'Z' then?
Does that sound correct?
John

JohnB,

Everything beyond, say the w-block, had the extruded blue body magazine with center pin base (Type 5) and unnumbered or the extruded blued body magazine with the black plastic base(Type 6).

Remembering that suffix letters are scripted lower case representations, your pistol is probably the z-block.


John

Here is an example "Z"

http://www.lugerforum.com/Suffixes/S...s/image105.jpg

Thank you, gents -- that's the letter!: a 'Z"
So a Type 5 or 6 un-numbered magazine would be correct for this pistol? The Type 5 is an aluminum base? Is an FXO-marked base proper at all?
I'm researching this as my dad brought it back from Cherbourg but it was in a WW1 holster and has a wood base magazine.
John//

John,

fxo was the manufacturer's code for Haenel and is on the body of the magazine. The base would be black plastic and would not be marked. There would also be an Eagle 37 on the body of the magazine.

Short answer: A fxo magazine with black plastic base is a possibility of being the type of magazine shipped with a z-block and would be considered correct.

For example, I have a late 41 byf, SN 735b, one of the last of the 1941s. It has a FXO magazine, blued body Eagle 37 proof and black plastic base.

John

Thanks John, for you assistance.
Just to summarize then, an FXO extruded mag with a black plastic base with a silver pin in it would be the most correct for this Z-letter `41?
John

The gun was most likely issued a fxo magazine with a black plastic base.
The other possibility would be a fxo magazine with an unnumbered aluminum bottom base.

Tom

Thank you so much for all your help on this guys -- it is really appreciated!!
John