Mauser S/42 K with S on sideplate catch
 

I'm slobbering over a nice S/42 dated 1934 that is for sale with a reputable gunshop near where I live. One of my several) doubts about this gun is a strange "S" put in front of the last two digit on the sideplate catch. Can anybody please tell me more about it?

If you are referring to the takedown lever, I have never seen this marking before.

Such a marking would not deter me from purchasing what looks to be a rare, matching, original finish. "K" dated Luger.

Never had a K, so just an opinion. I heard S being an inspector stamp on the K variation. One thing that I don't understand is why S only appears on the takedown lever on this instance. Should S appear on many parts on high s/n K? Looks to me, the frame was partially enhanced in finish.

As a carry over from previous inspection standards, Mauser was required on early production pistols to put an inspection stamp on all parts as Simson had done.

The early inspection marks were a Scriptic "S". Later, the scriptic S was changed to a Gothic "S".

However, by SN 8300, the requirement for individual inspection marks had been largely phased out.

Mauser, as any other gun manufacturer never threw anything away. Thus, could a previously inspected takedown lever still be around in the 9000 serial number block?? Sure!!

FWIW, the S stamp on the takedown lever by itself would NOT necessarily put me off the gun unless there were other indications that the gun was not righteous.

John

Maybe it is just the photo, but I am not seeing any indication of the indentation on the forward edge if the receiver that I would expect to see on a K date. Post-imperial Lugers are really not my thing so I am probably wrong. :)

After blowing up the image as much as possible with what I have here, I see a tini "S' on the very forward edge of the takedown lever. It does not look like it was factory applied.

As far as I can understand the frame must be a DWM one as you cannot see the 2mm hump that was build into later frames by Mauser to protect the rear main axel pin

Initially you asked for comments on the takedown lever marking but as you and others have commented, there are potentially other issues.

I am sure that I and others would comment further if more photographs were available. There are several ways to distinquish between a DWM frame, used intially and a DWM frame final machined by Mauser and a Mauser made frame (with and without hump).

From the photgraphs provided, the toggle and toggle marking type faces are typical of late K- dates and all G-dates. The K-date on the chamber is typical of the 1934 production.

But, as always, the devil is in the details and more and better photographs will help.

For example my SN 9214 K-date has the hump and jig marks. Better pictures might disclose other anomalies.

So, as I said before; the S inspection mark on the takedown might be the least of your concerns about this particular specimen.

John

I see an s on alot of kdates.

I'm pretty sure I can see the Mauser "hole" in the runout at the top of the slot in the stock lug.

Yep

John

Yes,

This particular specimen has the early Scriptic S/42 manufacturer's code rollmark on the toggle link with the open 4 in 42, and the later Gothic S inspector's stamp.

And, by the way to illustrate my previous point, the side plate has the early Scriptic S inspection stamp. Gun makers waste nothing so seeing parts with mixed manufacturer's marks is not uncommon.

Now, GOVERNMENT inspection and acceptance proofs are a different story. They are the basis for acceptance, permission to ship and payment.

Just to close this post, yesterday I eventually went to buy the above mendioned S/42 K. I wish to thank all our fellows "luger-adddicts" for their contribution. In the next future I'll post some photos.