What have I got?
 

This one was brought back by my father in law from ww11. All numbers seem to be matching, and have the papers to bring it home. Any info would be great.

Another Pic,
 

A couple more pics to help in id.

Hi Richard and welcome to the forum, be patient and the real experts will way in shortly but this
information may help until they do. first let me say your pistol and holster look to be in great condition. your Luger is a byf (Mauser) manufactured in 1942, the mag is a desirable fxo Haenel which I believe is correct for that pistol. Your holster Was manufactured by Otto Graf in Leipzig in 1940 also correct for your Luger.

Lon

this is a byf (Mauser) 42 (1942) - if it had black grips, folks would call it a 'black widow' which was a USA term btw.


Ed

ricusa, welcome to the Luger Forum. Your Luger 42 byf, S/N 5221c was completed in Februry 1942 (approximately). Nice looking pistol! :)

Is there anything stamped inside the trigger plate? If so, it should be the number "53". It might be blank inside.

If all matching, and in original finish this is a collectable Luger.

Marc

ricusa,
I agree with the other folks that your gun and holster appear to be in very nice condition. However, there is an odd machined indentation on the frame around the right side of the take down lever. It is not factory original and I am puzzled what it may be. Hopefully other members can comment on this.

That "indentation" looks like scratches to me. I think it's the camera angle.

Very nice example!
I'll add the obligatory don't store it in the holster.

Ron,

I will wager that those are the marks made by a tool which was used to try and pound out the takedown lever by someone unfamiliar with the takedown procedures.

It sadly somewhat hurts the value.

Yes it looks like scratches around the take down lever. Someone most likely tried to drive it out. Can just this area be repaired and not hurt the value too much? Also there is a # 53 on the backside of the side plate. Thanks for all your help!

Your Luger is beautiful. I wouldn't attempt any repairs or changes. For all we know the scratches might have been made by a soldier in the field.

First of all welcome to our Forum made of LUGER enthusiasts.
Congratulations as to me it's quite a nice rig, and good things to keep as a memory of your father in law.
The "byf 42" and the "P08" stamped tell us that probably it is what some US collectors called a "black widow" originally with black bakelite grips and un-numbered black plastic magazine bottoms, and if I'm not wrong these were the very last Lugers produced by Mauser in 1942.