Serial Number vs side plate inside number
 

Well,

I have a side plate that has "07" stamped on the outside and which matches the serial number of the pistol. The pistol is all matching.

However, when I took it apart, the inside of the side plate had "96" stamped on it. :eek:

What does this mean? Should I be concerned as to the pistol's being "all matching"?


Richard

All depends on complete serial number and manufacturer as well as location of the internal marking.

Is it a Mauser and does the serial number of the gun start with "95"?

Oops, same question George is asking...only stated differently:)

Most of the Mauser side plates were numbered as Ron described. If your gun serial is 9507x then the inside plate number would be "96" and the outside "07".

For a brief time, in the 1930s, the inside number matched the first two digits of the serial number.

Not sure if any other manufacturers did this.

Marc

Marc,

Krieghoff for a portion of their production put the first two numbers of the serial number inside some parts, including the side plate. And again for a portion of their production put the last two digits on the serial number on the outside of the side plate.

All these variations occurred over a 10 year period and the grand total of about 13,000 guns were produced. A little over a month's production at Mauser. Different scale of production entirely.

John

It is a 1916 DWM. The serial number is 9607.

The inside bottom of the side plate is marked "96".
While the outside ( in the standard location ) is marked "07".

So, I have never seen this before. Is this just a DWM thing?

Richard, WWI era DWM military P08s and LP08s had the first digit or digits stamped in very small numerals along the interior lower edge of the side plate. This is something that most collectors never notice.

George, vielen Dank mein Herr!

Richard, bitte schoen.

George, can you show an example of the small digits? Mine are all larger digits unless I am thinking bigger than you are when you say small.
Dave

Dave, my computer was fried by an electrical "surge" a week or so ago. I have a new one but have yet to install photo software. Thus, I can't post photos yet. Maybe Siegersallee or someone else can help.

Thank you George! Happy to learn something new about the small inside the sideplate digits! Checked a couple of guns and they have them.
But a question, one gun a 1915 all matching with serial 9385 only has the single digit 3 inside? Not the whole 93 inside? Just an oversight I presume.

Guys, I will post pictures of what I have (the 1916 side plate, with the number inside), as soon as I get home tonight.

Ok here are the pictures. Front side of the side plate, inside of the side plate, and I just thought I'd share the pistol as well:
A 1916 DWM. :)

Ok, that is what mine are. I had the idea there were some very small numbers of the SN stamped, so I was looking for smaller numbers. Thanks for posting.
Dave

Dead On! My question is what year did Erfurt and DWM side plates have a partial serial number on their face? None of my early commercials seem to have one. Were they limited to military contracts? Did the 1908 military version have a marked side panel because my commercial 1908 and all of my other commercials don't! Is it as easy as saying commercial No! military Yes! The only exception are the navys all unmarked~Are all side plates interchangeable? Absent proofs and dating are all lugers essentially the same? Eric