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RC BYF41 Question
Hey guys. I don't post here very often but I know you can help me. I didn't see anywhere else to post this and it's not an East German rework so I figured I should put it here. Anywho, I'm looking at a Russian Capture BYF41. It's all matching (as in even the toggle axle, extractor and striker) except for the sideplate which was force matched. None of the markings were peened and no new ones were added. It still has the original barrel too (some frosting but solid) with a faint import stamp on the bottom. The entire pistol is the typical eastern european dip reblue which changed the ejector and some other bits a slight plum. The magazine is a bakelite bottom (looks like a real bottom and not a repro to me) FXO37 and, while I'm sure the pistol probably had the ribbed Russian grips when it originally came into the country, it now has resin reproductions of the original bakelite type. I've seen Russian captures before that were all matching except for the side plate that were reblued and I'm certain that's what this one is. The import stamp is in the white so I know it hasn't been refinished here. Dude wants $1000 for it. I think that's a fair price but you all would know far more than I do. I like my East German lugers but have been out of the loop for a while. I'm sure this would be a good shooter since it's matching. Yea or nay at 1K? Thanks!
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Pictures would help us help you.
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Yes, I know. Unfortunately, I didn't take any. Assume no pitting and no grinding anywhere. Just a nice unblemished specimen that was Russian dip blued and went from shiny to dull.
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Right ballpark, I'd offer $800 and go up if I had to.;)
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Looks great, I'm not so sure it was refinished.
Should be an excellent shooter. That's my favorite grade, late Mauser almost matching. Is that striker fluted? Can't tell from that angle, if it's not it's not original to the pistol and should be replaced with a fluted one before shooting. |
It is fluted.
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The sideplate was originally for a commercial. Importer was Century.
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It's a nice one. Congratulations and good choice.
I also like these later Mauser made Lugers as shooters. Marc |
I remember the Coconut Grove gun shows back in the 1980s,90s. The Miami importer of these pistols had crates of them on his tables. and I do mean CRATES!
It was fun to be able to examine 50-60 pistols in one sitting, trying to find something that stood above the rest before purchase. He was getting $299 for them then. |
It was a little high for a shooter, but a nice WW2 shooter is about that.
PM sent Ed |
That is a beautiful and unusual Luger and IMHO a reasonable price. I am sure you will enjoy it. :thumbup:
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Quote:
Also, do you know who GAI was/is? I know it looks like "CAI", which would be century but I think it's GAI. Also, century never imported through Florida to my knowledge. |
Why do you think it isn't EG?
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Wilhelm,
The striker contact area with the sear bar is in dire need of cleaning. And a little (very little) dab of molykote grease. |
Lol. Agreed. The entire pistol is in need of a good cleaning and lube prior to use. I just took it apart and photographed it. There is grit and what appears to be grease in many of the nooks and crannies.
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I think you made a pretty decent buy. I wouldn't mind having that Crown/S grip screw although the rest of the gun is a little outside my collecting area. :)
Ron |
Quote:
Gai Imports, Inc (inactive) 2301 Nw 33Rd Ct, Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Registration: Oct 21, 1993 State ID: F93000004782 Business type: Foreign for Profit Corporation Members (3): Steven Lee (Director, inactive) Rami Naar (President, Director, inactive) Philip E. Reinle (Chairman, Director, Secretary, inactive) Agent: Corporation Information Services, Inc |
Other searches online found references to this company importing guns in the year 2000 through 2004. A variety of models were apparently imported including Lugers. The references imply that they were importing guns from Eastern Europe. Could have been East Germany, the Ukraine or Russia. I'm not sure every captured gun got the "X" or got dipped.
The sharp edges and appearance of surfaces in your photos makes me doubt that this gun was refinished. Consider trading with Ron for unmarked Mauser era grip screws. The one in there is from a WW-I Erfurt IIRC. It will be hard to completely match the side plate. Mauser plates were numbered inside and out to correspond with all the digits of the serial number (one in 10,000 plate numbers will match properly). It looks like the replacement trigger side plate, grips and the grip screw are the only parts not originally on the pistol when it left Oberndorf... The advanced metallurgy of these later Mauser Lugers make them excellent shooters. Marc |
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