1938 S/42 "A" stamp?
 

First and foremost... Hello all! Sad to say, I have not logged onto the forum since 2009 :eek: Life, Career changes, selling off the collection, etc... Glad to be back! SO all that said, Starting to slowly rebuild the collection and ran across a 1938 Mauser that really has me scratching my head.. First glance I noticed a un numbered side plate and takedown pin and thought.. meh, it's a shooter... But then I noticed a very odd large letter "A" stamped next to the serial number on the left side, and also on the lower part of the gun???? I'm really baffled... Any ideas?

Thanks much!

WG, Is there any suffix number on the front of the frame? If not an A suffix, the A on the receiver was probably added to a second PO8 stamped in error with the same serial as the one made before it. TH PS: I've also seen this on M1914 Mauser pistols.

Hi! and Thank you for the quick response!! Indeed it does, see pic below. It wouldn't have any connection to the non-numbered sideplate and takedown pin would it? Very interesting stuff..

A great explanation Tom. I have never personally seen this type of serial number modification before... Your theory is certainly very plausible. It would prevent a finished gun from being destroyed as a result of the mistake... and would allow for accountability using the modified serial number.

Has anyone else seen examples of this type of stamping?

Again, Thanks for the feedback gentleman! Any more input would be appreciated. Side note, gun is pretty clean.. all matched (minus the unmarked side plate and take down) mismatch mag...

If so, why is the "A" not also on the frame?

It's there.. sorry a little tough to spot in the pic I took

The capital letter A was used to denote rejected parts.

-Dwight

Hi Dwight! Very long time no speak... Well that throws another interesting twist in the mix. Hmmm.

Hmm...school me on what normally happened to rejected parts. (Recyled/reworked, tossed, given away, etc? from the guy who's last name begins with a capital A :typing:)

I'll also add.. the matched stamps on the grips seemed a little funky to me as well.. but I've been out of the game for a while now.. I'm still rusty ;) I'll try and snap some pics later this evening.

Hard to say, in general. There are examples of Lugers made up entirely of reject parts, presumably for demonstration or instruction purposes.

--Dwight

Eugen,
perhaps easier to say what they were Not used for - military production.
Many parts rejected for the military were used by Mauser for commercial production.

I rather doubt this "A" is for reject; but for the odd occurance of the same serial digits occuring in a unit- so one of them was stamped with "A" for quick differentiation.

This practice is noted in one of the books, one of the Police books maybe, but I can't recall exactly where at the moment! CRS strikes again.

This one is a puzzle with the un-numbered parts: another possibility is a post WWII rebuild by one of the Suhl gun makers, with the A added to identify their work; kind of like a trademark seen applied by others- for example Luneschloss.

Don,

See "German Small Arms Markings" p.118, also p.114. The Germans were very clear about the use of the capital-A.

--Dwight

Hehe.. so Let me ask all of your expert opinion... This gun belongs to a good friend, I am interested in buying it.. the price is fair-ish... The mystery alone makes me want this pistol... Worth grabbing this for the collection?

Thanks Dwight,
I would if I had it.
How about a little longer quote?

I could see one "A" for reject, but why reject an entire pistol? Each part would have past inspection before assembly- I would understand a piece assembled from a reject receiver and reject frame- but not with the same number??

Don

It would have to be "cheap-ish" to tempt me.:p

From "German Small Arms Markings" p. 118: "Any parts considered to be rejects are to be marked with the capital letter 'A'..."; "Editorial Note: 'A' was an abbreviation for 'Ausschuss', meaning 'rejected part' or 'scrap'"

Ibid., from p. 114: "Notes: 1.) It is left to the rifle factories to apply 'worker stamps'...[which must] utilize Latin letters from 'B' to 'Z'...The letter 'A', as well as numerals, are to be excluded."

--Dwight

Perhaps it was the entire pistol as assembled which was ultimately rejected?

--Dwight

Waltherguy:
The mystery alone may draw you nearer the flame, but it may not draw the next guy. If you want it, buy it, but understand that you are doing so for your own satisfaction.
But I'd not run from it if the price was right, but price alone, not mystery, would determine if a deal was to be struck.
dju