Need help with correct magazines for my lugers
 

I have a s/42 and BYF 42 Luger and was wondering what the correct magazines would be for these pistols.

Byf 42 s/n 2838

S/42 s/n 4870

Both guns are all matching except for the magazines.

I looked in my Jan Still books but was still unsure.

Thanks for your help.

Need the year and full serial on the s/42 to ascertain the correct magazine. There should be a letter suffix on the frame, below the serial.

Sorry 4870f

What year is the S/42?
dju

It is a G date.

The byf has an I or an L letter prefix.

Thanks again for the help.

A black bakelite base FXO magazine would be correct for your byf 42 Luger It would also be considered matching, except for some rare variants.

The variations of Mauser magazines are discussed in the Luger FAQ document (p38)

The original mag for your late G date PO8 would have had a nickel plated folded tube with an aluminum bottom marked with the full serial number including the suffix letter and a dwe/63 and perhaps a + marking if it was the second mag. TH PS: the only correct (narrow number set) G date mag the I have available is in the c suffix range.

On your G date, 'dwe63' means droop winged eagle symbol followed by the number 63. A picture is available here. http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=37125

The FAQ includes a useful discussion of 'correct' magazines. However I think each collector must decide for themselves what constitutes close-enough for a magazine to be considered acceptably correct for a given pistol. For example on a lower-end collectible Mauser military Luger, I personally would probably view any original military magazine as acceptably correct. For a high-end collectible, I'd probably want a magazine issued much closer to the pistol's issue date. These are personal preferences, for me determining what constitutes 'acceptable' applies to many aspects of collecting.

As 4Scale said, it is really up to you.
My opinion is similar, and/ but really- if it doesn't match "exactly" what good is one that is just close?

Perhaps a wood base for a WWI pistol and an aluminum base for WWII. JMHO.
I would not spend a lot of money to just get "close". ;)

What should a magazine for a g date cost?

Thank you all for your help. I stopped collecting 15 years ago and saved these 2 pistols for my kids. I have a friend in Germany who will look for magazines for me and I am just trying to get close.

Depending on condition anywhere from $125.00 to $250.00

I agree about not spending a lot, but if you are going to buy a mag anyway, why not look for one that is close or from the same year? I kind of like the idea that the mag is the same age as the gun.

- Geo

I don’t mind spending the money for a nice mag that is close. The magazine is just icing on the cake when you have a nice gun and holster that is original finish with no import marks.

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