41 byf
 

I looked at a 41 byf today. The man who has it brought it home. Serial no. 1328 g, black plastic grips, all numbers match, bore diameter marked, at least 95% blue, some holster wear on barrel front and side plate. Has been kept in the holster which is brown dated 1939. Has two clips neither of which match the gun. No take down tool. Value?
Question. I have 2 41 byf's both with wood grips that are numbered to the guns serial nos 5288 a and 8050 x. Why a plastic grip in the g block and a wook grip in the x block?

Carl:

No doubt there were no wooden grips available at the time that the gun was assembled. It is my understanding that that the "bakelite" grips were authorized for use if wood grips were not abvailable. They were not initially intended to replace wooden grips. Obviously, as the war progressed wood became more scarce and the use of the bakelite grips became more and more prevalent. It should be pointed out that the byf 41 series did not begin with the "a" suffix. Am away from home so don't have my books available so must apologise for the following slipshod comment. I believe the 41 byf production run started with the n block, ran through the alphabet, started again with "a" and ran for several more letters to include the "g" suffix. If that is correct then the "g" pistol would have been assembled after the "x" pistol, however, I am not certain just where the run did start or where it ended. I know that someone will help me out here.

According to Still's book, 41 byf's went from 3300n - 9950a. The g suffix didn't appear again until 1942.

Black bakelite grips were approved for use in mid 1941. After that both bakelite and wood grips were used.

Thanks, Tracy.

Well, if that is the case then Carl must have mistaken the date over the chamber.

Nope-all 3 are 41 dated. I have the a and x in front of me. I will check again on the g, light was poor could it have been a q ? Then it would make sense. How about value?

Carl,

Without seeing them it's hard to give an estimate. If it's 95% and matching the Luger with one magazine is worth from $900 - $1200. The holster's worth anywhere from $150 - $250, depending on the condition. An extra magazine is worth $100 to $150.

Hello. I posted in the new members section regarding a 41 byf I was fortunate enough to aquire. The serial number is 3514 with no letter. Is there any way to tell when this pistol was made? From what I've gathered from markings shown on the tech site it seems to be a g date? It also has the original black grips.

Hermit, A no letter suffix 41byf would have been made just before the "a" suffix PO8s, which were the last of the 1941 military production. Tom H.

A byf 41, no suffix would have been completed in Nov. or Dec 1941. The byf 41's spanned the serial numbers from the early N-Block to the early B-Block.