BLACK WIDOW QUESTION
 

I have a byf 1942 4" Luger sn 23xx N which appears unused or at least "unissued" with holster and lanyard.

Except for high point wear, finish is unmarred. ALL parts have matching 2 digit numbers...sear, trigger, toggle pin etc.
The finish appears to be a black "parkerizing" NOT regular bluing as on my 1917 artillery.

This one is obviously near "end of production" and I was told by the seller that he thought it was a "dealer sample". I doubt that, and suspect it has been refinished. This is due to apparent pitting on one side of muzzle UNDER the black finish.

That is why I question the black "parkerized" finish.
Is that why the name "Black Widow" has arisen?
Do I have a "black widow" or a facsimile of some sort?

NEWBIE, Ottawa, Canada

Hi,
Some of the last byf 42's produced were sold to Portugal in 1943. Known serial range 685m-5263m for a total of 4578. Portugueses designation is Model 943.

A large quantity of these were imported to Canada from Portugal in the early 1980's. More than half of these were parkerized. Most came with a Portuguese holster. These lugers are full German army accepted 42 byf P08's.

The preceeding two paragraphs of information came from "Third Reich Lugers" by Jan Still, p247.

Also from TRL's; 5600 42byfs were sold to Bulgaria in the m to n serial range.

"Black Widow" is a dealer/collector term refering to 41 and 42 byf's mostly, that had the bakelite type black plastic grips.

Craig