BYF PROOFS
 

A BYF 41 with E/655 proofs on the right side of receiver? I'm used to see them with E/135 proofs. Anybody can shed some light on this? [img]confused.gif[/img]

Kidvett; only very late BYF 41 Lugers had the E/135 proof and it is worth a slight premium over the E/655 proof. There are a few with one of each!
Lonnie

Early one had 655, later ones an byf 42 have 135 inspector acceptance markings

Most byf 41's have the both E/655 acceptance marks. A few (I don't have a feel for how many, maybe several thousand, but that's a real guess) have a mixed set of E/655 and E/135 WaA's and about 4000 have the E/135 WaA set. I believe all byf 42's are E/135.

So if I get it correctly:

BYF 41's E/655 proofs, late ones E/135 & some mixed of E/655 & E/135

BYF 42's E/135

All the 42's I've seen have the E/135 proof. I've seen some 41's with the E/135 proof but that E/655 41 was something new to me [img]confused.gif[/img]

Thank you guys

kidvett [img]tongue.gif[/img]

byf 41 serial# 1514v has two 655 stamps.

--Dwight

byf 41 serial # 960a has two 135 proofs. I guess we're narrowing down the changeover range.....

My guess would be that around 7500 no suffix would be the middle of the transition. Most before that would be E/655 or mixed E/655 and E/135. After that they would be mixed and E/135. Most, if not all, after 1a to about 1000b will be E/135 [img]wink.gif[/img]

BYF 41 Serial Number 3061 M has two 135 proofs

(Correction: I was notified via email by Frank that there is no Luger # 3061 m BYF 41... I have rechecked my photo archive and Frank was correct. I misread the chamber date while reviewing the photos I had available. Thanks for catching that mistake Frank. -John S.)

BYF 41 Serial Number 9729 U has two 655 proofs

Hope this helps in your search for the transition point.

My personal byf 41 is 2871 and has two 655 proofs but unfortunately, I don't remember the suffix letter and it is not here in the office... it is locked away in a safe...about 60 miles from here... [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]eek.gif[/img] <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

I would bet that Bill Munis could have more info about where the transition took place... How about it Bill? Can you hear me NOW? Good! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

My byf 41, serial #3444t has E/655 proofs only.

According to Costanzo The 41 eagle over 135 with a third eagle holding a swastika in a circle is a Mauser police contract but only if the numbers 135 run in a straight line, not curved. This is the first year the 135 was used. If the 135's are curved, then it could be one of several different types.

Hi,
You guys have it narrowed down pretty good!
The byf 41's started showing up in the "n" block, which was a transition from the 1940/42, start of the 41/42, and start of the byf 41's. So you can find all three variations in this block.

Letter blocks N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, and part of the No Suffix all have the 655/655 acceptance marks.

The No suffix block is the transition block and can have either 655/655 -- 655/135 -- or 135/135 acceptance marks.

The "A" block will have either 655/655 or 135/135 marks on them, and the "B" block will have only 135/135 marks.

Each transition took place fairly quickly, but it is possible to find a "straggler" a few thousand Lugers down the line, but for the most part this gives you a fairly good idea where the transitions took place.

So - N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, --- NS, A, B is the range and you can get an idea of the transition. Hope that helps. Bill

Just another confirmation:
2884q has E/655 acceptance.
Juergen