Odd marking on FXO mag.
 

Got this mag with a byf 41 today. The odd thing is the #4096. I know that "2001" is either late war or East German, but this mark looks to be old. Any ideas? http://www.georgealarm.com/~dgeorge/byf41/fxo4096.JPG

Hi Doug, other than the "4096" stamp, the magazine appears to be a standard fxo that has had the plastic bottom damaged. While the post war magazines were made with the same equipment as the fxo, they didn't contain the fxo or E/37 markings.

My guess would be that someone wanted to identify the magazine to a pistol and stamped the serial number on the magazine. I am also reasonably sure that it didn't leave the factory that way.

:)

P.08,
This mag has been numbered by someone that was not familiar with Number Stamping as is shown by the serious denting around the figures, The deeper the stamp the deeper the dent. Very Poor Workmanship.
The factory or a professional Smith would remove the Mag bottom and stamp the sleeve on a mandrel, thereby eliminating the denting, and also would have used a more consistent force with the hammer.
Compare the 4096 with the P.08 which was Stamped at the Factory.
ViggoG

The question I have is was this done post war or during the war? The blue still remains inside where the numbers were stamped.

Hi again Doug!! My guess is post war. I really don't think a soldier would give a darn if the magazine matched or not. His only thought would be that he had a magazine and some ammo. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Considering that it is nearly impossible to stamp the black plastic mag bottoms, I would speculate that this is an attempt by a cottage industrialist to force-match the magazine to a gun to increase its value.

--Dwight

I know that the mag was not used to boost the luger that it came with as the serial numbers do not match. I was wondering if it was some kind property mark? Don't really know.

Doug,

It could have been used to boost -another- Luger and just ended up with yours, as magazines do.

--Dwight

Hello I think the # stamping is post 1945