[John Sabato]

While finish may have dropped off on many things during WW2 toward the end of the war. I am of the opinion that Lugers in particular were of the finest precision machines produced, right up to the end...

In 1937, Mauser began using hot salt blue for the entire pistol instead of strawing some of the smaller parts and using rust bluing, but the precision was superb in the mechanical parts... So if you want the best (short of a krieghoff) the late Mauser pistols are the best in my not so humble opinion... Pre 1937, if you want the traditional rust and straw finish, post 1937 if you want the darker salt blue finish...