Again, I appreciate all the good information that you folks have provided.
Alvin, I did compare the 41/42 to a 38-S/42 and to a '40-42 and I couldn't discern much difference in the areas that you pointed out except for the barrel band which does seem to be more rounded on the 41/42. However, my eyes might not be as sharp as yours even with a magnifying glass. The area where the safety rotates probably doesn't show up in the image file, as distinctly as it actually is, there is a definite wear mark there. You have brought out some good areas to reference to though. I will definitely keep them in mind for any future buying sprees. I also notice with a bright light that you can see through the bluing to the metal, which also can be very meaningful, I just have to learn more about what I'm looking at. For what it's worth, both the '38-S/42 and the '40-42 have traces of white paint in the 'Gesichert' and they are both original finish. That's not say that paint was added at a later date, but from the looks of the finish on these two guns, I would doubt it.
Again, it's great to find such a well informed group of guys that are willing to share their knowledge and time. Thanks, a bunch, barr.
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