Eric,
Now you have me wondering... I've noticed this aspect of my Lugers, too. It is definitely a sign of usage. But what I wonder is if this pattern can show lots of use of the gun by a large, deep spot from being hammered by the rear toggle, but could also look this way if the gun had been fired with ammo that was on the heavy side--bullets, grains of charge, kind of powder, etc., making a mark that, through limited actual 'use', could ,make the gun look as though it has had a lot of use. The inner 'ears' in the back of the receiver, and an area which could be contacted by the firing pin retainer's head when overpowered or heavy rounds have been fired, are also a couple other places to check for wear. (A tip of the hat to Gerard Henrotin, who pointed this out in his great little e-book, Luger Function.)
Hey, have there been any of those feral pythons reported near your area? Hoping for more back lawn wildlife shots from you!
David Parker
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