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mrerick · 07-10-2016, 08:43 AM

Now that it's more clear about your objective for posting this very unusual Luger, I can understand why a "shooter" class price was not very interesting. I also initially thought that the plate had been swapped, but now don't believe that is the case.

I don't think that Mauser gave less attention to fulfilling commercial contracts than military ones. The contracts were signed and had to be fulfilled. Commercial buyers had different and less sophisticated inspection procedures and standards.

August Weiss would have been responsible for fulfillment of production contracts. As with most Germans of this era they didn't waste anything. A source of older parts like Simson side plates would not be wasted - and probably would not have been used for a military contract.

Assembly procedures at Mauser are known to some degree. One area that has been well documented is they way that Mauser matched side plates to pistols. They numbered the plate inside with either the first 1 or 2 digits of the serial number, or the first digit(s) plus 1. On your pistol, you would expect to find the number "9" stamped inside the side plate and the number "63" on the outside.

You reported that inside the side plate you found the number "6". This could equally be the number "9" upside down. As that is the case, I think that this is evidence that you have a side plate fitted at the Mauser factory.

The HZA marked sear could be on the gun as the result of damage done to the original sear when the sear safety was installed. The number die digits don't look like Mauser dies. As this was done in a depot, and part of the history of the gun I don't think it detracts or adds to the value of the gun. I don't have details of the HZa locations or history.

The provision of strawed parts on a later commercial Luger is also not that unusual.

Finding a buyer at the price Ed estimated in his last post may be difficult since police Luger buyers are not so common. It might be worth talking with a dealer like Bob Simpson (with a "P") or Legacy Collectibles about consigning the gun for sale.

07-10-2016, 08:43 AM	#30
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,919 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,135 Times in 1,518 Posts	Now that it's more clear about your objective for posting this very unusual Luger, I can understand why a "shooter" class price was not very interesting. I also initially thought that the plate had been swapped, but now don't believe that is the case. I don't think that Mauser gave less attention to fulfilling commercial contracts than military ones. The contracts were signed and had to be fulfilled. Commercial buyers had different and less sophisticated inspection procedures and standards. August Weiss would have been responsible for fulfillment of production contracts. As with most Germans of this era they didn't waste anything. A source of older parts like Simson side plates would not be wasted - and probably would not have been used for a military contract. Assembly procedures at Mauser are known to some degree. One area that has been well documented is they way that Mauser matched side plates to pistols. They numbered the plate inside with either the first 1 or 2 digits of the serial number, or the first digit(s) plus 1. On your pistol, you would expect to find the number "9" stamped inside the side plate and the number "63" on the outside. You reported that inside the side plate you found the number "6". This could equally be the number "9" upside down. As that is the case, I think that this is evidence that you have a side plate fitted at the Mauser factory. The HZA marked sear could be on the gun as the result of damage done to the original sear when the sear safety was installed. The number die digits don't look like Mauser dies. As this was done in a depot, and part of the history of the gun I don't think it detracts or adds to the value of the gun. I don't have details of the HZa locations or history. The provision of strawed parts on a later commercial Luger is also not that unusual. Finding a buyer at the price Ed estimated in his last post may be difficult since police Luger buyers are not so common. It might be worth talking with a dealer like Bob Simpson (with a "P") or Legacy Collectibles about consigning the gun for sale. __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.