[lugermom]

Hi all, here’s my second Luger. This one was a lot easier to describe than the 1914, partly because I finally figured out how to open the FAQ .pdf, partly because of your kind help, and partly because I found an ad for a near-identical pistol, and I used some of that wording… :^D

I put square brackets [] around anything that was in the ad copy that I wasn’t sure of, and regular parentheses () around my own questions.

Here goes-—take a look at the photos and tell me how I did! Also would appreciate your thoughts on value.


This is a 1938 pre-WWII German Luger pistol manufactured by the Mauser factory. (Was the factory in Oberndorf at this time, or somewhere else?)

These were the standard service pistols used by all German troops, Wehrmacht, SS, Luftwaffe and Navy forces during WWII. (correct?)

The chamber is dated "1938", and it has the secret wartime code of "S/42" for the Mauser factory on the front toggle.

The right side of the barrel extension, barrel and [left side of the breech block ](where exactly is the breech block? I sort of get it, but didn’t see a marking here, did I miss something?) have the droop wing eagle firing proofs and the Mauser factory "Eagle/63" acceptance proof. It has the "GESICHERT" safety. (The ad I found referred to something that said “geladen” which would mean “loaded” but I didn’t see this lettering. Does mine have it?)

It has the early salt blued metal finish on all the parts, and it is fitted with checkered walnut grips. The grips are not chipped.
(Question about grips—the right side grip doesn’t seem to fit the handle exactly—it bulges out in one spot at the top. Is this an indication that it has been replaced, or would this be within tolerance? I can post a photo if you need to see what I’m talking about.)


It is complete with a matching blued, [folded sheet metal?] magazine with an aluminum base. The number on the inside of the magazine is 122 (which I think is consistent with wartime manufacturing of Haenel Schmeisser magazines. Would there be other manufacturers doing the same thing at this time?)

The gun has matching serial numbers on all the parts including the magazine. The serial number is 70. (Does this mean it was the 70th one produced in the factory in 1938? Also, it looks like there’s a letter “L” on the frame but not the barrel. Would the serial number be 70 L?

(The magazine bears the serial number, which is 70, and a letter but it doesn’t have the eagle and 63 on it. Is that unusual? I couldn’t find that exact configuration in Tharpo’s excellent photos in the FAQ.)

(unlike my 1914, the steel source and batch number of the steel are not marked on this pistol, so Sheepherder will not have to explain THAT again, which will probably come as a great relief to him. But the 8.82 which is the width of the bore, is marked. :^D)

Condition
Good (?) Excellent? Fair?, with ??? % of the original blue finish, edge and high spot wear overall, excellent blue on the front grip strap with some light thinning, and brown patina showing through on the rear grip strap. ??????

Note for those just tuning in--this gun came from Canada to me in the US after my Dad passed away--the neat little stamps in the magazine well are the marks that had to be put there in order for the gun to be imported.

Also note: the pistol looks darker grey in real life than in the photos. Being photographed on the grey background made it look a bit lighter than it actually is.