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mrerick · 06-09-2019, 09:45 AM

Yes, the correct legal serial number of your DWM Luger is "42b".

It's quite early in the third block of 10,000 military serialized pistols which start with "no suffix", then "a", then "b", etc...

You'll possibly find this confusing, but later during the 1930's and 1940's, "42" was one of the military concealment codes used by Mauser. For that reason, spare parts provided to the Wehrmacht by Mauser often had small "42" dies stamped into them to indicate the source of the part. This has nothing to do with the serial number of your pistol. The common way of matching fitted parts on a Luger is to use the last numeric digits of the serial number. That is why your pistol has "42" on several parts. You'll also find a large number of worker inspection die marks on interior surfaces of your pistol.

Your Luger has the "unrelieved sear" which is common for earlier military Luger pistols. The change to a relieved sear started happening in 1916.

Please get a copy of our extensive FAQ PDF document. Just follow the links at the top of every forum page.

Welcome to the forum.

Marc

06-09-2019, 09:45 AM	#8
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,925 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,139 Times in 1,520 Posts	Yes, the correct legal serial number of your DWM Luger is "42b". It's quite early in the third block of 10,000 military serialized pistols which start with "no suffix", then "a", then "b", etc... You'll possibly find this confusing, but later during the 1930's and 1940's, "42" was one of the military concealment codes used by Mauser. For that reason, spare parts provided to the Wehrmacht by Mauser often had small "42" dies stamped into them to indicate the source of the part. This has nothing to do with the serial number of your pistol. The common way of matching fitted parts on a Luger is to use the last numeric digits of the serial number. That is why your pistol has "42" on several parts. You'll also find a large number of worker inspection die marks on interior surfaces of your pistol. Your Luger has the "unrelieved sear" which is common for earlier military Luger pistols. The change to a relieved sear started happening in 1916. Please get a copy of our extensive FAQ PDF document. Just follow the links at the top of every forum page. Welcome to the forum. Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.