[ithacaartist]

Maybe I'm picking a nit... My take is that there is a difference between "marked with an X" and a pistol that's had its original serial numbers or proofs crudely obliterated by Xs. Unit markings on early pistols were canceled in the same way, and IIRC, Russian-captured Lugers that made their way into East German police service could sometimes have had original markings/numbers negated in other ways, and sometimes not at all? An X provides a clue, certainly, but its location and deduced purpose are as important clues as the grips, accompanying magazine, finish, commercial side plate, and replaced barrel.