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Unread 10-05-2003, 10:48 PM   #15
RockinWR
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Ed,
* Frank is correct for Mark's example above.
* Dr. Bob Van Mierop engaged a study in AutoMag during '93-'94. His hypothesis & initial results were posted in Issue XXVI, Pgs. 36 & 219. His conclusion was reported in the 6/94 issue, Pg. 66. After about 400 post 1933 Mauser's examined, the bottom line goes as follows:
- "S/42-K, S/42-G, & S/42-1936 pistols, in general do not have Inside Side Plate Numbers(ISPN's). In S/42-1937 & S/42-1938 pistols the ISPN consists of the first one (if the s/n is 3 digits) or two (if the s/n is 4 digits) of the s/n. After that (S/42-1939 to byf-42) it consists of the 1st one or two digits +1, ie; 23 instead of 22 if the s/n is 22xx. In pistols with s/n's of one or two digits, it is 1 (ie, they fall within the first 100 pistols of the block letter) and with s/n 99xx the ISPN is 00(not 100). Since, curiously, I don't have any record of a 1 or 2 digit s/n in the earlier S/42-1937 and S/42-1938 group, I do not know what their ISPN would be. 0 or ??. The transitional range between no ISPN (or just a non specific single digit number in the horizontal position or a letter) and the ISPN first digit(s) is S/42-1936, 1937 m, n, o, p, q: a rather large 40000 pistol number group. 11 example pistols fall within this range; 6 have ISPN's, 5 do not, no particular pattern. After the q block ISPN's are quite consistently present, with very few exceptions."
* FWIW, in the byf '41 example above, I detect a script "x", two small numeral "2's", and the larger numeral "1". My guess, in "IMHO" only, is this sideplate had a dimensional problem initially and was "x" marked, was adjusted by factory workers and accepted by "2" with the rework possibly being in the areas stamped by this worker, and the ISPN #1 was placed on the sideplate's interior when it was finally fitted to pistol number "7" above. <img border="0" alt="[icon107]" title="" src="graemlins/icon107.gif" />
* A study of WWI and Weimar pistols was never formalized, as best as I can tell. There was a tangential post stating "...of eight (8) 1916-1918 LP.08's examined, the first two digits of the pistol's s/n was found on the inside of the respective sideplate. It was absent from a 1914 DWM, a 1914 Erfurt, and a 1915 DWM LP.08. Unlike the Mauser ISPN location on the interior vertical surface, the LP.08 location was on the horizontal flats, specifically in the recess area into which the trigger lever pin is rotated & locked into place." No further reports were noted to confirm this.

Mark,
* What a sweetheart of an example. Lucky "7" and a tight bore to boot. Wonder if the favored s/n kept it from going to Russia?? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

* Trust this all helps.
Respectfully,
Bob
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