Chuck,
* Thanks for your extended exam and further info. The pictures are a good start.
* By the numbers:
(1) If you're having withdrawal pains, I have a mint AKAI reel to reel I picked up directly in Japan in 1968. I know just what I'll ask for in trade !!
(2) Close enough. Correct 100mm length commonly called a 4" barrel.
(3) Good, Good. Fits exactly in the "K" Navy range of roughly 1900ns-2500ns. The upper left side location is referred to as on the front
receiver. Jan Still's Vol.3,
Third Reich Lugers has recorded 13 between 1934ns-2439ns on Pg. 106. Number has at least grown to 17 with yours being the 18th I've been exposed to.
(4) 8,82 is the actual bore diam. of this barrel in millimeters (8.82mm) as precision measured @ Mauser.
(5) The mix of Script and Gothic "S" and the S/N are correct for a "Sub-variation 2-"K" date" (collector's term) . These appeared roughly in the 1700ns-5250ns range. Generally speaking: Scriptic before; essentially Gothic after. There is a 4th S/Var wherein the small parts "S" disappeared. The Navy markings further differentiate this into being called a "K date Navy". Agreeable placements noted.
(6) As above, this O.1768 number fits within the tight region of known example Kiel Property Numbers. Good, Good!! Range of known Ostsee #'s I've recorded are O.1747 to O.2079.
(7) Agreeable placements noted. "43", as you know, is the last 2 digits of the S/N. You'll find some more in time. Have you "field strip" disassembled to see if the firing pin and the hold-open are also S/N'd?? Matching?? Tech section instructions, posts and threads will help if this is a new venture for you..
(8) As per my earlier post. "K"=1934.
(9) Jan's book has a picture of S/N 2044(O.1814) on Pg. 23, Fig. 3g with this E/M(3rd style) Naval Acceptance mark in this same location on the left frame panel. Noticed yours is filled with highlighter white. You do that or did it come that way?
(10) German "Geladen" = Approximately translates to "Loaded" in English.
(11) Per previous post - Mauser's plant code. The "S" is scriptic as it should be for this S/Var. Parenthetically, the first 3 S/Var. had the scriptic "S" in S/42 & Gothic "S" in the 4th S/Var.
(12) Rt. Bbl & Rt Rcvr - Rt most is the 1st Style Droop Eagle(d/E)Test Proof. Also should appear on the left side of the "knuckle" of the breech block (forward link of the three). All "K" date Navies exhibit the double O37 O37 early Waffenampt Inspector acceptance stamps. This O37 appears on the right, aft of the barrel @ about 10-11 o'clock. Good, Good.
(13) Mag #1 is a code 122 (Haenel Mfg.) accepted by Inspector stick Eagle 37(sE/37). Parenthetically, IMHO the 1st sE37 acceptance was mag dimensional/material acceptance to Spec.; the 2nd was functional & assembly acceptance. 7892m is the S/N of a byf'41 P.08 to which it was matched. The Haenel mags were an improved strength "extruded tube" with zig-zag spring mag over the earlier Type I Mauser Military mag of folded & crimped tin colored, coiled spring sheet metal mag.
(14) Mag #2 is also Haenel, the code changed to the letters "fxo" Mfg. code in '41. This also would be found in a later byf'41 or byf'42. An etched # on the side is not usually seen.
(15) Per previous post (L.Schultz). WaA400 accepted in 1939-1940 which fits your 1939 example.
(16) Whew!! Puff-Puff. Any capture papers?? Have you still the good fortune to ask the former owner or your friend for a notarized "story" about the history of this piece. "Who, What, When, Where,& How" was it captured and returned. Been a long time here in the States and it would be wonderful to add to the provenence of this example by recording a part of its history if at all possible.
(17) Onion is getting smaller. I think we all would like to study the pictures some for features/finish/etc. before going further. So far: Good-Good-Good. <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />
Respectfully,
WR