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MauserLugers · 08-19-2002, 02:35 AM

G.W.,
Thanks for the vote of confidence! Since you apparently do not feel I am informed or one of the members to listen to, I doubt you will put any value on my answer to your or th's question, but I will try to answer it anyway.

Jan Still called me this evening to visit about what has been happening on the forum with all the incorrect answers, and there are a lot of questions being answered wrong. The main thing is making excuses to justify things.

In regard to your question about the Luger grips of late war manufacture, they were just as I stated ealier. Namely, the byf 42's were almost always numbered with the last two digits and had the E/135 proof. A few just had the E/135 proof only. The exception would be to find a completely blank pair at this time. It is possible, -- yes -- but not many. I had byf 42 1766 H at one time with wood grips, 66 inside and an E/135.

As mentioned ealier, each year and variation has different grip markings and has to be considered seperately. For instance, the 1936 S/42's are mostly blank with a very few numbered with the last two digits. The 1939 42's are mostly blank or blank with a E/655, and again very few are numbered to the gun. The 1939 S/42 are almost all numbered to the gun. So each year and variation have there own characteristics and you can not just lump them all together with a general conclusion. Why is it that some are numbered and some are only proofed and still others are completely blank? -- I have no answer and I doubt that anyone does, but the recorded facts are the facts. One explanation would be that the Lugers were assembled in certain batches of say 100 or so and that worker or inspector marked his and others did not. That is only a guess. I have well over 100 Mauser military Lugers and there are certain patterns that can be followed.

The end of Luger production had nothing what so ever to do with blank grips on military models, as there was a contract and inspectors and a certain standard that had to be met. 1942 was not the end of the war, but only the end of Luger production. The Germans were very strict on standards and the quality of fit on the byf 42's is still very good as they were hand fitted to that specific Luger. There are certain guides, or rules, or characteristics that we as collectors have to go by and we know this by looking at examples and recording what we see. You can make excuses for just about anything and say that there are exceptions to every rule, but we as collectors can not do that. Things are a certain way and if they vary from that certain known way, then one has to be leary. In this case, it would be the exception to have a byf 42 with completly blank wood grips. It would be the exception to have a rear connecting pin that was blank. It would be the exception for the holdopen or firing pin to be blank. One can make excuses for all of them being that way as they came directly from the vet, but they are still not as found on as issued variations. And recorded information on original as issued Lugers and rigs is how we learn what went where and what went with what, and leads to books being published.

On the particular byf 42 discussed in the beginning of this thread, I would guess that if they are the original grips that you will find a very faint E/135 on the inside of the grips. These are sometimes very, very hard to see and you need a glass to find them.

Hope this helps you understand the Lugers grips somewhat better. Good collecting.

08-19-2002, 02:35 AM	#31
MauserLugers User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Philipsburg, Montana 59858 Posts: 250 Thanks: 0 Thanked 8 Times in 1 Post	G.W., Thanks for the vote of confidence! Since you apparently do not feel I am informed or one of the members to listen to, I doubt you will put any value on my answer to your or th's question, but I will try to answer it anyway. Jan Still called me this evening to visit about what has been happening on the forum with all the incorrect answers, and there are a lot of questions being answered wrong. The main thing is making excuses to justify things. In regard to your question about the Luger grips of late war manufacture, they were just as I stated ealier. Namely, the byf 42's were almost always numbered with the last two digits and had the E/135 proof. A few just had the E/135 proof only. The exception would be to find a completely blank pair at this time. It is possible, -- yes -- but not many. I had byf 42 1766 H at one time with wood grips, 66 inside and an E/135. As mentioned ealier, each year and variation has different grip markings and has to be considered seperately. For instance, the 1936 S/42's are mostly blank with a very few numbered with the last two digits. The 1939 42's are mostly blank or blank with a E/655, and again very few are numbered to the gun. The 1939 S/42 are almost all numbered to the gun. So each year and variation have there own characteristics and you can not just lump them all together with a general conclusion. Why is it that some are numbered and some are only proofed and still others are completely blank? -- I have no answer and I doubt that anyone does, but the recorded facts are the facts. One explanation would be that the Lugers were assembled in certain batches of say 100 or so and that worker or inspector marked his and others did not. That is only a guess. I have well over 100 Mauser military Lugers and there are certain patterns that can be followed. The end of Luger production had nothing what so ever to do with blank grips on military models, as there was a contract and inspectors and a certain standard that had to be met. 1942 was not the end of the war, but only the end of Luger production. The Germans were very strict on standards and the quality of fit on the byf 42's is still very good as they were hand fitted to that specific Luger. There are certain guides, or rules, or characteristics that we as collectors have to go by and we know this by looking at examples and recording what we see. You can make excuses for just about anything and say that there are exceptions to every rule, but we as collectors can not do that. Things are a certain way and if they vary from that certain known way, then one has to be leary. In this case, it would be the exception to have a byf 42 with completly blank wood grips. It would be the exception to have a rear connecting pin that was blank. It would be the exception for the holdopen or firing pin to be blank. One can make excuses for all of them being that way as they came directly from the vet, but they are still not as found on as issued variations. And recorded information on original as issued Lugers and rigs is how we learn what went where and what went with what, and leads to books being published. On the particular byf 42 discussed in the beginning of this thread, I would guess that if they are the original grips that you will find a very faint E/135 on the inside of the grips. These are sometimes very, very hard to see and you need a glass to find them. Hope this helps you understand the Lugers grips somewhat better. Good collecting.