BCC

Here again your comments are on target with what I have found to be the case, except one. I have found a fair amount of evidence most of it ancedotal, that officers were allowed to purchase military contract pistols....including Lugers. This was their choice, but seems to have been almost a standard practice in pre WWII Germany (and Imperial). These priviate purchases could be either from commercial or made available military contract. IF anyone has solid evidence that this is absolutly incorrect, I would be very interested in seeing it. By the way, I believe that this situation has little to do with various pins and insignia being put into/on pistol grips. It was never done at the factory or depot and I would say very rarely if ever by the German owner , whether he owned the pistol or was signed for on issue. In other words I agree with you that GI's went rampant doctoring up Lugers and everything they captured.