New collector, New gun, and odd grips!

[byf42]

I am new to this wonderful world of Lugers, and I recently found my second addition to the collection. I hope someone can help with questions regarding this BYF42. I purchased from a veteran's estate sale and obtained the capture certificate, the customs declaration, the brown leather holster, 2 FXO black plastic bottom mags, and a set of wood grips. Now that I have rambled here is the part which puzzles me: The gun has clear plastic handmade grips. The safety side has a piece of red cloth under the grip with a picture of an attractive female on top of that. Obviously you can see her through the grip. The other side is just transparent to see the inner working of the grip. I was told by someone that it appeared to made from an airplane canopy. Also in the holster was a green cloth with german type on it, and the date 1940.(the holster is 1940). I was told by the family that the vet told them he took the gun and holster off of the german and in the german's personal belongings found the wood grips. Is there anyway to find out if they are indeed made from an airplane canopy, and was there such a thing as a "cleaning cloth" issued with either the holster or the gun? I am going to try to post the pics, but the key word there is try... P.S. I am afraid to remove that grip side with the picture for fear of destroying the picture and forever altering the "uniqueness" of the gun....

[byf42]

Ok, the whole picture thing got me down and wollered me in the mud. I give up. Can e-mail those intersted. thanks

[John Sabato]

Welcome to the Lugerforum.

Please email your photographs to the official Lugerforum address:

lugerforum@yahoo.com

and I will be glad to post them for you.

Did you try to follow the photo upload tutorial that is the first line in the Site Help & Feedback forum...

Most members have learned to post photos using this tutorial...

Most of these plexiglas Luger grips that were added by GI's to their war trophies came from aircraft canopies... They are a unique type of warfare "art" and the fact that you have the original wood grips and the rest of the original accessories is really great.

Congrat's on your acquisition.

[John Sabato]

First two photos have been received... please send a photo of the right side of the pistol and I will post all three...

Thanks...

[Lugerdoc]

BYF42, I've run into these plexiglass grips with photos inside on several types of Nazi era pistols (Radoms, FNHPs, FN22s, etc. I think that they were added during the war by the German soliders to replace damaged or ill fitting wood grips (yours should probably have the last two digits of the serial stamped inside, if original to this pistol) but I doubt that they were made from "aircraft canopies" which would be much thicker. Probably from scrap shipping containers of some type. TH

[John Sabato]

Here are the photographs as received from byf42â?¦click on the image to see the photo full size:

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips1.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips1.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips2.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips2.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips3.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips3.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips4.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips4.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips5.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips5.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips6.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/cleargrips6.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Admin Note: In the first two images, the photograph was slightly "airbrushed" because of the absence of clothing... Remember this forum is rated "G"

[policeluger]

Is that a 6" holster?

[John Sabato]

That is definitely a holster for a 4" barrel...

[Ron Wood]

That is a fine looking rig. Great purchase! Any chance of getting a close-up photo of the writing on the green cloth? I would like to enlarge it, do a bit of fiddling with the color and contrast to see if I can make it readable enough to translate it.

[Roadkill]

Very nice, based on the few words I can make out the green cloth is a first aid wrapping which has been treated against infections, specifically says which side is to be placed against the wound.
A better photo however might prove me incorrect but it is a first aid bandage.

rk

[byf42]

Thank you very much for the help and the feedback. What a great forum. As a new member, and new luger collector its great to have this type of interaction. Thanks again.
I am going to take the cloth to the german teacher at the high school where I teach part-time and see what she has to say. The funny thing is that the cloth was wadded up in the muzzle end of the holster and actually made the gun ride higher in the holster than my 42 black widow did. Neat discovery.
Thanks again,
M. Holt

[lugercollector]

I have seen several Holsters with cloth stuffed in the bottom to make the gun sit higher up(more accessible??)....could have been common practice back then!!

[Edward Tinker]

Although the Luger doesn't move too freely in the holster, we used to sometimes put cloth for two purposes in magazine pouches;

1. As something to clean / wipe the gun / magazines

2. Hold it so it doesn't make any extra noise

The last item you guys said, to hold the weapon a bit higher for easy access makes sense also.

Ed

[lugerholsterrepair]

I believe this modification of the grips is of American design. Americans are famous for this type of modification. I cannot believe a German Soldier would do this for many reasons. One of which is the strict dicipline in the German Army concerning the modification of a combat weapon or any personal issue equiptment. It would not be tolerated if seen by any German NCO or Officer.The original grips on the pistol above certainly do not need replacing...nor are they damaged.

During every war the American Army has fought it is common for Soldiers to draw on and modify all sorts of issue military equiptment. Some REtypes had much time on their hands to do this sort of thing. In the unit I was in, it was a common pastime to draw on your helmet cover. If we had possesed any other materials than a ballpoint pen we might have been more decorative...

I speculate on this subject as I have no hard facts, only conjecture.But, bare breasted women on pistol grips? What could be more American!

As for cloth wadded up in the toe of German Luger holsters, it is very common. I open up many Luger holsters to work on them and I find a cloth in the toe of at least 15% of the holsters. I have never been lucky enough to find anything other than old clothing, nothing written. Jerry Burney

[byf42]

lugerholsterrepair your opinion sounds like a very sound one. From every thing I have read about the third reich it also seems to me that this type of thing would not be tolerated.

The cloth in the bottom was very oily, and greasy. When cleaned the writing was discovered. I am going to take it to the local German teacher at the high school and see if she can decipher it.

[G.W. Gill]

I have pulled out old bandages out of the bottom of several holsters. It must have been the thing to do for them.

[lugercollector]

I have also noticed that some Luger Holsters are substantially larger than others....to the point that the gun is quite loose inside....can post some comparison photos if anyone is interested...Peter..

[Edward Tinker]

Peter, do so, starting a new thread, this might be interesting!

I have seen pictures of how some are "thicker" than other holsters also?

So many makers, so many time periods.

Ed

[Pete Ebbink]

Could the small rag at the bottom of the holster also be intended to "catch" any excessive gun/barrel oil that might continue to drip out of the muzzle of the luger, once placed back inside the holster. This would serve to catch the oil and not let it soak into the bottom of the leather...just a WAG...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

[John Sabato]

that would be my guess Pete... and in the field, you could pull out the oily rag and use it to wipe your pistol down for daily maintenance...