1937 S/42 Military Issue Mauser Firing Pin

tke466 · 11-11-2013, 09:48 PM

I'm new to collecting Lugers and it is a bit overwhelming. But I like a challenge and and enjoy the chase to the bottom of the rabbit hole!

I just purchased my first and it is a numbers matching piece except the firing pin and of course the mag. What is the story behind the unmarked firing pin and how much does this effect the value? Is there any chance at locating the correct pin marked #23? The blueing is great on the piece so hopefully I did well at $1600?

I'm a sponge and ready to soak up any knowledge offered up.

Great forum, btw....

Jeremy

DavidJayUden · 11-11-2013, 09:54 PM

Jeremy:
Welcome aboard!
The blank firing pin will hurt the value somewhat, but all is not lost. If you keep your eyes open you should be able to find the correctly numbered pin. Watch here, E-bay, Gunbroker, etc. Check with our LugerDoc.
Even if you have to buy a low end shooter, switch pins, and re-sell you will come out OK.
How about some pictures?
dju

tke466 · 11-11-2013, 10:41 PM

Thanks for the reply. I am still waiting for the gun to transfer. I had done some research before buying so hopefully I have done well for a first purchase.

Here are the pics from the posting.

Jeremy

tke466 · 11-11-2013, 10:44 PM

And more...

DavidJayUden · 11-11-2013, 10:55 PM

I think you done fine...
dju

ithacaartist · 11-11-2013, 11:36 PM

Looks great to me, too. The detailing of the finish on this seems very nice, I'm thinking because there wasn't so much of a rush building them in '37--not like later, anyway.

Zorba · 11-12-2013, 12:03 AM

I'm not an expert - having only recently purchased my first - but I'd say you did well. I paid about $250 more for one that is almost - but looks like not quite - as nice as yours. It does however, have a matching firing pin (which has been removed for safekeeping and a mis-match installed for shooting.).

Sergio Natali · 11-12-2013, 03:57 AM

First of all welcome to this site of LUGER enthusiasts.
You'll see that there is always a lot to learn, especially with Lugers.
For what I can see from the pictures you posted, firing pin apart it's quite a beautiful gun, well preserved, congratulations.

CJS57 · 11-12-2013, 09:12 AM

I am the seller of the gun. Thanks for all the good words. It is a very nice gun! A matching firing pin will come along on ebay eventually. The un-numbered pin could be forced matched easily, but that is cheating! That's why I didn't do it. I sold the gun because I found a similar 1937 2 matched mag "Rig" in even stronger condition. And then another 1937 with strawed parts variation showed up as well. Three 1937's were more than I needed so this one had to go! A great gun that came from a veteran's family to a local gun shop, but no history on it. To the purchaser: Thanks! And I think you will like it, I know I did! By the way this gun looks much better in person! The digital pictures show every little thing that you do not see in real life viewing.

ChannelIsles · 11-12-2013, 01:32 PM

Lovely late 1937 Luger - one to cherish. You did well in my opinion.

tke466 · 11-12-2013, 03:08 PM

@CJS57 Thanks for the info. When I posted the pictures I had thought to myself, I wonder if the seller is on this board. My father-in-law is actually signing for the gun. He told me that he had just bought a gun from you and even talked to you on the phone. Now, he has bought a few guns lately so he may be mistaken. At any rate if this is true he had all good things to say about you so thats why we bid on the gun. Now I just need to learn some more and find him a gun... at least that's what I have been tasked with.

pitsword · 11-13-2013, 07:11 PM

Good gnus for you and bad gnus for me.

I thimk you have the side plate from my '37 s42. mine is all matching except for the side plate that ended up on your Pistol. Und zo, I will trade you my sideplate, a bag of leftover Halloween candy, 3 bags of last years beef jerky and a partridge in the pear tree, iffin I kin git it. Nice find and well done Sir.

pitsword · 11-13-2013, 07:17 PM

WAIT a minute, How about my firing pin, jerky, candy, my side plate for your side plate. Not going to work, how about my firing pin for yours and an unmarked side plate an I keep the jerky and candy? Jus thimking.

tke466 · 11-13-2013, 10:47 PM

Hmmm... I'll ponder it... Ha

11-11-2013, 09:48 PM	#1
tke466 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	1937 S/42 Military Issue Mauser Firing Pin I'm new to collecting Lugers and it is a bit overwhelming. But I like a challenge and and enjoy the chase to the bottom of the rabbit hole! I just purchased my first and it is a numbers matching piece except the firing pin and of course the mag. What is the story behind the unmarked firing pin and how much does this effect the value? Is there any chance at locating the correct pin marked #23? The blueing is great on the piece so hopefully I did well at $1600? I'm a sponge and ready to soak up any knowledge offered up. Great forum, btw.... Jeremy

11-11-2013, 10:41 PM	#3
tke466 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the reply. I am still waiting for the gun to transfer. I had done some research before buying so hopefully I have done well for a first purchase. Here are the pics from the posting. Jeremy Attached Thumbnails Attached Images

11-11-2013, 10:44 PM	#4
tke466 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	And more... Attached Thumbnails Attached Images

11-11-2013, 11:36 PM	#6
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,346 Thanks: 7,277 Thanked 2,578 Times in 1,365 Posts	Looks great to me, too. The detailing of the finish on this seems very nice, I'm thinking because there wasn't so much of a rush building them in '37--not like later, anyway. __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894

11-12-2013, 03:57 AM	#8
Sergio Natali User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy Posts: 2,646 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts	First of all welcome to this site of LUGER enthusiasts. You'll see that there is always a lot to learn, especially with Lugers. For what I can see from the pictures you posted, firing pin apart it's quite a beautiful gun, well preserved, congratulations. __________________ "Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list.

11-11-2013, 09:54 PM	#2
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Jeremy: Welcome aboard! The blank firing pin will hurt the value somewhat, but all is not lost. If you keep your eyes open you should be able to find the correctly numbered pin. Watch here, E-bay, Gunbroker, etc. Check with our LugerDoc. Even if you have to buy a low end shooter, switch pins, and re-sell you will come out OK. How about some pictures? dju

11-11-2013, 10:55 PM	#5
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	I think you done fine... dju

11-12-2013, 12:03 AM	#7
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 527 Times in 290 Posts	I'm not an expert - having only recently purchased my first - but I'd say you did well. I paid about $250 more for one that is almost - but looks like not quite - as nice as yours. It does however, have a matching firing pin (which has been removed for safekeeping and a mis-match installed for shooting.).

11-12-2013, 09:12 AM	#9
CJS57 User Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 224 Thanks: 0 Thanked 81 Times in 41 Posts	I am the seller of the gun. Thanks for all the good words. It is a very nice gun! A matching firing pin will come along on ebay eventually. The un-numbered pin could be forced matched easily, but that is cheating! That's why I didn't do it. I sold the gun because I found a similar 1937 2 matched mag "Rig" in even stronger condition. And then another 1937 with strawed parts variation showed up as well. Three 1937's were more than I needed so this one had to go! A great gun that came from a veteran's family to a local gun shop, but no history on it. To the purchaser: Thanks! And I think you will like it, I know I did! By the way this gun looks much better in person! The digital pictures show every little thing that you do not see in real life viewing.

11-12-2013, 01:32 PM	#10
ChannelIsles User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Jersey Channel Islands Posts: 156 Thanks: 8 Thanked 33 Times in 16 Posts	S/42 1937 Lovely late 1937 Luger - one to cherish. You did well in my opinion.

11-12-2013, 03:08 PM	#11
tke466 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	@CJS57 Thanks for the info. When I posted the pictures I had thought to myself, I wonder if the seller is on this board. My father-in-law is actually signing for the gun. He told me that he had just bought a gun from you and even talked to you on the phone. Now, he has bought a few guns lately so he may be mistaken. At any rate if this is true he had all good things to say about you so thats why we bid on the gun. Now I just need to learn some more and find him a gun... at least that's what I have been tasked with.

11-13-2013, 07:11 PM	#12
pitsword User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 459 Thanks: 3,964 Thanked 103 Times in 83 Posts	Good gnus for you and bad gnus for me. I thimk you have the side plate from my '37 s42. mine is all matching except for the side plate that ended up on your Pistol. Und zo, I will trade you my sideplate, a bag of leftover Halloween candy, 3 bags of last years beef jerky and a partridge in the pear tree, iffin I kin git it. Nice find and well done Sir.

11-13-2013, 07:17 PM	#13
pitsword User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 459 Thanks: 3,964 Thanked 103 Times in 83 Posts	WAIT a minute, How about my firing pin, jerky, candy, my side plate for your side plate. Not going to work, how about my firing pin for yours and an unmarked side plate an I keep the jerky and candy? Jus thimking.

11-13-2013, 10:47 PM	#14
tke466 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hmmm... I'll ponder it... Ha