Ideas on a Luger mismatch

Olle · 01-03-2011, 10:29 PM

So I finally broke down and bought a Luger. Picked it up as a mismatched shooter, and it seems to be an older frame with wartime upper parts. I haven't found any manufacturer's marks on the frame, other than the serial number plus the ornate "B". The toggle is marked "byf" and the barrel extension is marked eagle 135, which should both be WWII Mauser (numbers don't match though). I assume that "42" is the year of manufacture for the barrel extension. Haven't shot it yet, but the barrel is nice and shiny with sharp rifling, everything seems to fit and move just fine and all the parts are in great shape. As a matter of fact, the frame looks almost like new and the barrel extension looks near new, even if the barrel has a little bit of freckling (I suspect that it has been cold blued). The side plate and the toggle assembly show some finish wear, but that's it. The magazine is a cheap aftermarket, and it also came with new presentation grips, finely handcrafted in a country far, far away and thick enough to last for generations to come (read: SARCO).

The plan was to restore it to a rust blued looker/shooter, but the upper parts are probably 25-30 years newer than the frame so it wouldn't look quite right to restore it as it is. I think the upper parts are a bit too nice to screw around with as well, so it would be interesting to know what I need to swap out to make it a period correct gun. It would aso be good with some input on the idea in general. I know my way through the gunsmithing shop fairly well, but the Luger is kind of different animal so I wouldn't even know where to start looking if something didn't work. So do I part it out and try again, do I try to restore it to period correct condition or should I just enjoy it as it is? Any comments or ideas will be greatly appreciated!

01-03-2011, 10:29 PM	#1
Olle User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,149 Thanks: 159 Thanked 664 Times in 318 Posts	Ideas on a Luger mismatch So I finally broke down and bought a Luger. Picked it up as a mismatched shooter, and it seems to be an older frame with wartime upper parts. I haven't found any manufacturer's marks on the frame, other than the serial number plus the ornate "B". The toggle is marked "byf" and the barrel extension is marked eagle 135, which should both be WWII Mauser (numbers don't match though). I assume that "42" is the year of manufacture for the barrel extension. Haven't shot it yet, but the barrel is nice and shiny with sharp rifling, everything seems to fit and move just fine and all the parts are in great shape. As a matter of fact, the frame looks almost like new and the barrel extension looks near new, even if the barrel has a little bit of freckling (I suspect that it has been cold blued). The side plate and the toggle assembly show some finish wear, but that's it. The magazine is a cheap aftermarket, and it also came with new presentation grips, finely handcrafted in a country far, far away and thick enough to last for generations to come (read: SARCO). The plan was to restore it to a rust blued looker/shooter, but the upper parts are probably 25-30 years newer than the frame so it wouldn't look quite right to restore it as it is. I think the upper parts are a bit too nice to screw around with as well, so it would be interesting to know what I need to swap out to make it a period correct gun. It would aso be good with some input on the idea in general. I know my way through the gunsmithing shop fairly well, but the Luger is kind of different animal so I wouldn't even know where to start looking if something didn't work. So do I part it out and try again, do I try to restore it to period correct condition or should I just enjoy it as it is? Any comments or ideas will be greatly appreciated!