Novice needs help

[Dean]

My grandfather gave me a luger that he brought back from Germany in 1945. It is a S/42 date stamped 1939, the serial number is 61xx. All of the parts have the last two digits stamped on them except the locking bolt (it must have been repaired at one time). The proof markings match (or are close to) marking #45 on the technical sheets. It is stamped with an "O" on the front and has wooden grips. Under the safety it is stamped "GESICHERT". The blueing is about 85% retained and is missing on the "high points" of the gun, I guess from being in or being removed from a holster. My grandfather also gave me a belt with the buckle which is identified as a police buckle, which he obtained from the same person as the gun. My questions are: Is this in fact a police luger? Can firther research be done on the luger, such as finding who it was issued to by the serial number, or does such records exist? And finally, what would be the value of the luger? Thanks for your help.

[Joe]

Dean

For this Luger to be considered police issue, it would have to have a sear safety attached to it. All police Lugers were equipted with a sear safety. This bar, located on the top of the left frame, prevented an accidental discharge when this weapon was partly disassembled.

There is no way of telling to whom or to what unit a Luger was issued to from its serial number. Police Lugers issued before 1933 are often marked to the city or area, but this practice was discontinued when the police system was nationalized.

Most police Lugers were marked on the toggle with the Mauser logo. Military models have a 42 on the toggle.

If this was a police issue Luger there would be a single police acceptance mark, eagle with the letter C,K,L or F on the right upper frame. Military acceptance and proof marks, eagle 63 or 655 are also on the right side.

[bill m]

Hi Dean, Joe,

You need to include the letter suffix with the serial number of your Luger -- I take it this one is an "o", but was not sure. Usually the 1939 S/42's are found in the N, O, p, and Q letter blocks.


Since this is a Mauser made Luger -- S/42 tells you this, and a military model -- again, the S/42 and the right side acceptance marks tell's us this, it was first intended for military (army) use.


But... the police took Lugers out of the military runs and fitted them with a sear safety, usually numbered the magazine with a 1 or 2, and issued them with a police holster -- closure with a stud, not a buckle. These are usually NOT marked with a specific police proof, like an Eagle L. There are definite police contracts in the G-dates (1935), 1936 S/42's, 1939 S/42's, and the byf 41's, with a possibility of a police issued Luger in any of the other dates. The sear safety is the only indicator of a Police issue.


In your case, the 1939 S/42 police Lugers are almost always found scattered in between the 6000n and 9999n serial range. The magazines on these 1939 S/42 can be either the normal army magazine without a 1 or 2, or the normal army magazine with the 1 or 2. Normally there are no Police acceptance stamp on these on either the right or left side of the receiver, although it would be possible.


So, to answer your question, there are military Lugers that were issued to the police, but they would have to have a sear safety. Value is based on condition, all matching numbers, and correctness.