New member seeking info on 1942 byf 9mm Luger

[Mello2u]

Hello,

This was my father's Luger which he brought back from over seas after WWII. 4423c bore 8,82

Pictures below show that the numbers match. There are photos of the magazines; one with a wooden end, their 4 digit numbers do not match the Luger.

The holster has the tool and on the reverse the date is 1936 and says Gebruder Klinge Dresden. Below the 1936 is some sort of bird symbol and WaA142 stamped into the leather.




















I am not interested so much in a fair market value as in learning how this handgun and the rest of the stuff compares to other military 1942 Lugers that you knowledgeable people have encountered. The grip panels/stock are a black plastic or rubber. I read something about a phenolic substance used for such a purpose. I believe these are the same stocks which were on the Luger when my father got it in Italy for 2 cartons of Camel cigarettes back in 1945.

I can find a little rust on the pistol, which I could not see inside, but in the sunlight my poor eyes finally saw it. There is some wear of the bluing.


Thanks in advance for your informative responses.

[Frank]

Mello, nice Luger!! It was completed about February 1942. The grips are made from a Bakelite (form of plastic) Material. The magazine should be a fxo type with a plastic un-numbered bottom. Neither of the magazines you show are correct for the pistol. In any case, still a nice pistol, congratulations!!

[Mello2u]

Thank you for the information. I'm assuming that the plastic (Bakelite Material) was a new material back in 1942 or 1943. I did not know that the Germans used that sort of material during the war. I thought the grips were a hard rubber sort of like the grips that came on the Colt 1873 SAA.

[alanint]

These grips are VALUABLE and should be treated as such. Many were swapped out for "better" wood grips but the fact is that these Bakelite grips are scarse and correctly identify the production era of the pistol.
Take good care of them.

[Mello2u]

alanint,

that is good to know about the grips. Thanks.

Is it a good idea or a bad idea to use Pecard Antique Leather Dressing to help care for the holster leather?

[alanint]

Go to the holster section and look among the stickies or use the search function for the best tips on leather care.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Mello..As Alanint says it might be wise to look over the many pages written about leather care. Pecard's is a sticky waxy petroleum goo that will make your holster tacky and attract dirt forever more. If you insist on using it..use it very sparingly. I think it's the worst crap on the Planet to put on a holster.
A better product is lanolin. Connolly's hide care is what I use in my leather shop. Just great stuff.
Nice rig by the way..
Bakalite was an early plastic with a very interesting history. It is quite brittle though... hence the warnings to treat it gently.

Jerry Burney

[Mello2u]

lugerholsterrepair (Jerry Burney),

Thank you for the advice. I was so concerned with getting info on this gun and holster that I developed tunnel vision. Until today I did not look to see all the different sections of the forum.

It looks like Connolly Hide Food is the recommended product to care for Luger holsters, even ones that are over 70 years old. I was concerned with softening the rigid parts of the leather holster with oils.

[Mello2u]

Posted better images and more views.