Matching Magazine

12-24-2001, 01:16 PM

Well, I not the first ask but, I am looking for a matching magazine for my 1939 S/42 Luger. I think the odds are high but not impossible. My serial number is 222??. Is there any hope?

Orv Reichert · 12-24-2001, 01:40 PM

Don Hallock has a data base on Lugers and Mags... It is only fair that you give him YOUR data, too, if you expect him to check for your guns mags????? his email address is:

eagle@micro-options.com

Also, just because the numbers match does not mean that it is the CORRECT mag for any gun with that number....right?

Orv Reichert

Big Norm · 12-24-2001, 03:01 PM

Orv is right. Don's list is a valuable list to look over and the price is small (I think only $10). I would like to ask everybody to try to contribute to Don's worthy efforts by submitting information on your spare or mismatched magazines to his list. He is a good guy.

Big Norm

lugerholsterrepair · 12-25-2001, 05:34 PM

Bruce, It would be a matching mag if the serial number matched and the suffix matched. The Germans made 10,000 and went back to number one again and made another 10,000. Actually probably 999 as most five digit serials are commercial and I don't recall ever seeing a pistol with a 10,000 number. Anyone else ever seen one? So many mags would technically match but would not be exact unless there were no letter suffix. Jerry Burney

12-26-2001, 11:32 AM

Jerry, A couple of things that you're forgeting re MATCHING luger mags: In addition to the number & suffix letter on the mag bottom, your also need the matching (to receiver) inspector's WaA in Mauser, KH, Simpson or Erfurt (Imperial crown over letter, in this case). Also the finish on the tube must be proper for the period and the type of bottom material (wood, aluminum or Zinc). In my opinion, their were only ever 2 military (possibly 3 for Police or Navy) ORIGINAL MAGAZINES made for any luger. Tom h

BILL · 12-26-2001, 01:28 PM

What are the proper time periods for the zinc vs. aluminum mag bottom? That is pretty obscure. Also, weren't all imperial era mag tubes tin plated sheet metal? I have seen some 'not so brilliant' WWI mags that were stripped of their exterior bluing (but not the inside) and fitted with an really authentic looking wood bottom. I assume an innocent collector who just wanted to make things appear matching (too much trouble for any other reason). The differnt magazines are a study all to itself. It would be interesting to see some commonly agreed to facts published that were detailed enough to clarify all the things that have been mentioned in this thread. All in all, from beginning to end of production, how many distinct varieties of magazine could be encountered?

Lonnie Zimmerman · 12-26-2001, 04:05 PM

Bill; all Imperial mags were plated and not blued with a wood bootom. I never knew they made zinc bottoms. Where did you get this info? Wood bottom mags were changed over to what I thought were aluminum bottoms in 1928/ Lonnie

BILL · 12-26-2001, 06:48 PM

Lonnie, my post is in response to the thread 'Matching Magazine'. I am quite sure that all WWI magazine tubes are sheet metal (two piece construction) with some kind of plating on them. I have heard it called nickel and also tin (with a few cad platings thrown in just to confuse us). I also have not knowningly seen a zinc bottom on a magazine but am responding to the previous post. Sometimes it is good to read them in context..makes the messages a little more clear.

12-28-2001, 06:59 PM

Well, it is very interesting to read the responses and thank you very much for opinions and information.

It would seem to me that for all the years of of the aluminum bottom magazine, for example, and considering the numbering system acepted by most that ther are about 2 to 3 magazines incuding spares for each year for each number. To be closer to the correct magazine it should have the correct "Waffenampt" stamp.

As of this posting, I have not heard back from Don Hallock. So I guess I am wondering what would I be purchasing from his list if the magazine had the correct serial number and letter and "Waffenampt"?

12-24-2001, 01:16 PM	#1
Bruce Guest Posts: n/a	Matching Magazine Well, I not the first ask but, I am looking for a matching magazine for my 1939 S/42 Luger. I think the odds are high but not impossible. My serial number is 222??. Is there any hope?

12-24-2001, 01:40 PM	#2
Orv Reichert RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SW Washington State Posts: 339 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Matching Magazine Don Hallock has a data base on Lugers and Mags... It is only fair that you give him YOUR data, too, if you expect him to check for your guns mags????? his email address is: eagle@micro-options.com Also, just because the numbers match does not mean that it is the CORRECT mag for any gun with that number....right? Orv Reichert

12-24-2001, 03:01 PM	#3
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Matching Magazine Orv is right. Don's list is a valuable list to look over and the price is small (I think only $10). I would like to ask everybody to try to contribute to Don's worthy efforts by submitting information on your spare or mismatched magazines to his list. He is a good guy. Big Norm

12-25-2001, 05:34 PM	#4
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,133 Times in 1,439 Posts	Re: Matching Magazine Bruce, It would be a matching mag if the serial number matched and the suffix matched. The Germans made 10,000 and went back to number one again and made another 10,000. Actually probably 999 as most five digit serials are commercial and I don't recall ever seeing a pistol with a 10,000 number. Anyone else ever seen one? So many mags would technically match but would not be exact unless there were no letter suffix. Jerry Burney

12-26-2001, 11:32 AM	#5
Tom Heller Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Matching Magazine Jerry, A couple of things that you're forgeting re MATCHING luger mags: In addition to the number & suffix letter on the mag bottom, your also need the matching (to receiver) inspector's WaA in Mauser, KH, Simpson or Erfurt (Imperial crown over letter, in this case). Also the finish on the tube must be proper for the period and the type of bottom material (wood, aluminum or Zinc). In my opinion, their were only ever 2 military (possibly 3 for Police or Navy) ORIGINAL MAGAZINES made for any luger. Tom h

12-26-2001, 01:28 PM	#6
BILL User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Western Washington Posts: 826 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Matching Magazine What are the proper time periods for the zinc vs. aluminum mag bottom? That is pretty obscure. Also, weren't all imperial era mag tubes tin plated sheet metal? I have seen some 'not so brilliant' WWI mags that were stripped of their exterior bluing (but not the inside) and fitted with an really authentic looking wood bottom. I assume an innocent collector who just wanted to make things appear matching (too much trouble for any other reason). The differnt magazines are a study all to itself. It would be interesting to see some commonly agreed to facts published that were detailed enough to clarify all the things that have been mentioned in this thread. All in all, from beginning to end of production, how many distinct varieties of magazine could be encountered?

12-26-2001, 04:05 PM	#7
Lonnie Zimmerman User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 523 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Matching Magazine Bill; all Imperial mags were plated and not blued with a wood bootom. I never knew they made zinc bottoms. Where did you get this info? Wood bottom mags were changed over to what I thought were aluminum bottoms in 1928/ Lonnie

12-26-2001, 06:48 PM	#8
BILL User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Western Washington Posts: 826 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Matching Magazine Lonnie, my post is in response to the thread 'Matching Magazine'. I am quite sure that all WWI magazine tubes are sheet metal (two piece construction) with some kind of plating on them. I have heard it called nickel and also tin (with a few cad platings thrown in just to confuse us). I also have not knowningly seen a zinc bottom on a magazine but am responding to the previous post. Sometimes it is good to read them in context..makes the messages a little more clear.

12-28-2001, 06:59 PM	#9
Bruce Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Matching Magazine Well, it is very interesting to read the responses and thank you very much for opinions and information. It would seem to me that for all the years of of the aluminum bottom magazine, for example, and considering the numbering system acepted by most that ther are about 2 to 3 magazines incuding spares for each year for each number. To be closer to the correct magazine it should have the correct "Waffenampt" stamp. As of this posting, I have not heard back from Don Hallock. So I guess I am wondering what would I be purchasing from his list if the magazine had the correct serial number and letter and "Waffenampt"?