Mauser Grips

Mike · 02-14-2012, 08:54 PM

Hi, new member here. I have just gotten started in collecting by purchasing my first luger. A 1940 42 655 stamp Mauser ser#3881a all matching numbers with one matching mag. I just recently fired it, and upon stripping it down for cleaning found all numbers do match with one exception. The grips, which are wooden, have no numbers stamped on them. I have read where they will have either the last 2 numbers, as everthing else does,, or the 655 stamp. I have also heard that some have no markings on them at all. The only thing i see is what looks like a "W" or possibly an "M' on one of them. Is it true some are not stamped at all??? They appear to be as old as the gun and look just like all the other grips I have looked at on the guns i was looing at before I purchased this one. Any help, thoughts or ideas would greatly be appreciated. Thanks,,, Mike

Norme · 02-14-2012, 11:06 PM

Hi Mike, Welcome to the forum! Grip numbering at Mauser was erratic, some years they did, some years they didn't, and some years they did both. You find original grips with large numbers, small numbers, no numbers and inspection marks like SE/655. If the condition of the grips on your 1940 42 is consistent with the rest of the gun, they're probably original. Regards, Norm

Mike · 02-15-2012, 08:28 AM

Thanks Norm. Puts my mind at ease now. Thanks, Mike

FNorm · 02-15-2012, 02:03 PM

Also the E/655 or E/135 can be VERY small. I thought I had unmarked grips until I got out a 10X glass.

FN

freshy · 06-16-2012, 05:09 PM

mine has a K with a sun stamped on the both insides

Frank · 06-17-2012, 11:00 AM

Mike, Welcome. While most of the late 1939 Military Mausers didn't have numbered grips, I believe that grip numbering began again in 1940. I think that your Luger left the plant with numbered grips.

Norme · 06-17-2012, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank

Mike, Welcome. While most of the late 1939 Military Mausers didn't have numbered grips, I believe that grip numbering began again in 1940. I think that your Luger left the plant with numbered grips.

I don't know, Frank. Here's a near mint 1940 42 (with matching mag) that has unnumbered grips marked SE/655. I have no reason to believe that they are replacements. Regards, Norm

Frank · 06-17-2012, 08:41 PM

Norm, nice Luger. It's very difficult to know for sure. There are many instances of replacement grips on Lugers. Who knows for sure where and when any grips were replaced and by whom.

There are groups of Lugers that had MOSTLY numbered grips and the rest had MOSTLY unnumbered grips. That is from the present data.

Most, if not all, 1940 Lugers had numbered grips when they left the factory IMHO

Regards, Frank

dsk · 06-17-2012, 11:00 PM

The ones on my 1940 S42 are not numbered either:

02-14-2012, 08:54 PM	#1
Mike New User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Easton PA Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Mauser Grips Hi, new member here. I have just gotten started in collecting by purchasing my first luger. A 1940 42 655 stamp Mauser ser#3881a all matching numbers with one matching mag. I just recently fired it, and upon stripping it down for cleaning found all numbers do match with one exception. The grips, which are wooden, have no numbers stamped on them. I have read where they will have either the last 2 numbers, as everthing else does,, or the 655 stamp. I have also heard that some have no markings on them at all. The only thing i see is what looks like a "W" or possibly an "M' on one of them. Is it true some are not stamped at all??? They appear to be as old as the gun and look just like all the other grips I have looked at on the guns i was looing at before I purchased this one. Any help, thoughts or ideas would greatly be appreciated. Thanks,,, Mike

02-14-2012, 11:06 PM	#2
Norme Always A Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,417 Thanks: 226 Thanked 2,607 Times in 933 Posts	Hi Mike, Welcome to the forum! Grip numbering at Mauser was erratic, some years they did, some years they didn't, and some years they did both. You find original grips with large numbers, small numbers, no numbers and inspection marks like SE/655. If the condition of the grips on your 1940 42 is consistent with the rest of the gun, they're probably original. Regards, Norm

02-15-2012, 08:28 AM	#3
Mike New User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Easton PA Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks Norm. Puts my mind at ease now. Thanks, Mike

02-15-2012, 02:03 PM	#4
FNorm Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 978 Thanks: 68 Thanked 127 Times in 108 Posts	Also the E/655 or E/135 can be VERY small. I thought I had unmarked grips until I got out a 10X glass. FN

06-16-2012, 05:09 PM	#5
freshy User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 10 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	mine has a K with a sun stamped on the both insides

06-17-2012, 11:00 AM	#6
Frank RIP Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hot & Dry PHX, AZ Posts: 2,078 Thanks: 24 Thanked 164 Times in 87 Posts	Mike, Welcome. While most of the late 1939 Military Mausers didn't have numbered grips, I believe that grip numbering began again in 1940. I think that your Luger left the plant with numbered grips.

06-17-2012, 08:41 PM	#8
Frank RIP Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hot & Dry PHX, AZ Posts: 2,078 Thanks: 24 Thanked 164 Times in 87 Posts	Norm, nice Luger. It's very difficult to know for sure. There are many instances of replacement grips on Lugers. Who knows for sure where and when any grips were replaced and by whom. There are groups of Lugers that had MOSTLY numbered grips and the rest had MOSTLY unnumbered grips. That is from the present data. Most, if not all, 1940 Lugers had numbered grips when they left the factory IMHO Regards, Frank

06-17-2012, 11:00 PM	#9
dsk User Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 5 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The ones on my 1940 S42 are not numbered either: