When was my Luger made?

Eddie · 03-11-2003, 06:55 PM

My Luger is a BYF 42, serial # 599k.Can anyone tell me what month my Luger was made ? Thanks Eddie.

Frank · 03-12-2003, 12:24 AM

Eddie, I would guess fairly late in the year (1942). Probably in the September - October time frame. Since there are no records available, except the total number produced, I estimate the month based on an average.

Silvereagle29 · 03-12-2003, 11:54 PM

Eddie
Can you figure it out? The first ones were in the no suffix of 1942 and the last ones in the - n - suffix of October 1942. So we have - ns, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, k, l, m, and n averaging about 9300 pistols per letter block due to transitions and number of pistols in the final - n - block. So, looks like 14 suffix letters times 9300 divided by 10 (October). Where does your - K - suffix pistol fit? Good Luck and tell me what you come up with. Off the top of my head, I might guess early August 1942.

Edward Tinker · 03-13-2003, 01:32 AM

Don, this the normal of what I have always heard:

Lugers were made in blocks of 10,000 (disagreement on the forum on whether the guns went from 1-10,000 or 1-9999), then they start over at 1, so 1, 2, 3, ... 9999, 1a, 2a,3a, etc.

So, I am unsure of what you mean by 9300?

Edward

Frank · 03-13-2003, 10:37 AM

I have used Still's Third Reich Lugers as a reference. The production of Lugers ceased in November of 1942. The German Military Contract spanned the suffix range from no suffix to just into the M-Block, thus 12 Blocks of 10,000 (I'm not counting the M-Block). Add another 10,000 for the Portuguese and Bulgarian Contracts (M-Block, just into the N-Block) and that makes a total of 130,000 Lugers (Still claims 123,000 - don't forget the byf 41 Lugers in the ns, a and b Blocks). It is unclear if the entire production of Lugers ceased in November, or just the German Military, since Lugers and Luger parts manufacture continued until late 1944.

If we count only the German Contract completed in October, then the pistol (599k) came off the assembly line about mid September. If we count all the byf 42 contracts being completed in October, then the pistol was finished in the first third of August.

Now having said all this, I have based my calculations on an average number produced every month, which is probably not correct. I feel that the calculated production date is only approximate and to pin it down to a certain day or even part of a month is really stretching the statistics. That is, unless one has a much better crystal ball than I have.

03-11-2003, 06:55 PM	#1
Eddie User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	When was my Luger made? My Luger is a BYF 42, serial # 599k.Can anyone tell me what month my Luger was made ? Thanks Eddie.

03-13-2003, 01:32 AM	#4
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,974 Thanks: 2,072 Thanked 4,607 Times in 2,123 Posts	Don, this the normal of what I have always heard: Lugers were made in blocks of 10,000 (disagreement on the forum on whether the guns went from 1-10,000 or 1-9999), then they start over at 1, so 1, 2, 3, ... 9999, 1a, 2a,3a, etc. So, I am unsure of what you mean by 9300? Edward __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

03-12-2003, 12:24 AM	#2
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	Eddie, I would guess fairly late in the year (1942). Probably in the September - October time frame. Since there are no records available, except the total number produced, I estimate the month based on an average.

03-12-2003, 11:54 PM	#3
Silvereagle29 User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Washington State Posts: 105 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Eddie Can you figure it out? The first ones were in the no suffix of 1942 and the last ones in the - n - suffix of October 1942. So we have - ns, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, k, l, m, and n averaging about 9300 pistols per letter block due to transitions and number of pistols in the final - n - block. So, looks like 14 suffix letters times 9300 divided by 10 (October). Where does your - K - suffix pistol fit? Good Luck and tell me what you come up with. Off the top of my head, I might guess early August 1942.

03-13-2003, 10:37 AM	#5
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	I have used Still's Third Reich Lugers as a reference. The production of Lugers ceased in November of 1942. The German Military Contract spanned the suffix range from no suffix to just into the M-Block, thus 12 Blocks of 10,000 (I'm not counting the M-Block). Add another 10,000 for the Portuguese and Bulgarian Contracts (M-Block, just into the N-Block) and that makes a total of 130,000 Lugers (Still claims 123,000 - don't forget the byf 41 Lugers in the ns, a and b Blocks). It is unclear if the entire production of Lugers ceased in November, or just the German Military, since Lugers and Luger parts manufacture continued until late 1944. If we count only the German Contract completed in October, then the pistol (599k) came off the assembly line about mid September. If we count all the byf 42 contracts being completed in October, then the pistol was finished in the first third of August. Now having said all this, I have based my calculations on an average number produced every month, which is probably not correct. I feel that the calculated production date is only approximate and to pin it down to a certain day or even part of a month is really stretching the statistics. That is, unless one has a much better crystal ball than I have.