Question

[bill m]

Hi Tom,

There is a range of Lugers in the 600x to 1700x that are labeled Mauser Banner Military Lugers in most of the books. These are almost always dated 1940 - Have the Mauser Banner -- are drilled for the sear safety, but not added -- have 655 655 proofs on the right receiver but no test proof -- and have Eagle N proofs on the left receiver, breech, and barrel band. These are actually a Police contract as the ones known with a matching magazine all have a police magazine. Anyway -- there are a very, very few of these guns dated 1939 -- My understanding is that only 4 are known at this time, and none are pictured in any books with the 1939 date, only the 1940 date. Look at "Third Reich Lugers" page 140. Mauser drilled the hole for the sear safety at the factory, as they did for all of the police guns as the hole is blue inside, which would indicate that it was blued after the hole was drilled, just like the 1942 Banners that do not have the sear safety installed. These are a very interesting variation and the exact time of assembly is later than the dates as they have the Eagle N proof -- and all of the matching magazines are fxo's which would date them in the middle of 1941. The receivers were either left over's or rejects as they are not test proofed. I have seen the 1940 dated ones before, but never a 1939 and am really happy to have acquired this one as it is in about 97 percent original condition.