recently acquired luger

[Michael B]

I'm new to this forum and a new owner of a luger. I've been reading some of the discussion and it is obvious that everyone here has great knowledge of these guns. I have done some research on the luger which was owned by my father-in-law who is now deceased. My wife and I are attempting to display a small collection of WW2 items that her father obtained during his service in the army. We have some solid information from letter's he wrote to his wife, along with photographs as to where he was during the second world war. We also have his military issue rifle Springfield M1 along with some medals he was awarded.

My wife's father rarely spoke of his time spent overseas during the war but it did take it's toll as he would wake up from sleep screaming on a nightly basis, probably like many veterans of war. We know that he was at Dachau concentration camp when it was liberated because he acknowledged he had been there once after we revisited the site in 1999. We have recently acquired letters, photographs and documents that will help us piece all this together.

Among his belonging's which were left to my wife and I, was a brown leather holster containing a luger, two magazines and a tool. There was an additional item the family found which goes with the luger, a wood butt stock. This item is obviously made to slide in a rail at the lower rear frame / grip of the luger but until now none of the other family members knew what it was. I wasn't sure it was authentic because it looks new, with no markings I can see at all. The Luger appears to be in excellent shape with all the matching numbers stamped in the right places. After checking the forum out I realized that the two digit numbers stamped on several metal surfaces was the last two digits of the serial number and that the date stamp was 1937. Some of the moving pieces have a gold anodized look and the top of the Luger has a S/42 stamped in the metal. Compared to some of my guns, this thing is a work of art. Anyway, after that long winded story...I am attaching some photographs of the Luger, holster and attaching butt stock. I am primarily interested in what anyone thinks of the authenticity of the butt stock and what the markings mean on the back of the holster. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully everyone can see the photos.

I tried to send photos and they were too big, any ideas ?

[Ron Smith]

Hi Mike,

Good to have another North Westerner here. You have an early 1937 Mauser Luger. S/42 was a production code issued to Mauser. The "anodized" parts are refered to as "strawed" parts. Heat treated to a straw yellow color. This practice ceased in early 1937.

The butt stock is most likely an after market reproduction. Originals would have Imperial stamps and the metal attachment would have a number stamped on it. These stocks were issued only with WWI issue Artillery( 8" barreled) Lugers . 6" Navy Lugers were issued with a similar stock. It is not legal to attach one of these stocks to a 4" barreled Luger.

Hope this helps...

Ron

[Sieger]

Originally posted by Michael B
[B]My wife's father rarely spoke of his time spent overseas during the war but it did take it's toll as he would wake up from sleep screaming on a nightly basis, probably like many veterans of war. [B]

Hi Mike:

My father was in the 509th of the 82nd Airborne during WWII, the most decorated battalion in the history of the United States Army.

Combat soldiers rarely speak of their experiences during a war. It seems this time is isolated in their memories, only to be discussed among themselves, and rarely at that.

My Dad was troubled with anxiety most of his life.


Sieger