Miss HSc 703857 - i am stunned...3 cuts on grip plate???

[Gebirg]

Great thanks alanint, i like BW photo also somtimes...

[kubel]

I sincerely doubt those are "kill" marks. Pistols were issued primarily for self defense, not as an offensive weapon such as a sniper rifle. Besides, any German who turned over a pistol with "kill" marks notched in the grip were sure to end up as the next "kill" mark.

[alanint]

Originally Posted by kubel

I sincerely doubt those are "kill" marks. Pistols were issued primarily for self defense, not as an offensive weapon such as a sniper rifle. Besides, any German who turned over a pistol with "kill" marks notched in the grip were sure to end up as the next "kill" mark.

Ordinarily, I would agree. We are, however, talking about the sidearm of a representative of an extremely brutal regime. "Kill" marks would not be entirely out of place here and I am quite sure that the prospect of being captured would not have prevented any member of this regime from "keeping score", especially early in the war.

Another posibility are cuts from a particular ring from a left handed shooter?

[kubel]

We are, however, talking about the sidearm of a representative of an extremely brutal regime.

Agreed, although the majority of Germans during the Third Reich were normal people, just like you and me.

Although kill markings would greatly enhance the story of any weapon, outside of Hollywood, I'm not sure that was even a German tradition. Almost every supposed kill marking I've ever seen on any weapon was done by a GI on a GI weapon and usually postwar to enhance value or create awe.

Anyway, I would think that anyone proud enough to put kill marks on a weapon probably would've been a little more deliberate and/or elaborate and probably wouldn't have put them in that location. The markings on the pistol depicted look more like symmetrical dents impressed into the wood by some object it was pressed against (a spring as mentioned?) rather than intentionally inscribed kill markings.

To me, it's kind of like seeing the face of Jesus in a cloud. Is it really Jesus? A coincidence? Or people seeing what they want to believe? Nobody will probably ever know the real answer.