byf42

[bill m]

Steve,

Krieghoff used brown plastic grips from 1936 through the 1938 Krieghoff production run and possibly a very few 1940 Krieghoff's also. They are know to be found on a few 1940 code 42 Mauser Lugers. Your gun is awfully late to have brown plastic grips, as Krieghoff used them up on their Krieghoffs in 1938 or early 1940. Anything later than 1940 is possible, but will raise questions, as Krieghoff went to the black plastic grips at this time. It would make a lot more sense for them to have the black plastic grips. My guess would be that they are some kind of a replacement, either arsenal or field replacement, but I do not think they were original issue. I come to this opinion because I think these byf 41 and 42's would have left Mauser with either black plastic or wood grips.