Black grip Luger question

[guns3545]

Originally Posted by PalmTree2

Hello,

What is the generally accepted year and letter block range for Black grips to be on a Luger?

Thanks,
Mitch

Mitch,

Not a simple question. I'll confine my answer to Mauser Military production.

SIMPLE answer: The generally accepted date for WIDE spread use of Black Bakelite grips is Mid-1941. Say the s or t block.

The COMPLEX answer: However, there is evidence of these grips in use at Mauser in 1940 and even 1939. But; very unusual. For sure, Krieghoff shipped excess supplies of Brown grips to Mauser in 1940. And there is some evidence of Black grips being used as well. But walnut was the standard practice.

BUT, remember that there was never a complete cut-over to Bakelite grip panels as even in 1942, the last year of Mauser production, they were still using Walnut grips in production.

In reality a lot of guns have plastic grips because walnut grips are fragile and easily cracked. The plastic were replacements. And there are the people who build themselves Black Widows. Exchanging walnut grips for black plastic and aluminum base magazines with black plastic based magazines to give the Black Widow look.

Hope this helps,

John