Black Widow ( so called )

militaria · 06-29-2024, 09:41 PM

No question finish gets rubbed off. Perhaps BYF also had a darker finish they used at times?

gunbugs · 06-30-2024, 02:40 AM

BYF is the concealment code for Mauser-Werke. Same as an S/42 or 42 code or a Mauser "Banner". All the guns came off the same assembly line and went through the same blueing tanks. They went from the time consuming, labor intensive "rust blue" to the hot tank salt bath blueing in 1937. There are slight variations in color, but nothing specific to a BYF 42 gun, other than the black bakelite grips, which came about in '41 and continued into '42, although they were not used all the time. Many guns of those years were supplied with walnut or beech grips. "Black Widow" is a made up term, much like "assault rifle".

06-29-2024, 09:41 PM	#1
militaria User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	No question finish gets rubbed off. Perhaps BYF also had a darker finish they used at times? __________________ Porsche, there is no substitute.

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06-30-2024, 02:40 AM	#2
gunbugs Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska. Home of the best moose. Posts: 672 Thanks: 371 Thanked 1,202 Times in 407 Posts	BYF is the concealment code for Mauser-Werke. Same as an S/42 or 42 code or a Mauser "Banner". All the guns came off the same assembly line and went through the same blueing tanks. They went from the time consuming, labor intensive "rust blue" to the hot tank salt bath blueing in 1937. There are slight variations in color, but nothing specific to a BYF 42 gun, other than the black bakelite grips, which came about in '41 and continued into '42, although they were not used all the time. Many guns of those years were supplied with walnut or beech grips. "Black Widow" is a made up term, much like "assault rifle".