Beechwood Luger Grips

G.T. · 11-11-2001, 08:35 PM

Hi Thomas! I believe the woods used in P.08 grip and mag. bottom production were primarily walnut, with beech (very seldom) used as a secondary substitute material. I once acquired samples from a bunch of different colored pre 1945 Mauser stocks & Luger mag. bottoms. The colors ran from blond to blood red...I sent them to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for identification....The results were interesting, all the stocks, and almost all the mag. bottoms, regardless of color, were European Walnut! The only exceptions in the whole bunch, was all the samples from "GERMANY" marked mag. bottoms, they were all European Beechwood! I was almost certain that some of the lighter rifle stocks would be of a wood other then walnut, but not so....they were all walnut! The color is not a characteristic that you can depend on for identification of these woods, any wood other then walnut, on a P.08, would be a rare exception! till....later....G.T.

11-11-2001, 08:35 PM	#7
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,541 Thanks: 1,342 Thanked 3,742 Times in 1,020 Posts	Re: Beechwood Luger Grips Hi Thomas! I believe the woods used in P.08 grip and mag. bottom production were primarily walnut, with beech (very seldom) used as a secondary substitute material. I once acquired samples from a bunch of different colored pre 1945 Mauser stocks & Luger mag. bottoms. The colors ran from blond to blood red...I sent them to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for identification....The results were interesting, all the stocks, and almost all the mag. bottoms, regardless of color, were European Walnut! The only exceptions in the whole bunch, was all the samples from "GERMANY" marked mag. bottoms, they were all European Beechwood! I was almost certain that some of the lighter rifle stocks would be of a wood other then walnut, but not so....they were all walnut! The color is not a characteristic that you can depend on for identification of these woods, any wood other then walnut, on a P.08, would be a rare exception! till....later....G.T.