Import or Export???

sheepherder · 09-19-2009, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvin

MFC's comments made lots of sense to me in that thread -- the GERMANY marked magazine was probably a replacement magazine or a backup one. I feel (feel, 6th sense) replacement was more likely. In that way, GERMANY on seperately sold magazine (not 'freely' coming with the gun's price) makes huge amount of sense...

It makes sense to me, too...as well as MFC's post above...

But the reason I opened a separate thread was because I wondered why my two commercial Lugers had the stamp in different places...(I hadn't thought about it until reading the mag thread)...

Some pistols I've seen pics of even have the names of the receiving distributor here in the US stamped lengthwise on the barrel, or etched on the grip frame...

I have a Mauser M1896 that has no "export" marking, but does have the "importer" etched into the grip frame recess...as well as caliber and country of origin...

I would say that if the pistol is known to be an exported product, then the manufacturer will stamp it; if it is war surplus or anything that was never intended for export, then the importer will stamp/mark it...At least that is my belief, at this time...

alvin · 09-19-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by postino

I would say that if the pistol is known to be an exported product, then the manufacturer will stamp it; if it is war surplus or anything that was never intended for export, then the importer will stamp/mark it...At least that is my belief, at this time...

GERMANY could be on war surplus as well. I have seen more than one wartime made C96 with GERMANY. The finish looks old with minor rust and patina.... but C/C/U is under full gun blue without discoloration, and GERMANY has halo. so those were supposed to be Weimar era refurbished guns (old refinish). I assume factory/Weimar government contractor refurbished those old WWI guns and applied GERMANY for exporting to the U.S. in that era. Why refurbishing? to sell a good price on surplus market

So, when GERMANY was applied, the gun did not have to be new.