Unmarked bottom 122 magazine

guns3545 · 12-15-2011, 08:54 PM

Well, let's dissect the magazine and marks.

First, this magazine represented the transition from Mauser manufacture to Haenel manufacture that occurred in 1940 and was shipped with Mauser 1940 code 42 pistols.

A mixture of Mauser folded blue body magazines and Haenel extruded body blued magazines was shipped up to suffix d with the Haenel 122 magazine shipped thereafter until replaced by the type 4, fxo magazines.

The magazine would have received the manufacturer code 122, later replaced by fxo, at the Haenel factory. Equally, the SE37 would have been applied there by the government inspector at Haenel.

As far as I know, the bottoms left Haenel "blank" but I do not totally dismiss the possibility that Haenel could have been contracted to pre-stamp the suffix letter in blocks of 20,000 magazines plus an allowance for rejects and mis-stamps at Mauser. Remember at this time Mauser was producing over 10,000 pistols per month.

At Mauser, the serial number and + sign would have been hand stamped. I am not aware of any automated serialization of magazine technology available to Mauser but stand to be corrected.

Therefore, if indeed, Haenel had NOT been contracted to pre-stamp the suffix on the magazine bottoms, it is altogether possible that Mauser did it to reduce the amount of individual labor to stamp out one set of issued magazines, i.e. one stamped with serial number and suffix plus one with the foregoing plus a + sign. This would represent a better industrial engineering practice than having a worker stamp everything on the bottom individually, keeping in mind that 2 magazines went with every military issue.

Logically then, if they catered for a certain overage, there would be a few magazines prestamped with the suffix that were not used???? Remember, there were no c suffix guns produced in 1941 and 1942 that would have used the Haenel 122 magazine because the code changed to fxo, and magazine bottom changed from center axis aluminum, eventually to plastic bottom over a period of 18 months. The particular magazine type (Type 3) under discussion as used for a relatively short time.

Now, it appears from the photographs that the magazine is unmessed with. A digital micrometer could be used to check the uniformity of diameter of the bottom to be sure. scrubbing takes about 1/32nd of metal away from the diameter and in some cases of deep stamping more. But let's assume at the moment that the magazine is righteous. As gun manufacturers NEVER throw anything away, the magazine was probably shipped as replacements or went into storage to surface at a later day and find its way into the supply chain.

Therefore, the probable answer to to conundrum is that Mauser or Haenel prestamped a series of magazines with the suffix and this magazine represents an overage that was never assigned a serial number.

That's my SWAG for the day. JMVHO as always. If its not righteous, all bets are off.

Sorry for the verbose reply.

John

12-15-2011, 08:54 PM	#8
guns3545 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 438 Thanks: 661 Thanked 493 Times in 219 Posts	Well, let's dissect the magazine and marks. First, this magazine represented the transition from Mauser manufacture to Haenel manufacture that occurred in 1940 and was shipped with Mauser 1940 code 42 pistols. A mixture of Mauser folded blue body magazines and Haenel extruded body blued magazines was shipped up to suffix d with the Haenel 122 magazine shipped thereafter until replaced by the type 4, fxo magazines. The magazine would have received the manufacturer code 122, later replaced by fxo, at the Haenel factory. Equally, the SE37 would have been applied there by the government inspector at Haenel. As far as I know, the bottoms left Haenel "blank" but I do not totally dismiss the possibility that Haenel could have been contracted to pre-stamp the suffix letter in blocks of 20,000 magazines plus an allowance for rejects and mis-stamps at Mauser. Remember at this time Mauser was producing over 10,000 pistols per month. At Mauser, the serial number and + sign would have been hand stamped. I am not aware of any automated serialization of magazine technology available to Mauser but stand to be corrected. Therefore, if indeed, Haenel had NOT been contracted to pre-stamp the suffix on the magazine bottoms, it is altogether possible that Mauser did it to reduce the amount of individual labor to stamp out one set of issued magazines, i.e. one stamped with serial number and suffix plus one with the foregoing plus a + sign. This would represent a better industrial engineering practice than having a worker stamp everything on the bottom individually, keeping in mind that 2 magazines went with every military issue. Logically then, if they catered for a certain overage, there would be a few magazines prestamped with the suffix that were not used???? Remember, there were no c suffix guns produced in 1941 and 1942 that would have used the Haenel 122 magazine because the code changed to fxo, and magazine bottom changed from center axis aluminum, eventually to plastic bottom over a period of 18 months. The particular magazine type (Type 3) under discussion as used for a relatively short time. Now, it appears from the photographs that the magazine is unmessed with. A digital micrometer could be used to check the uniformity of diameter of the bottom to be sure. scrubbing takes about 1/32nd of metal away from the diameter and in some cases of deep stamping more. But let's assume at the moment that the magazine is righteous. As gun manufacturers NEVER throw anything away, the magazine was probably shipped as replacements or went into storage to surface at a later day and find its way into the supply chain. Therefore, the probable answer to to conundrum is that Mauser or Haenel prestamped a series of magazines with the suffix and this magazine represents an overage that was never assigned a serial number. That's my SWAG for the day. JMVHO as always. If its not righteous, all bets are off. Sorry for the verbose reply. John