WWII Mauser Luger Mystery... Help me solve it!

mrerick · 03-08-2019, 10:14 AM

Hello and welcome to the forum.

We have an FAQ PDF document available free with quite a bit of reference information that you'll probably find helpful. Just follow the FAQ link at the top of the page.

"459" is probably not the complete Luger serial number, as most of them had a suffix letter.

Know that German officers did not normally carry Lugers because they were too big and bulky. Most of them had pocket pistols like the Walther PP/PPK or the Mauser M1914/M1934. That said, almost every GI captured pistol is reputed to come from "an officer".

Luger serial numbers are duplicated over time by the different manufacturers and even from the same manufacturer. Your Luger with a "S/42" toggle would be an earlier one (likely 1934-1938) shipped from Mauser.

About your only path to actually locate it is the one Patrick suggested.

03-08-2019, 10:14 AM	#4
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,919 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,135 Times in 1,518 Posts	Hello and welcome to the forum. We have an FAQ PDF document available free with quite a bit of reference information that you'll probably find helpful. Just follow the FAQ link at the top of the page. "459" is probably not the complete Luger serial number, as most of them had a suffix letter. Know that German officers did not normally carry Lugers because they were too big and bulky. Most of them had pocket pistols like the Walther PP/PPK or the Mauser M1914/M1934. That said, almost every GI captured pistol is reputed to come from "an officer". Luger serial numbers are duplicated over time by the different manufacturers and even from the same manufacturer. Your Luger with a "S/42" toggle would be an earlier one (likely 1934-1938) shipped from Mauser. About your only path to actually locate it is the one Patrick suggested. __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.