#2 of 4 Lugers from Lugermom: S/42

lugermom · 04-16-2019, 01:23 PM

Thanks everyone—based on your notes, I changed my description. Would the wordsmiths say it’s correct? Anything to add about this pistol?

This is a 1938 pre-WWII German Luger pistol manufactured by the Mauser factory, in Oberndorf am Neckar, building D. These were the standard service pistols used by the Wehrmacht, during WWII. (correct?)

It has the early salt blued metal finish on all the parts, and it is fitted with checkered walnut grips. The grips are not chipped.

The right side grip doesn’t seem to fit the handle exactly—it bulges out in one spot at the top. This could be because the grip is warped, but I need to take a look inside the grips. (Being very careful especially with the left one.) They should be acceptance marked and may be numbered or have Mauser factory inspection markings.

It has a (close but no cookie) non-matching blued, folded sheet metal magazine with an aluminum base. The number on the inside of the magazine is 122 which is consistent with wartime manufacturing of Haenel Schmeisser magazines. The magazine has the same numeric digits as the gun, but is not matching. The suffix letter is different, and Haenel magazines were not used until 1940. So the magazine, while carefully chosen, is not period correct. It’s a different year of production, different factory, different Wehrmacht acceptance inspector, different inspector code.

The serial number is 70L, based on the number on the frame. (Question—does the 70 with no L on the barrel mean it’s not a match?)

Condition—would you guys call this one good, excellent or fair, and why?

Mr. Erick says: I have a 1939 Mauser made Luger with salt bluing that is extremely thin. They were still experimenting with the bluing process and trying to increase output under time pressure. That resulted in some variability of finish depth. It may have left the factory with a thin appearing blued finish.

04-16-2019, 01:23 PM	#8
lugermom User Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 23 Thanks: 28 Thanked 20 Times in 9 Posts	Thanks everyone—based on your notes, I changed my description. Would the wordsmiths say it’s correct? Anything to add about this pistol? This is a 1938 pre-WWII German Luger pistol manufactured by the Mauser factory, in Oberndorf am Neckar, building D. These were the standard service pistols used by the Wehrmacht, during WWII. (correct?) It has the early salt blued metal finish on all the parts, and it is fitted with checkered walnut grips. The grips are not chipped. The right side grip doesn’t seem to fit the handle exactly—it bulges out in one spot at the top. This could be because the grip is warped, but I need to take a look inside the grips. (Being very careful especially with the left one.) They should be acceptance marked and may be numbered or have Mauser factory inspection markings. It has a (close but no cookie) non-matching blued, folded sheet metal magazine with an aluminum base. The number on the inside of the magazine is 122 which is consistent with wartime manufacturing of Haenel Schmeisser magazines. The magazine has the same numeric digits as the gun, but is not matching. The suffix letter is different, and Haenel magazines were not used until 1940. So the magazine, while carefully chosen, is not period correct. It’s a different year of production, different factory, different Wehrmacht acceptance inspector, different inspector code. The serial number is 70L, based on the number on the frame. (Question—does the 70 with no L on the barrel mean it’s not a match?) Condition—would you guys call this one good, excellent or fair, and why? Mr. Erick says: I have a 1939 Mauser made Luger with salt bluing that is extremely thin. They were still experimenting with the bluing process and trying to increase output under time pressure. That resulted in some variability of finish depth. It may have left the factory with a thin appearing blued finish.