1940 Luger: Was habe ich???

[Heinmot]

I know very little about Lugers, but I now own one and am fascinated to find out who made it and anything noteworthy about it {if there is anything noteworthy about it}.

If I am leaving anything out, feel free to ask.

1] 1940 date on the receiver.

2] XX44 serial number, with 44 stamped in various places on the gun {last 2 digits of the sn?}.

3] 42 on the arm of the toggle link.

4] eagle over 655, eagle over 655 and eagle on the right side of the receiver.

5] 8,81 under the barrel {.347 bore diameter?}.

6] a sort-of lazy cursive "L" on the front of the frame below the junction of the barrel/receiver.

7] grips are black plastic/bakelite with longitudinal striations.

8] mag that came with it is marked fxo, P08, 2327 on the bottom of the aluminium base.

Under the nickel plating, it looks excellent plus condition. No pitting, etc. Bore is excellent.

Any opinions as to value?

[Doug G.]

Your Luger is a Mauser made gun S/42,42 & byf are all codes for Mauser. Your grips are Russian mfg. and are not correct for the gun. The Nickel plating is definatly post WWII. Lugers were numbered 1-9,9999 and a-z although they omitted certain letters. The mag could be the correct type, but I would have to check some of the reference books to be sure.
As to value I would say in the $400-550 range. Basically it is a valued as a shooter only.
My .02

[Heinmot]

Interesting.

Now, to decide if I want to get it refinished.

Price was about right, too.

There were no #'s in front of the serial number at all.

Who is fxo on the mag?

[Vlim]

Heinmot,

The german army issued codes to it's suppliers in order to disguise their identity and locations.

fxo was the code given to C.G.Haenel in Suhl, who produced these magazines, using the Schmeisser patent. (they are commonly referred to as the Haenel/Schmeisser magazines).