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Unread 09-13-2022, 09:25 AM   #1
cruzans
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Took a year to get, here's the backstory, any thoughts?
A friend of mine who is in Madrid purchased this directly from a retired Spanish military officer who says that his father was in the Spanish Civil War and picked this up on the battlefield and it has been in his family ever since. His story for the date code and proofs being "matrixed" out is that Hitler sent arms to Franco which was "illegal" at the time, so dates and proofs were matrixed out to hide documentation of manufacture, etc. You can still make out the last number in the date code - a "6" so 1936.
Numbers all match including magazine.
Any thoughts? My friend is working on getting the retired officer to write a letter explaining the history - I just thought that would be cool.
Knowing my friend purchased directly from this gentleman in Spain I have no reason to doubt the story.......





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Unread 09-13-2022, 09:40 AM   #2
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Wow, those XXX's would be a major problem with the ATF here in the USA
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Unread 09-13-2022, 10:08 AM   #3
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ATF along with Spanish authorities all had to approve the export/import so apparently, they were ok with it - lol.
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Unread 09-13-2022, 11:20 AM   #4
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What a unique pistol! I need one!
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Unread 09-13-2022, 11:33 AM   #5
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Alway's has to be someone that mentions the ATF. Never fails.

Last edited by Roadster 02; 09-13-2022 at 05:10 PM.
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Unread 09-13-2022, 03:28 PM   #6
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It's a trophy for revisionist history
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Unread 09-13-2022, 08:10 PM   #7
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^^now you've got me sitting here wondering what the heck that means - lol.
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Unread 09-13-2022, 09:46 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cruzans View Post
Numbers all match including magazine.
As long as the serial number is still there, it should not be a problem.
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Unread 09-14-2022, 11:10 AM   #9
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That is a very interesting Luger. I would love for you to be able to acquire some written documentation from the previous owner. Also more pictures would be great if you don’t mind. I’m no expert on the Spanish civil war but I don’t know why the date and proofs would need to have been hidden, it was no secret that Germany was supplying Franco with arms and personnel. I wonder which side your friend’s friend was fighting on? Pretty cool and thanks for posting!
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Unread 09-14-2022, 12:03 PM   #10
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Quote:
^^now you've got me sitting here wondering what the heck that means - lol.
The whole secret date and manufacturing codes the Nazi's insisted on, leading up to WW-2, was incredible enough. So, for someone in Spain to cross out the date code and acceptance stamps seems futile. It wouldn't fool anyone. The Luger was already a well recognized German icon by that point, not to mention a sky full of German airplanes and bombers during the Spanish civil war (1946-1939), which was probably over by the time this gun arrived.

My guess is that someone wanted all the references to Nazi Germany covered up on that pistol. There is just no way to hide its origin, but covering up the symbols made somebody just feel better.

I'm not doubting your story at all and I hope you can get a first hand account. If it's true, there should be more marked up the same way.

Denial is one ways that Europeans' dealt with the aftermath of WW-2. And, that is what this pistol says to me. It's like never saying a person's name or what we call "Ghosting" today. But, they kept the pistol, just the same - it had value.
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Unread 09-14-2022, 02:32 PM   #11
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Thanks! I'm going to ask a few more questions about the gun with my friend. Story being battle field pick up and in same household ever since so covered up date codes and proofs were supposedly there and not done afterwards? May never know but going to try to get more info. I'll post some more pics soon................
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Unread 09-14-2022, 02:55 PM   #12
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A few more:











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Unread 09-14-2022, 03:03 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac Cat View Post
My guess is that someone wanted all the references to Nazi Germany covered up on that pistol. There is just no way to hide its origin, but covering up the symbols made somebody just feel better.

Denial is one ways that Europeans' dealt with the aftermath of WW-2. And, that is what this pistol says to me. It's like never saying a person's name or what we call "Ghosting" today. But, they kept the pistol, just the same - it had value.
I gotta agree with Mac on this one - distancing him/herself from Nazi Association.
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Unread 09-14-2022, 03:38 PM   #14
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Oh, I totally agree with the distancing and ignoring history! I assumed someone did that to this pistol after the war but was told it went into Spain like that - but I'm sure over time memories fade, stories get blurred. I talked to my friend in Spain today and he's going to try to get that letter/history of pistol - just something I would really like to have. Especially seeing "supposedly" it was a Spanish officers Pistol, he was killed on the battlefield, and it was picked up and has been in just one household ever since
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Unread 09-14-2022, 03:48 PM   #15
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It has the serial number, so why would ATF care. They wouldn't. We care about date and proofs, the ATF doesn't care about that stuff.
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Unread 09-14-2022, 07:38 PM   #16
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a serial number is considered to be a "mark"....unique identification..

the obliteration by the tool marks are also unique and could be registered as the serial number/identity for the weapon....

document them with quality photographs and file the notarized set of papers and photographs with your county clerk's office.

that becomes a record for your weapon.....
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Unread 09-15-2022, 02:36 PM   #17
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Wow, it has a matching magazine, too!
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