Mauser S/42 1936 Luger - Can You Give Me Some More Info Please

[Peter Anhalt]

Hope you can help me with some critical info on this Mauser.

I’m a newbie when it comes to Lugers (I’m into late 19th Century rimfires but recently bought three Lugers at an auction and I’m bitten with the bug).

This Luger has been deactivated. Please don’t shoot me down in flames about that, I’m in the UK and our Government doesn’t allow honest citizens to carry live firearms.

I posted some pictures recently of the first of the three that I bought, a DWM, and had some really helpful info on its history.

I’m hoping you guys can give me some informed info on this one.

As I can make out - it’s a 1936 Mauser S/42, with a “p” suffix, mostly matching numbers (hope the pictures tell the story).

From what I’ve gleaned from the mass of information on this site is that only about 90,000 were made and the “p” suffix was the last series in 1936, with only about 4,500 made. It seems to have the correct stampings on the right hand side of the receiver (droop wing over 63, being the Army acceptance stamp).

Its been buffed and re-blued but the right hand receiver stampings show pretty clear.

I’m puzzled by the “X” on the underside front of the frame, below the serial number and the proof mark at the back of the toggle (on the top) and the markings on the underside of “train” i.e. in front of the striker and behind it, I hope my photo’s have captured the markings clear enough.

All comments, observations and thoughts will be much appreciated.

My thanks in advance,

Peter

[Peter Anhalt]

I've posted a few more pic's below, hope they are of interest.

Peter

[mrerick]

Hi Peter,

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your Lugers!

The pistol pictured here was assembled from parts of several guns.

I can't make out the detail in your pictures because of the lack of focus and use of flash. If you take more, try taking them outdoors in indirect light, use a tripod and set the camera up for closeup photography (usually a "flower" symbol).

I think that this is a VOPO (East German Volkes Volkspolizist "People's Police") rework. Is the symbol on the left front frame (left of the serial number digits) and on the frame above the trigger a "Sunburst" die stamping? They also marked pistols with the "X" during rework.

Again, I can't make out the symbol in the pictures, but the stamp on the rear link of the toggle train (with the rear sight) is most likely an Imperial proof mark from the Erfurt Armory in World War I period Germany.

The grips, if original, are from the 1941-1942 period. They could also be VOPO replacements or later reproductions. We'd need a look at the back to identify them. Be particularly careful if you remove them, especially the left one around the safety lever.

I believe that your magazine is period correct, and has a $100-$125 value by itself in the USA.

There are others on the site with more background on VOPO Lugers that may be able to add to or correct my information.

Marc

[Karl]

Marc,
I think the stamps you noted on the frame and receiver are British proof marks. I agree that the stamp on the rear toggle link looks like an Erfurt proof and this gun certainly is a mix of parts with an interesting history - not sure it's a VOPO, might also be a Russian capture, or who knows what.

Peter, I am interested in the deactivation. I can see a big hole in the bottom of the receiver/barrel and undoubtedly the firing pin is ground off. What else was done that is not visible in photos? The frame looks intact and in the US the frame is the part that is subject to regulation. It appears from your photos that if you replaced the barrel and firing pin the gun would be "good to go."
KFS

[alanint]

Since the Luger shown will never be anything other than a really nice paperweight, you can recoup some of your investment by selling the black bakelite grips, (if original) and replacing them with nicer looking wooden grips on your gun.

[mrerick]

Karl,

Thanks - the proof marks were indistinct enough that I couldn't tell for sure. Is it likely that they were applied as part of the de-activation? Would the "X" also have been applied at that time?

Marc

[Peter Anhalt]

Thanks for the responses.

My apologies, I should have pointed out the deactivation proof marks with my first post.

I've added a picture of the Brit deactivated proof marks below, basically crossed swords with a capital D to the left of the swords and a capital A to the right of the swords, below the swords are the last two digits of the year of deactivation, in this case 10 for 2010.

I’ve added a pic below with the deac proof marks circled.

The deactivation process for pistols is for the barrel to be drilled and a rod welded into place. I’ve attached a pic showing where the gunsmith ground off the rod welded into the barrel.

Normally, on a pistol the barrel is made to be non-removable by a hardened steel pin being inserted into a hole through the receiver into the barrel and then welded into place. On a semi-auto the rules are that the barrel is just pinned and welded.

The bolt or breech block is normally cut at 45 degrees, to remove any cartridge support and the firing pin removed or shortened. With this Luger, the striker has been ground down.

In theory, if the barrel were replaced and the striker replaced it would be “good to go”. But you don’t want to go there, not even think about it. The penalty would be 5 years imprisonment, or most likely a longer term.

There was a team caught a couple of years ago, they had been activating air weapons and then selling them on to the criminal fraternity, from memory, I think they got between 10 and 15 years, like I said, you don’t want to go there.

On this side of the blue our laws are extremely strict, for example, if a robber entered a bank and made the shape of a gun inside his coat pocket and threatened the bank staff, if he were caught, that action, of mimicking a gun with your hand, would warrant 5 years imprisonment!

Thanks for the info on the marking on the rear link of the toggle train, it looked like a proof mark of some sort to me, but I couldn’t understand what, the Erfurt Armory proof makes sense and accounts for the mismatched part.

Any other comments greatly appreciated.

Peter

[Peter Anhalt]

Sorry,

I had to change the pics to pdf's to circle the proof marks and grinding mark, and they've come out as attachments.

I've posted those pics below again, without the circles.

The deactivation proof marks are in front of the serial number and by the side of the side plate release lever.

The grinding mark is to the left of the "DX", where the barrel meets the receiver.

Peter

[Karl]

Peter,

Thanks for the information. I wasn't suggesting that you attempt anything illegal, just interested in the process. We are aware of the extreme laws in the UK from other UK members. I find your story about converting air guns surprizing - especially with the more opened borders of the European Union, it would seem that a determined criminal could get their hands on something better.
KFS

[Peter Anhalt]

Hi Karl,

I know you weren't suggesting anything illegal, I was just trying to get across how extreme our laws are. I have some friends in Idaho and they were literally flabbergasted at our laws on firearms, its as if our Government is going to ban people with pointed sticks next.

Reminds me of that saying - If handguns cause murders do pencils cause spelling mistakes?

Re the air gun conversions, my guess is that air guns were chosen because they can be easily bought, but even that has been tightened up now. You can only sell an air weapon now if the transaction is carried out face-to face, to prove the purchaser is over the legal age limit to purchase (which I think is 17 years old).

A lot of handguns do come in from the old east european countries and these normally end up in the hands of the criminal fraternity. So we're in the situation where honest citizens are unarmed and criminals are armed, kinda weird really.

I do envy you guys that you're able to go to the range and spend some time target shooting.

Many thanks for your comments

Peter