A Learning Experience...

Navy · 02-23-2003, 11:33 AM

All,
Am in Louisville KY attending SOS and Gunday shows. At the Gunday show yesterday I scored a very nice KM rig, a 1940 dated Code 42, in about 97% condition, Ost See pantograph marked with one matching mag, an armorer's code 42 mag and a code 42 tool, all in a lovely Curt Vogel 1939 dated KM holster. I was one happy camper. The sheep-dip nature of the show -crowded beyond belief-precluded my doing my normal disassembly inspection prior to purchase, so I just gave the markings a peek with my loupe and went for it. It was a little pricey but what the hell.

After dinner, several members of the forum and I were having after dinner drinks when one of the guys took the piece apart. His voice registered dismay when he said, "Look, the witness marks do not align and the barrel does not have a letter suffix.

Well, I thought I had been taken.

This morning, I went back to the show, prepared to have a bit of a chin-wag with the dealer who had sold me this bogus gun.

Fortunately, there were very few people in the hall at the time and I could easily get to Bob Simpson's booth. I showed the piece to Bob, pointed out the "problems" and asked his opinion.

Bob explained to me that the witness marks were placed on the barrel and frame BEFORE the front sight block was machined out of the barrel stock and then the barrel was removed from the frame for further machining, polishing and finishing. After this, the barrel was reinstalled and quite frequently the witness marks would be improperly aligned. In short, this was nothing to worry about and was not an indication of a buggered gun.
Likewise, he remarked that he has seen many, many III Reich era lugers that lacked the barrel suffix.

In short, it was a righteous gun.

I learned something new as a result and avoided a certain to have been unpleasant conversation.

My public thanks to Bob and I guess no matter how much we learn about our toggle-tops, we will never know it all.

Just for grins afterwards, I purchased another K-Date Navy from Bob.

Tom A.

02-23-2003, 11:33 AM	#1
Navy RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dc 'burbs in Virginia Posts: 2,482 Thanks: 0 Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts	A Learning Experience... All, Am in Louisville KY attending SOS and Gunday shows. At the Gunday show yesterday I scored a very nice KM rig, a 1940 dated Code 42, in about 97% condition, Ost See pantograph marked with one matching mag, an armorer's code 42 mag and a code 42 tool, all in a lovely Curt Vogel 1939 dated KM holster. I was one happy camper. The sheep-dip nature of the show -crowded beyond belief-precluded my doing my normal disassembly inspection prior to purchase, so I just gave the markings a peek with my loupe and went for it. It was a little pricey but what the hell. After dinner, several members of the forum and I were having after dinner drinks when one of the guys took the piece apart. His voice registered dismay when he said, "Look, the witness marks do not align and the barrel does not have a letter suffix. Well, I thought I had been taken. This morning, I went back to the show, prepared to have a bit of a chin-wag with the dealer who had sold me this bogus gun. Fortunately, there were very few people in the hall at the time and I could easily get to Bob Simpson's booth. I showed the piece to Bob, pointed out the "problems" and asked his opinion. Bob explained to me that the witness marks were placed on the barrel and frame BEFORE the front sight block was machined out of the barrel stock and then the barrel was removed from the frame for further machining, polishing and finishing. After this, the barrel was reinstalled and quite frequently the witness marks would be improperly aligned. In short, this was nothing to worry about and was not an indication of a buggered gun. Likewise, he remarked that he has seen many, many III Reich era lugers that lacked the barrel suffix. In short, it was a righteous gun. I learned something new as a result and avoided a certain to have been unpleasant conversation. My public thanks to Bob and I guess no matter how much we learn about our toggle-tops, we will never know it all. Just for grins afterwards, I purchased another K-Date Navy from Bob. Tom A.