strange serial number

[fiammagialla]

Hi, I' ve just bought one luger S/42, 1936 , 7,65pb, but it's serial number si: 5414/2...what does mean "/2"???
Thanks

[Ron Smith]

Best guess is that it's a unit armorer's mark. They may have had Lugers with duplicate serial numbers. Since the letter suffix isn't stamped other than on the frame and barrel this would facilitate them in not mixing or cross matching the parts while field stripped for cleaning or repair. Most likely at a training facility where all of the firearms were serviced at one station.

Welcome to the forum...

[Ben M.]

nope. factory had broken number dies that week and could not come up with 2557. so used 5114 and divided it by 2.

sorry to be a smart ass

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

nope. factory had broken number dies that week and could not come up with 2557. so used 5114 and divided it by 2.

sorry to be a smart ass

Ya beat me to it!

Seriously, as a new collector myself, this is an interesting question.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by fiammagialla

Hi, I' ve just bought one luger S/42, 1936 , 7,65pb, but it's serial number si: 5414/2...what does mean "/2"???
Thanks

Welcome!

Now...You haven't shown the pistol's serial number, only parts numbers. The serial is at the front of the frame under the barrel, and should be 4 numbers with a cursive letter underneath (five numbers on a commercial Luger). Yours may have the slash two as well, if the stamper was consistent.

As commented above, it may have been stamped by an armorer to differentiate it from an identical number, or by a previous owner, again for the same reason...

There is an alphabet of cursive characters in the FAQ to help you with the letter...

[CJS57]

Hopefully the "/2" was not added to the serial number on the frame. Otherwise it is an altered serial number...........

[fiammagialla]

There is "K" at the front of the frame under the barrel...and "/2" is present too...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by fiammagialla

There is "K" at the front of the frame under the barrel...and "/2" is present too...

A picture of that number (with cursive k) and another of the underside of the barrel where the barrel numbers are would go far to determine the provenance of your Luger...

(A Russian Capture/VoPo refurb is possible as well)...

[alanint]

This pistol may have belonged to an agency, post or other entity who received two pistols with the same serial number from other sources. They may have added the "/2" to differentiate the first pistol from the second in inventory. (Remember, most groups did not really see the letter suffix as an integral part of the serial number back then).

[Dwight Gruber]

Originally Posted by alanint

...Remember, most groups did not really see the letter suffix as an integral part of the serial number back then...

I'm very curious to know whence comes your information for drawing this conclusion? The letter suffix requirement is stringent, and is included in the marking requirements for P08 manufacture. The anomalous post-manufacture compensations for serial number problems I am familiar with account for the letter suffix in some manner.

--Dwight

[CorporalGungee]

what about the barrel number ? where this should be a 9mm and not a 7.65mm where it is a WW2 S/42

[alvin]

I roughly see a /2 on barrel as well.

It might be an initially rejected pistol, later had the problem fixed, but another gun occupied its s/n, so a /2 was added to this one. Or, same number was applied on two pistols (by operational mistake), the problem was later found in inspection stage, a /2 is added to one of them. I am imagining: for a person stamping hundreds of pistols everyday, it's impossible that he/she never makes any mistakes over years.

====

[Edit] Preventing small parts mixing in armory theory is another possibility: to prevent mixing two side plates with same number. Two pistols in a single place do not have to carry same s/n to have their side plates mixed. Side plate for 5114 is 14, side plate for 6714a is also 14. Mixing is easy. /1 and /2 solves this issue -- equivalent of assigning another digit to the side plate. Why side plate only -- Other small parts were not removed during field disassembling. 2 digit side plate was a trouble source. But why /2 was not applied to the toggle.... hard to explain.

[alanint]

Originally Posted by CorporalGungee

what about the barrel number ? where this should be a 9mm and not a 7.65mm where it is a WW2 S/42

Mostly lore, Dwight. Have you found that recording of letter suffixes was meticulous throughout German agencies?

[Dwight Gruber]

Originally Posted by alanint

Mostly lore, Dwight. Have you found that recording of letter suffixes was meticulous throughout German agencies?

Not necessarily recording of the information, but by my observation armorers were scrupulous about maintaining the required markings, including during East German repair and remanufacture.

--Dwight