Need Help Id'ing Luger

Vette114 · 06-25-2003, 11:50 AM

Im sitting here with a luger that my grandfather obtained from a guy who said it was brought back. I was wondering if anyone could give me some help on id'ing what it is. it is the P08 and has the byf 42 on the top. it has a plum ejector and 3281 right under the barrel with what appears to be an f. there is a german eagle on the right side of the barrel and on the right side of the body i can see 1 eagle over 135 and then another symbol over 135 and then a eagle over a swastika. if there is any more info you need to help me id this gun ill post ist ASAP.
thanks in advance for your help
Matt

Edward Tinker · 06-25-2003, 11:58 AM

Hello Matt and welcome!

The byf 42 equals Mauser, made in 1942, there were 113,000 made that year, the Eagle 135 stamp is correct.

Can you provide pictures, to include side, top, etc?

Questions to find out are;

Is it all matching? (are there parts not of the same time frame/when made?)

What kind of shape is it in?

Ed

Aaron · 06-25-2003, 03:50 PM

Important! Are the grips black plastic or wood?

Vette114 · 06-25-2003, 03:51 PM

it seems that there may be a few parts that arent matching. the plate on the left side of the gun that holds it together has a 45 on it the rest of the gun is numbered 81. i have disassembled it once before but didnt take the time to check the numbers. the clip has 3345 a small strange looking letter (might just be a "cursive" seven with a line drawn thru it) and hte clip also has an eagle over 63. ill get some pictures ASAP. what does the swastika represent on the side? the three eagles on the side of the body are an eagle over 135 an eagle over 136 and then the eagle over the swastika. thanks

Vette114 · 06-25-2003, 03:51 PM

wood grips

Vette114 · 06-25-2003, 04:02 PM

the grips have 85 on the inside. after disassembly, i see that most of the parts are matching i can only find that one piece not matching

John Sabato · 06-25-2003, 04:23 PM

Welcome to the Lugerforum Matt, There is a member here that goes by the screen name of MauserLugers (Bill Munis) who is a big time collector of Mauser pistols and he is loaded with information about them...He also lives in Montana to the best of my recollection. Use the search function to find a post by him and use the Private Message feature (the icon with two people and an envelope at the top of that post) to contact him. He should be able to tell you much about your Luger just from the markings you have described.

Perhaps he will see this post and provide some input here...

Edward Tinker · 06-25-2003, 04:55 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />what does the swastika represent on the side? <hr /></blockquote>The swastika's are proof and acceptance marks, this gun was made around the time frame that the Nazi's were in power, so the proof is their's, and shows it was accepted into service.

It seems like it is an easy thing to "lose" the sideplate and be mis-matched. Many theories abound on this, the most likely, is that when US forces captured a Luger, it was believed to make the gun incapable of firing and was taken off, stuck in a pocket or something and when replaced and Bob the GI had more than one in their pocket, it was just put back on.

Other therories are that it was mistakenly changed by an armorer or a GI when they took them apart and were cleaning them, the GI might be German or Allied.

Ed

06-25-2003, 11:50 AM	#1
Vette114 New User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Montana Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Need Help Id'ing Luger Im sitting here with a luger that my grandfather obtained from a guy who said it was brought back. I was wondering if anyone could give me some help on id'ing what it is. it is the P08 and has the byf 42 on the top. it has a plum ejector and 3281 right under the barrel with what appears to be an f. there is a german eagle on the right side of the barrel and on the right side of the body i can see 1 eagle over 135 and then another symbol over 135 and then a eagle over a swastika. if there is any more info you need to help me id this gun ill post ist ASAP. thanks in advance for your help Matt

06-25-2003, 11:58 AM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,912 Thanks: 1,989 Thanked 4,502 Times in 2,077 Posts	Hello Matt and welcome! The byf 42 equals Mauser, made in 1942, there were 113,000 made that year, the Eagle 135 stamp is correct. Can you provide pictures, to include side, top, etc? Questions to find out are; Is it all matching? (are there parts not of the same time frame/when made?) What kind of shape is it in? Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

06-25-2003, 04:23 PM	#7
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Welcome to the Lugerforum Matt, There is a member here that goes by the screen name of MauserLugers (Bill Munis) who is a big time collector of Mauser pistols and he is loaded with information about them...He also lives in Montana to the best of my recollection. Use the search function to find a post by him and use the Private Message feature (the icon with two people and an envelope at the top of that post) to contact him. He should be able to tell you much about your Luger just from the markings you have described. Perhaps he will see this post and provide some input here... __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

06-25-2003, 04:55 PM	#8
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,912 Thanks: 1,989 Thanked 4,502 Times in 2,077 Posts	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">what does the swastika represent on the side? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">The swastika's are proof and acceptance marks, this gun was made around the time frame that the Nazi's were in power, so the proof is their's, and shows it was accepted into service. It seems like it is an easy thing to "lose" the sideplate and be mis-matched. Many theories abound on this, the most likely, is that when US forces captured a Luger, it was believed to make the gun incapable of firing and was taken off, stuck in a pocket or something and when replaced and Bob the GI had more than one in their pocket, it was just put back on. Other therories are that it was mistakenly changed by an armorer or a GI when they took them apart and were cleaning them, the GI might be German or Allied. Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

06-25-2003, 03:50 PM	#3
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Important! Are the grips black plastic or wood?

06-25-2003, 03:51 PM	#4
Vette114 New User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Montana Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	it seems that there may be a few parts that arent matching. the plate on the left side of the gun that holds it together has a 45 on it the rest of the gun is numbered 81. i have disassembled it once before but didnt take the time to check the numbers. the clip has 3345 a small strange looking letter (might just be a "cursive" seven with a line drawn thru it) and hte clip also has an eagle over 63. ill get some pictures ASAP. what does the swastika represent on the side? the three eagles on the side of the body are an eagle over 135 an eagle over 136 and then the eagle over the swastika. thanks

06-25-2003, 04:02 PM	#6
Vette114 New User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Montana Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	the grips have 85 on the inside. after disassembly, i see that most of the parts are matching i can only find that one piece not matching