Renumbered Magazine

SachAg · 05-22-2011, 11:10 AM

I recently purchased a 1917 DWM. It has all matching numbers and also has British proof marks. The British proof mark is post 1954, as it is a crown over "BNP". The odd thing about the gun is that it has an aluminum magazine, not the typical wooden magazine. The magazine is numbered to match the gun and also has a small "42" above the 4-digit number. I assume the magazine must be a replacement. Does anyone know why a replacement magazine would be renumbered to match the gun? Would the renumbering have been done by the Germans or by a later gun owner?

Thanks for any help.

tenbears · 05-22-2011, 12:44 PM

The mag in question here is indeed a armory replacement but of WWII vintage. So it's obivious that bubba forced matched the serial number to match the 1917 DWM serial number. The number fonts on the mag are not even close to being correct.

Edward Tinker · 05-22-2011, 12:56 PM

I would like to see a better picture of the base.

Armorers did use replacements and numbered the magazines, although there are many fakes out there and people look for replacement mags, both 42 and eagle 655

Ed

SachAg · 05-22-2011, 02:35 PM

Thanks tenbears and Edward. I have a couple more shots of the magazine...

Ron Smith · 05-22-2011, 02:54 PM

Since it's an armorer's replacement. I would think it was numbered to match by the armorer. It stands to reason that they would test magines for function, possibly more than one. Once they found one that worked in that particular pistol, they would number it to match.

Ron

Edward Tinker · 05-22-2011, 04:02 PM

although better to see the bottom, I would like a cropped, close up, so I could blow it up. I can't tell if the bottom has been sanded and renumbered or if it is a photo lie

Ed

George Anderson · 05-22-2011, 04:24 PM

The magazine started out life as an "armorer's replacement magazine' and was not numbered. It was renumbered but a previous US owner to boost the gun. I have never seen any evidence that German miltary armorers numbered magazines. Hundreds, if not thousands, of these 42 and S/42 marked magazines have been ruined by US boosters over the years. What's really a killer is to come across an Erfurt single or double acceptance stamped magazine that has had a bogus serial number added.

05-22-2011, 11:10 AM	#1
SachAg New User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Renumbered Magazine I recently purchased a 1917 DWM. It has all matching numbers and also has British proof marks. The British proof mark is post 1954, as it is a crown over "BNP". The odd thing about the gun is that it has an aluminum magazine, not the typical wooden magazine. The magazine is numbered to match the gun and also has a small "42" above the 4-digit number. I assume the magazine must be a replacement. Does anyone know why a replacement magazine would be renumbered to match the gun? Would the renumbering have been done by the Germans or by a later gun owner? Thanks for any help. Attached Thumbnails

05-22-2011, 12:56 PM	#3
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,916 Thanks: 1,995 Thanked 4,507 Times in 2,081 Posts	I would like to see a better picture of the base. Armorers did use replacements and numbered the magazines, although there are many fakes out there and people look for replacement mags, both 42 and eagle 655 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

05-22-2011, 02:35 PM	#4
SachAg New User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks tenbears and Edward. I have a couple more shots of the magazine... Attached Thumbnails

05-22-2011, 02:54 PM	#5
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Since it's an armorer's replacement. I would think it was numbered to match by the armorer. It stands to reason that they would test magines for function, possibly more than one. Once they found one that worked in that particular pistol, they would number it to match. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

05-22-2011, 04:02 PM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,916 Thanks: 1,995 Thanked 4,507 Times in 2,081 Posts	although better to see the bottom, I would like a cropped, close up, so I could blow it up. I can't tell if the bottom has been sanded and renumbered or if it is a photo lie 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

05-22-2011, 12:44 PM	#2
tenbears User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 370 Thanks: 3 Thanked 26 Times in 15 Posts	The mag in question here is indeed a armory replacement but of WWII vintage. So it's obivious that bubba forced matched the serial number to match the 1917 DWM serial number. The number fonts on the mag are not even close to being correct.

05-22-2011, 04:24 PM	#7
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,527 Times in 786 Posts	The magazine started out life as an "armorer's replacement magazine' and was not numbered. It was renumbered but a previous US owner to boost the gun. I have never seen any evidence that German miltary armorers numbered magazines. Hundreds, if not thousands, of these 42 and S/42 marked magazines have been ruined by US boosters over the years. What's really a killer is to come across an Erfurt single or double acceptance stamped magazine that has had a bogus serial number added.