Strawing question, re: 1970's Mauser re-issue

[Frank H.]

I picked up a 1970's Mauser re-issue (9mm, 6" barrel, Po-8 grip style), and the one thing that always just looks "off" to me on these re-issue Mausers is the straw.

The tone of the straw just doesn't look at all like the "as done earlier" Luger strawing.

Does anyone know if they did some different technique, or if they just simply didn't get it right?

I imagine the straw parts can be re-done to a good result? Anybody seen this done on one of the re-issue Mausers?

The grips are too chunky and flat sided, I just grabbed some decent looking grips off e-bay that should improve this gun, for me it will be a shooter but I just wanted to take some of the visual rough edges off of it...

Thanks in advance for all advice,

Frank H.

[Thor]

Frank, I can redo those for you if you want. The ones I have seen have been darker or browner, not the pretty gold color of early strawing.

[Frank H.]

Thanks Ted, I may bundle up at least one or two of the darker of those re-issue Mauser straw parts and send them along with my other newly acquired mis-match shooter Luger's straw parts.

I wonder how they managed to get the "re-issue" straw a different shade than the originals, that would seem a fairly managable job.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Frank H.

[Pete Ebbink]

Hi Frank H.,

A minor point...but "re-issue" is not quite correct for a description of the 1970's Mauser lugers...they were actually newly manufactured pistols...

Regards,

Pete.. <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

[Hugh]

<img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" /> Frank,

I'm afraid that you will find that the '70's Mauser grip frame is shaped slightly different at the bottom, and regular Luger grips will not fit properly. If you are not satisfied with the grips on your gun, I can sand them down to a thinner profile and rechecker them with a finer checkering that will feel much better.

You can email me at hhclark@academicplanet.com for particulars.

Hugh Clark <img border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" title="" src="graemlins/drink.gif" />

[Frank H.]

Hi Hugh, well zippidy wow wouldn't I just figure, I guess it would be a bit to expect replacement grips to fit the '70's Mauser...

Good thing the replacement grips I just bought off e-bay are also needed on the "shooter grade mismatch" I just picked up...

If / when I get that refund check from the guy I bought the reblued-reworked Artillery from (kicking me back some cash to more equal the guns true value), I'll have to put some of that into enhancing my Mauser's grips, thanks in advance for your service.

Pete, re: "re-issue" on the '70's Mausers, it seemed they were making newly models that were made "back when" (like re-issue Fender & Gibson guitars etc), but also like you say they are "new" in that they are are new manufacture.

I enjoyed seeing the photos of your 6" Swiss Mauser, the guy I bought my 6" 9mm Po-8 model from also had a Swiss available but I couldn't afford both. I think he ended up auctioning off that Swiss right after I bought mine from him, gunbroker I think it was.

Yours looks really nice, and I remember now that ironically, it was Hugh who made your grips look so nice, BIG enhancement for your Mauser!

This is one excellent forum!

Frank H. in L.A.

[Sieger]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Frank H.:
<strong>The grips are too chunky and flat sided,
Frank H.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Hi Frank:

Yes, and the degree of "fatness" changed as production proceeded. It really is an insult to someone who knows what a "real Luger" feels like to hold one of these "things". The folks producing these pistols must have never held or shot an original.

Between those fat grips and that silly grip safty, the original feel is almost completely lost.

Perhaps this is one reason that the 70's production eventually failed.

Sieger

[Vlim]

Hi,

Interestingly enough, August Weiss, the original Mauser Parabellum/P08 specialist, was consulted by Mauser in the 1970s when they were setting up new production.

The redesign of a number of parts was done using the original prewar Mauser drawings.

The main reason why the Parabellum disappeared from history once again was it's original achilles heel. Too darn expensive to set up a viable commercial production line.

The feel of the grips is certainly different, can't disagree with that. They are also a lot sturdier and less likely to split at the ends.

[Sieger]

van:

"Interestingly enough, August Weiss, the original Mauser Parabellum/P08 specialist, was consulted by Mauser in the 1970s when they were setting up new production."

Well, he must have been disapointed with the final product. Interarms wanted a recreation of the byf 42, not a reworked Swiss "cheapy". The public never accepted the 70's models as "true" Lugers, because they simply were not.

"The redesign of a number of parts was done using the original prewar Mauser drawings."

I have 3 of the Interarms Parabellums and have examined them carefully. They do have a toggle top, I guess, but are lacking in many of the original design details.

That they were "redesigned" to speed production is very obvious. Instead of improving on the original design, they "dummied it up" for quick and dirty production.

"The main reason why the Parabellum disappeared from history once again was it's original achilles heel. Too darn expensive to set up a viable commercial production line."

True, the Mauser Parabellum may have taken a little time and effort to produce, but the public rejected them as "true" Lugers anyway.

"The feel of the grips is certainly different, can't disagree with that."

To me, 95% of the Luger shooting experience is the feel of the pistol in your hand. It literally becomes an extension of your hand, as it was originally designed to fit it perfectly!!

In contrast, holding a Parabellum in your hand does not give that "at one with nature feeling". It's kind of like drinking a near beer when you were expecting a good Lager.

"They are also a lot sturdier and less likely to split at the ends."

I've never had an original grip split at the ends. I have had them work loose with age and wiggle around when in use. I do like the pin on the P-08 Style Mauser Parabellums that holds them a bit more steady.

Sieger

[Frank H.]

OK, a bit more on this "fixing up the 70's Mauser Luger" thread:

I got the new (off ebay) grips in, and Hugh (of course) is right, they don't fit, they would leave a pretty fair gap down at the bottom, Mauser didn't copy the shape at the bottom. (Those grips do upgrade my $605 shooter off gunbroker last month though).

Also, it's been mentioned here about the grip safety having a strong spring, feels un-natural etc, I checked mine out with the grips off, it took a while to finally spot the little "leaf spring" down at the bottom near where it pivots from. It would be easy to pull that spring and weaken it a bit as was mentioned above, it sure shoves that grip safety back hard in factory form.

(Section deleted, re: my goofball newbie thought on possibly removing the grip safety, edited after Ron's heads up below).

As I get around to it I think I will send these Mauser grips out to Hugh (with the frame I guess for fitting) to get his artistry applied, it's a nice "new" gun, it would be nice to have the grips look and feel as nice as the rest of the gun.

Frank H. in L.A.

[Ron Wood]

If you pull off the grip safety, you will have NO safety. The thumb safety just blocks the grip safety from being depressed, it will not block the sear by itself. To do the complete job, you would have to install a standard model (non-grip safety) thumb safety and the part that blocks the sear. Danger, danger, warning Will Robinson!

[Frank H.]

Ron, Thanks... newbie learning curve "whoops"!

I edited my post to pull the bone-headed text out of it, thanks, you're of course 200% right, this is my first grip-safety model and at first glance with the grips off I didn't connect the dots on the grip safety being "the" safety, I totally see that now.

Thanks again!

Frank H. in L.A.

[Pete Ebbink]

Hello Frank H.,

You have got to get your grips over to Hugh Clark...he did magic on my "Swiss" Mauser grips last year. The original checkering was so rough, I lost a layer of skin each time I took the pistol out for a date on the range...now they are just perfect !

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/interarms1.jpg_medium_copy1.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/interarms1.jpg_medium_copy1.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

[Thor]

Gosh darn Pete! That rig is impeccable! WOW! Frank H, I recommend Hugh too! His work is awesome as you can see.