[Johnolsen]

What should be blue and what should be polished white on the frame of an S/42 early variation. I am interested to find out if my pistol is correct. Thanks, John


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[Dwight Gruber]

All Lugers up to 1937 S/42 approximately 1500t are rust blued. The interior of the frames of rust-blued pistols are polished white, as you clearly show in your excellent photograph.

In addition, the small stirrup which hangs down from the rear toggle piece and connects to the recoil spring should be in-the-white unpolished, and the end of the toggle axle retaining pin which is visible poking through the top of the left-side toggle dnob should also be white.

--Dwight

 

[Johnolsen]

Thanks Dwight, my next question-should the insides of the back part of frame also be in the white. the area where the safety lever is. my pistol is blued in that area. the pin on the left toggle knob is also blued on mine. the reason I ask these questions is I bought this pistol from a very prominent collector and he said it was original. thanks again for your help, john

 

[Dwight Gruber]

The entire interior of the frame should be polished. What does the connecting stirrup look like? this part is frequently blued in a salt-reblue because it is not removed before insertion in the bluing bath. More photos?

--Dwight

 

[Johnolsen]

Hello Dwight or anyone with knowledge of S/42 1937 mausers. I am attempting to verify that this pistol is original. Hope the pictures will help. Pin on left toggle knob is blued on outside, white inside. Thanks, John


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[Dwight Gruber]

Thor emailed me today and pointed out Jan Still's comment in "Third Reich Lugers" that rust blued Lugers ceased to be polished inside after about the n suffix block in 1936. This Luger appears to be blued inside both the front and rear wells, and polished elswhere. Nothing about this gun looks, to me, inauthentic.

Jonolson, what is the serial number (with suffix) of this Luger?

It would be useful if owners of 1936 S/42 and 1937 subvariation 1 S/42 Lugers would check inside your frames and report their condition.


--Dwight

 

[Johnolsen]

Dwight, the serial # is 3688 with r suffix. Thanks for your help, John

 

[lugerlou]

Johnolsen

My opinion, your luger is authentic as far as the frame polishing is concerned.

Pictures of the inside of the grips are required, as is the complete toggle train and the receiver acceptance proofs to ascertain further originalty of your mauser

Also you may wish to run a small pick into the chamber end of your barrel, you should detect a slight ridge 4 to 5 mm from where the casing ends.

This coupled with barrel serial number, witness mark on barrel/receiver ( your 6th photo second post ) is undisputable proof of original barrel on your early Mauser.

This step was to reduce blowback from explosion gasses damaging the firing pin holder. (later abanded by mauser)

Also the rear axle pin should be stamped with the last two digits of your serial number unless replaced with oversize or replacement pin.

The backside of your sideplate should also be stamped with the first and last digits of your luger serial number.

You will also have to post pictures of the small parts to se if they are still strawed or bear the remnants of strawing.

Sear bar, left side of breechblock, firing pin, extractor, middle and rear toggle link,outside of sideplate,safety sear,safetylever,takedownlever, trigger,top of holdopen should all posses the last two digits of the serial number to be correct.

Check all these and then rest assured that you have a good one.

 

[Johnolsen]

Lugerlou, all small parts are numbered with the last two didgits of the serial number. The parts you said should be strawed are. I ran a pick in the chamber, no ridge detected. Grips have a G on left grip and an X on right grip. Thanks again for your help. I just started collecting lugers and got burned on my second purchase. I just want to make sure my first is ok. Second one is an 1936 S/42 that was supposed to be original. Bought it over the internet from private party, no return. It is all matching,

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[lugerlou]

John

Away at present but take another look for the ridge, it is very difficult to detect, should you have a strong bore light it will show up as a line around the inside circumference of the chamber.

Reblued is not neccesarily a bad thing for a luger but if the seller advertised the firearm as originall blueing and it was not that is called deceit and you would have grounds for recourse.

What you need to examine on any wooden grip is to see the blackish edge of the grip where it has rested on the frame and the small wooden lip that protrudes up at the edges.

John your luger is good.

 

[Johnolsen]

Thanks for all your help. I am learning much with a lot more to know. The folks on this forum are great; always eager to help a newbe. John