At the end of WW2 Oberndorf was in the French zone of occupation and approximately 3,500 Lugers were assembled while the Mauser factory was under French control. 1,000 of these were transferred to the Austrian army, and bear Austrian markings, currently there are only 69 known purely French survivors, 14 of which are Artillery models. The French guns are very rare on this side of the Atlantic, and this is the only one I've ever seen. It looks like a Commercial Mauser, and apart from the Mauser banner and a small five pointed star, is void of external markings. The barrel appears to be rust blued, the balance of the gun salt blued. The magazine is a Haenel with an unmarked body, and the base retaining pin has distinctive convex ends.
"The Mauser Parabellum", 2010, devotes a few pages to these interesting guns and there is an earlier write up in a French reference book, "Le Luger", 2001.
Enjoy the photos, Norm
"The Mauser Parabellum", 2010, devotes a few pages to these interesting guns and there is an earlier write up in a French reference book, "Le Luger", 2001.
Enjoy the photos, Norm
