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* BYF CODE, 42 DATED, LUGER, sn 135c

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#1 ·
BYF CODE, 42 DATED, LUGER.
During 1942 Mauser produced approximately 113,000 Lugers in the 500 to 130 m serial range for the German military. These bear a 42 date, byf code and E/135 acceptance stamps. The last 10,000 (beyond serial number 130m) produced went to Portugal and Bulgaria.(Third Reich Lugers p. 66) (Any update in serial ranges would be most appreciated.)

Figure 1. Left slant view, byf 42, serial number 135c. Note the exposed style of serial number placement. The black plastic (bakelite) grips are found on about 20 percent of these Lugers.
(Note: byf 41 and byf 42 Lugers have been termed “black widow” and “Gestapo” by dealers. These terms have no basis in fact. Because of seller/buyer appeal the number of “black widows” has increased greatly by exchanging original wood grips for aftermarket black plastic grips.)


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Figure 2. Top, byf 42, serial number 135c.

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Figure 3. Right side, byf 42, serial number 135c.

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Figure 4. byf 42, serial number 135c. Right receiver and barrel, showing late test proof and E/135 acceptance stamps. The barrel test proof is smaller and sharper than the receiver proof.

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Figure 5. byf 42, serial number 135c. Serial number on the frame and barrel. Note the lack of halo on the barrel serial number digits and barrel gauge. This is typical of almost all blued Mauser Lugers.

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Figure 6. byf 42, serial number 135c. Inside of original black plastic Mauser grips. (Also, see Krieghoff Parabellum, page 47)

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Figure 7. byf 42, serial number 135c. A proper (type 4 Army) magazine for this Luger. E/37, E/37, P08 marked on blued- extruded case with black-plastic(bakelite) center-pinned bottom. (Third Reich Lugers, page 126)

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Jan C Still
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#2 ·
Jan, nice Luger!!

I totally agree with your comments regarding the hype of the so called "Black Widow" causing the cheats to use the after-market grips. Further, these late grips are becoming better as time passes. I bought a pair of fakes (on purpose) that have the threads in the proper spots. They, however, were the wrong thread size.

Jan, I have byf 41's in the no suffix, A and B Blocks. I realize that the overlap between the byf 41 and byf 42 might be extensive because of the impending hault in the Luger production. Just curious as to the lowest serial number of byf 42 that exists in the collections of the membership.
 
#4 ·
Frank,

* So far, dB listing shows S/N 597ns as the lowest recorded byf42 w/ 9 examples appearing in the ns block. All are double sE/135 accepted.

* Highest byf41 was reported by Navsty back on 3/6/03 as S/N 1121b; also with double sE/135 acceptances.

Trust this helps!
Good Hunting,
Bob
 
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