[Guest]

Just bought this yesterday here in Nashville. The barrel is marked underneath in English: "Made in Germany" The part that the barrel fits into has the serial number 75** which has been marked out with x's and replaced with 39**. The latter appears to be the original serial number because the last two digits are imprinted on a number of parts. The date on top is 1937 and I take this to be the date of the replacement part rather than the date the basic pistol was made. Byf is imprinted on the toggle. I have read that this indicates Mauser manufacture in 1941 or 1942. At several places there is an N on top of a shield. A script letter which I take to be L is below the serial number at the front of the frame above the trigger guard. Letters which I read as E.C.C.S.A. are stamped on the right side. There are also several small marks which look like wings over numbers and what looks like an eagle, all on the right side of the frame. Most of pistol is polished blue but the extractor is brownish. Can anyone tell me more about this "shooter," which did shoot very well yesterday and is is good condition throughout.

Thanks,

Drakejake

 

[Vlim]

DrakeJake,

Although it's hard to tell without pictures, it sounds like you have an former East-German rework, commonly referred to as a VoPo (for VolksPolizei, Eastern German police).

You might want to check the firing pin. If it has a crudely etched 2-digit number that matches the frame-number, it's a good indication. Also the VoPo had a distinctive brownish plastic grip with a bulleye design in the middle. Usually, the replacement parts are numbered to the frame's main number. Small parts may have X-ed out serial numbers.

Does the barrel have a crown/N stamp underneath it and does the muzzle-ring surface look rough?
Many VoPo's were rebarreled and reproofed with the Crown/N proof.

 

[Guest]

I haven't looked at the firing pin. The grips are checkered walnut in perfect condition. There are no marks or insignia on the grips. There are no crowns over N on the gun, only N over a shield. I think the N over a shield is the crucial mark and once identified will tell me most about the history of this handgun. The barrel is evidently a replacement; underneath it states Made in Germany (in English).

Drakejake

 

[oldguy]

A scan or a picture of the marking would help very much?

I am under the impression you are familar with how the crown looks, and that it looks a bit different on different guns / years?

 

[oldguy]

quote:Originally posted by drakejake

...date on top is 1937 and I take this to be the date of the replacement part rather than the date the basic pistol was made. Byf is imprinted on the toggle. I have read that this indicates Mauser manufacture in 1941 or 1942.

It depends , the 1937 is the date the receiver was made and stamped, the byf is the manufacturer code of Mauser, I am unsure of years they made byf.

 

[Guest]

I would like to post photos, but my camera can't capture the small details of the markings. Suffice to say, there is no crown marking on my Luger, just several capital N's over what appears to be shields.

Thanks,

Drakejake

 

[Vlim]

Drakejake,

I believe I can explain your N over Shield stamp. This is the Suhl proof for Nitro (smokeless) powder, used by the Suhl proofhouse between 1945 and 1950. After 1950, DDR-formation, they returned to the well-known pre-war Crown/N proof.

Your pistol was probably re-issued to police forces during the allied occupation of Germany, just after the war.


Download Attachment: suhl4550.jpg
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[Guest]

Thanks for this interesting information.

Drakejake

 

[Guest]

The mark you present appears to be the one on my Luger, except that the N on my pistol is larger in proportion to the shield.

Thanks,

Drakejake

 

[Vlim]

Hi,

Can be, these drawings are not always to scale. The shield is stylized Suhl town shield and reappeared as the Suhl proof house mark on Post-1990 Suhl proofed guns, in combination with a date code and the Postwar German eagle/N mark.

As your combination was in use for a limited time (1945-1950), it helps to pinpoint the proofing to an interesting era in German history.