[Ron Smith]

More dumb luck. I stumbled on to this at a local gun shop the other day. A BYF 42, P.38. It did'nt have a Mauser magazine so the shop owner offered it to me at a good price, for any P.38. Since I had been looking for a BYF to go with my CYQ and an AC 43. I grabbed it. After checking it out in Buxton's Vol.II. I discovered that I had a not so common early BYF,with E/135 on take down lever. and for half the average price. And soon discovered that the non-matching magazine is almost as scarce as the pistol, if not more so. An early Walther code 480 mag.
The unusual part is that, after closer inspection I discovered that the slide had been double stamped. Waffenamt proof was stamped twice. Once overstruck on the E/135, and again between the E/135 stamps.

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[cj029]

Ron,

A beautiful example of a byf 42 P.38! And a very unusual double stamping. I don't think I've ever seen that before. I'm curious, is this a no suffix serial number? The reason I ask is that I have byf 42 serial number 4955b which according to Buxton, vol.two, page 18, was probably produced in the 1943 production run.

Charles

P.S. I just looked very closely at the first photo and answered my own question! Of course it's a no suffix! Sorry about that.

Charles

 

[Ron Smith]

Charles, No problem! I've been told that this is a very early 43 assembled pistol with 42 production parts. However, not early enough to have been assembled with all small parts proofed. Unfortunately, the only early proofed small part I have been able to find is the takedown lever, which is obvious. I am going to strip it completely for a thorough check.
Thanks! Ron

 

[Jan]

Posselt grips (Five interrupted vertical grooves in screw area, MD 1W marking inside) on byf 42 are probably mismatched.

To prevent double strucks in Spreewerk was copper hammer in use for stamping. Source: Erna née Fritsche, Oybin, Germany.

 

[Ron Smith]

Jan, The grips are not correct. I exchanged grips with my CYQ, just prior to taking the photos. I was taking photos of the markings on the Mauser grips at the same time. I was limited on time so I thought these photos would suffice. The Mauser grips are correct.Also I believe the proof was purposly struck twice. I think that they realized they had overstruck the E/135, and re-struck to correct it. Both are identical and struck with equal force. Not a bounce strike. I don't believe.

Regards,Ron