[Michael Jon Littman]

I was up in Palm Beach County attended a Tax Deed auction and decided to pick up the Sauer 38h I had put money down on a few weeks back. The pistol has been fired very recently and not cleaned. It does not show any effects of corrosive ammo use and I suspect the only shots fired from it post proofing were the ones that fouled the bore. I suspect the shop I bought this from funtion fired it. The pistol looks a little better than I recall. Although very thin the blue appears intact. I observe very little field use in this pistol. The serial number, 500292 appears on the left frame. The serial number 291 appears in the bottom of the slide under the muzzle ring. The serial number 291 also appears on the breech block rear.Is that a factory mistake made in haste at the end of the war? I reckon so. There are nitro proof marks on the slide, frame and barrel. There is a police eagle/F marking on the left trigger web. The left grip panel has a hairline crack. The magazine is the unmarked "thumbnail" type. There are no other markings on this pistol as to caliber or maker, as well there is no safety lever. The trigger appears to be some form of pot metal that I have observed on other Sauer pistols. It is dull gray in color with a small inset in the rear of the trigger blade. I expect that a brief history of this pistol would be that it was produced at Sauer, sent to the Police inspection facility were it was inspected and perhaps sat until capture? The police marking appears to be blued but I do see some glint of fresh steel if I turn the pistol in the light so it appears the marking was applied after bluing. Thanks for any input on this piece. I paid $350 and WAS able to convince them to accept my C&R on this item.

This Sauer 38h came with a brown leather German holster from WWI. The pistol fit the holster well and appears to have been together for a long time. The strap is attached to the flap and there is a metal rivet on the left side of the holster body at the end of the stiching. I am interested in a marking on this holster. From what I can see the holster appears to be a brown leather WWI holster that ended up being used to house a Sauer 38h very late in the war. There are two sets of markings on the holster. First is the deep stamped manufacturer marking:

SATTL.-LIEF.-VERB.
SITZ DRESDEN
1918.

Slightly above this in a box that is not stamped deeply at all is:

L.Z. St.
H. Dr.


My questions are about the second, lightly struck stamping. What is the meaning and era of the second stamping. The Sauer has been in this holster a long time. It does not appear to have been modified for the pistol in any way and does not have any other National Socialist era markings in it.

 

[sauer]

Michael, It sounds like you have a late war police accepted type 4 Sauer. These were the last Sauers produced for Germany before the Americans arrived in Suhl. The 291 on the bottom of the slide and the breech block are assembly numbers, and should match the last three digets of the serial number, but at this late point in the war, who knows? The only marking on the slide should be "CAL 7.65". The "thumbnail" type magazine is correct, and the zinc trigger is also. The finish on these guns was very thin, so the Eagle/F was probably done before finishing. I'd like to see a photo of your holster and its markings. It doesn't sound like a 38-H holster, and since production of the Model 38 didn't begin until late 1938, I doubt it is original to the gun. In any case, you got a good deal. A late model Sauer like yours, in very good condition, sells for $400 to $425 these days.

 

[Michael Jon Littman]

quote:Originally posted by sauer

Michael, It sounds like you have a late war police accepted type 4 Sauer. These were the last Sauers produced for Germany before the Americans arrived in Suhl. The 291 on the bottom of the slide and the breech block are assembly numbers, and should match the last three digets of the serial number, but at this late point in the war, who knows? The only marking on the slide should be "CAL 7.65". The "thumbnail" type magazine is correct, and the zinc trigger is also. The finish on these guns was very thin, so the Eagle/F was probably done before finishing. I'd like to see a photo of your holster and its markings. It doesn't sound like a 38-H holster, and since production of the Model 38 didn't begin until late 1938, I doubt it is original to the gun. In any case, you got a good deal. A late model Sauer like yours, in very good condition, sells for $400 to $425 these days.

Sauer,
Next to the nitro proof there is no other marking on the slide. No caliber marking, no manufacturers name, etc. The holster is clearly not a 38h holster due to the manufacturers date of 1918 in it. It is very similar to 38h holsters I have seen posted here. The common elements seem to be the strap coming down from the flap and the metal rivet on the thread ending. Otherwise I am sure this is quite obviously a reissued holster from some earlier period. Does anyone have a clue what the markings might be on the holster? I will post a photo as soon as I get a chance....sorry no digital camera!

 

[sauer]

Michael, I think the holster is probably a GI pick up that happened to fit. You seem to be describing a police type holster. This holster would have the makers name, a date and the Eagle/B on the holster body just above the stud. If yours doesnt have this, it is something else. 500292 is within the block of E/F Sauers assembled just prior to April 1945 when the American Army arrived in Suhl. It's possible in the rush that the slide didn't get marked. That would make it VERY unusual. You might want to contact Jim Cate at [email protected] and ask his opinion. He's the expert on Sauers, and always happy to answer a fellow collector.

 

[Michael Jon Littman]

quote:Originally posted by sauer

Michael, I think the holster is probably a GI pick up that happened to fit. You seem to be describing a police type holster. This holster would have the makers name, a date and the Eagle/B on the holster body just above the stud. If yours doesnt have this, it is something else. 500292 is within the block of E/F Sauers assembled just prior to April 1945 when the American Army arrived in Suhl. It's possible in the rush that the slide didn't get marked. That would make it VERY unusual. You might want to contact Jim Cate at [email protected] and ask his opinion. He's the expert on Sauers, and always happy to answer a fellow collector.

Sauer,

Thanks for the help. The slide is devoid of markings for certain....except the nitro proof marking on the right rear. The holster has no police markings at all and is clearly of 1918 vintage. I have thought it might be something the capturing GI may have picked up to hold this pistol so that is why I questioned the second set of markings on this holster as I suspect they may post date the manufacturers date of 1918. I am still wondering what the meaning of the second set of holster markings might be. These could be an inter-war marking, WWI marking or of some consequence to the pistol in the holster, suggestive of a WWII use.

 

[Michael Jon Littman]

quote:Originally posted by sauer

Michael, I think the holster is probably a GI pick up that happened to fit. You seem to be describing a police type holster. This holster would have the makers name, a date and the Eagle/B on the holster body just above the stud. If yours doesnt have this, it is something else. 500292 is within the block of E/F Sauers assembled just prior to April 1945 when the American Army arrived in Suhl. It's possible in the rush that the slide didn't get marked. That would make it VERY unusual. You might want to contact Jim Cate at [email protected] and ask his opinion. He's the expert on Sauers, and always happy to answer a fellow collector.

By the way thanks for the tip about Jim Cate. I have been away from home for the last month so my email capacity has been limited. am now back in Homestead, FL and will email him. I noticed his name has come up before from poking around here in older posts.

 

[sauer]

Michael, My dad was stationed at Homested AFB during WWII. He and mom lived in Winter Park during the war. Nice to meet you!

 

[Michael Jon Littman]

quote:Originally posted by sauer

Michael, My dad was stationed at Homested AFB during WWII. He and mom lived in Winter Park during the war. Nice to meet you!

Interesting. What is now Homestead Air Reserve Base was called Homestead Field in the 1940s. It was used for training and a jump-off point for the air ferry convoys taking aircraft to Russia via Iran. The base was demolished in 1992 by hurricane Andrew and later reopened as an Air Reserve base in a much diminished capacity. I had kin at Richmond Field on what is now the Miami-Dade Metro Zoo. There was a huge blimp base located there that was destroyed in a 1945 hurricane. My Mother's family were pioneers down here in the 1890s but I think I have about had it. I cannot recognize the place I grew up in anymore and things have gotten from bad to very bad in Homestead. I suppose it is like that in many places but the lack of a place to shoot is getting me down. Ah for the Homestead of the old days!

 

[Michael Jon Littman]

Here is a terrible image of the left side of this pistol. Sorry for the image quality. I am using my scanner for this and it does not work well!



Download Attachment: Sauer slide left.jpg
86.98 KB



Download Attachment: Sauer slide right.jpg
83.4 KB

 

[sauer]

Michael, I'm so sorry to hear how the Homestead area has declined. Dad was a Classification Officer at the Field, and both Mom and Dad always spoke of the area as being a beautiful place, full of friendly locals. I guess times change, no matter how much we would like them to remain the same. Best of luck in your collecting, and everything else