[Jan C Still]

S/42-1938 DATED-KRIEGSMARINE VARIATION-LUGER, WITH ACCESSORIES.

During 1938 Mauser produced approximately 113,800 Lugers in the 400b to 4500n serial range for the German military. These bear a 1938 date, S/42 code and bear either E/63 E/63 or E/83 E/63 acceptance stamps. About 2400 went to the Kriegsmarine. These are marked with an Nxxxx Navy property stamp on the back strap or Oxxxx Navy property stamp on the front strap and are usually found in the h, i, l, and m letter suffix blocks. (Any update in serial ranges would be most appreciated.)

Figure 1. Left slant view. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Note the exposed style of serial number placement.





Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


1936Army,Police04-21-2003 236.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 2. Top view. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m.


Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


1936Army,Police04-21-2003 238.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 3. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Right receiver and barrel, showing mid test proof and E/83 and E/63 acceptance stamps. Careful examination was needed to determine the 83.


[
Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


1936Army,Police04-21-2003 248.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 4. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Serial number on the frame and barrel. Note the lack of halo on the barrel serial number digits. This is typical of almost all blued Mauser Lugers.


Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


1936 Army, Police04-21-23a.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 5. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. North Sea N/2668 Navy property mark on back strap..


Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


1936Army,Police04-21-2003 231.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 6. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Crimped blued magazine, property marked N/2670, serial numbered 717m, and E/83 stamped. While not matched, it’s the proper type magazine, in the proper letter suffix, with correct E/83 acceptance stamp.



Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


1936Army,Police04-21-2003 226.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 7. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Rig with holster, tool, and magazine.


Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator




1936 Army, Police04-21-2003224.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 8. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Showing back of holster and 1939 date, manufacturer, Army acceptance stamp, and Navy acceptance stamp.


Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator




1936Army,Police04-21-2003 255.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 9. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Extra magazine, serial number 9927i, E/83 acceptance stamp, and N2674X property stamp. The X is the Navy’s method to signify extra magazine. While not matched, it’s the proper type magazine with the correct E/83 acceptance stamp, and near matching property number.


[
Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


1936Army,Police04-21-2003 259.jpg

 

[Jan C Still]

Figure 10. S/42 code-1938dated-Kriegsmarine variation-Luger, serial number 2176m. Showing details of the stick wing E/63 tool.



Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


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[Jan C Still]

Figure 11. Kriegsmarine recruiting poster.


[Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


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[Jan C Still]

Figure 12. The powerful north sea battleship Bismark challenged the British Navy early in World war II. Ships such as this would carry about 100 Navy Lugers like the one shown here in.


[
Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator


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[Nietzsche]

quote:Originally posted by Jan C Still

Careful examination was needed to determine the 83.

Jan, careful examination indeed. I learned something reading this thread. I was not aware that Oberndorf used an E/83 acceptance amt for the Kriegsmarine Lugers. You mentioned that about 2,400 went to the German Navy in 1938. I bet that makes these pistols quite rare indeed, because in addition, at the end of WW2 the Germans had the annoying habit of taking all the small-arms on their surviving warships and chucking them in the sea.

Terrible photo of the Bismarck. I even wondered for a sec if that was really the Prinz Eugen, a heavy cruiser that bore an incredible resemblance to the battleship:

http://www.prinzeugen.com/PGplans.htm

And her guns might have been loaded a little too powerful. On one of its first run-ins with the British, the recoil and blast from the Bismarck’s own guns knocked out her own radar system.

 

[Heinz]

Jan, great pistol. I find it very interesting that the naval property marks are very close:
Pistol N2668
Magazine N2670
Magazine N2674X

regards, heinz

 

[9mm]

Jan.....you talk about a "halo" on the barrel serial number. Could you elaborate or show a picture of what you mean? Thanks for the effort!

 

[Edward Tinker]

9mm, this might help, this was from the old forum:

quote:"Do you attribute any significance to the lack of a "halo" around the front frame serial numbers."
No. The front frame serial number was stamped prior to bluing and does not have a halo. The barrel serial number is through the blue and almost always displays a halo. In the case above, the halo does not show up very well in the photograph. Jan

And then here is a picture of one of Jan's pistols and his remarks about it:

quote:Figure 4. Front of frame and bottom of barrel of 1910 DWM, serial number 5865d. The serial number of the take down lever and side plate are in the commercial style (hidden). Note: the halo around the digits of the barrel serial number and lack of halo on the frame serial number. The barrel serial number is through the blue.

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In my limited experience, sometimes the "halo" is very pronounced, and more so in person, other times it is hard to see.

 

[9mm]

Thanks for the info. I will go look for that effect. I now understand what is meant by the "barrel halo" and why it exists! Already learnt something I didn't know in my first 15 minutes on the board. : ))))

 

[Jan C Still]

9mm
For a very well defined halo see P08 Navy in the Imperial Navy section.
Jan

Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator