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I Need a K Date expert!

4K views 22 replies 5 participants last post by  prairiedogpat 
#1 ·
Bob Young was the K Date guy but like all good things he went to his reward. Is anyone else out there who would entertain a question or two about a couple of oddities on a K Date I have?
I contacted Don Hallock but so far no response. The question & answer is not to be found in his excellent book..
So if anyone would like to discuss this for a couple of minutes please contact me.
Thanks..I can send a couple of photo's to your phone or email.
 
#2 ·
Jerry
I have Don's book and will be glad to look for you. If the answers are in there, I'll let you know.
Pat

Sorry Jerry, I had my other glasses on when I read your post the first time. I see now, that you say the answers are not in the book.
Pat
 
#3 ·
Pat, Thanks! Yes, I poured over the K Date section at some length. I finally touched base with Don Hallock and he helped me out. Lots of variance in the very early K dates from parts collected hither & yon when Mauser first started production. . Nothing like having a pistol to do an in depth study of the type! I have always wanted one to do just that with..A very early one, #510 is a special treat.
Thanks, I appreciate the offer to help!
 
#4 ·
Thank you, Jerry,

I'm glad you got the help you needed. I hope, at some point, you will post pictures.
I have an early K Date and it's always good to see another for comparison.
Pat
 
#7 ·
Peter, Thanks..none of the photo's show up. Not Found

The requested URL /uploaded/joop van de Kant/200636184137_MauserBump.jpg was not found on this server.
 
#8 ·
I've got #1503. What are the unusual issues or characteristics of your early K date? Maybe we can learn something here. Thanks.
Tim H.
 
#9 ·
Tim, I sent you and Peter photo's of the pistol. Peter, Many thanks for your generous offer. From what I can tell so far from Don Hallock it will likely remain a mystery of the birthing pains Mauser was experiencing at the start of Luger production in 1934. The pistol in question is #510 made in the 1st month/s Mauser began making them.
My question was about the barrel band. It has a smooth contour into the barrel rather than the abrupt angular drop expected on a K date. Don Hallock attributes this to being a DWM barrel Mauser inherited. The other oddity on this barrel is a tiny stick wing eagle/swas at the base. This is of course a much later marking that wouldn’t have been possible in 1934 so where/when/why was it placed there? Don said it may have passed thru the Police to get it but Tom Harp says that doesn’t make sense ? But I don't know.
Anyway, I will send you photo’s so you can entertain yourself!
 
#10 ·
Jerry,

The K Date I have is #268. It has the same type of barrel band as your's. I also attribute it to the DWM parts Mauser receiver. It has the Mauser Hump with no dimples in the stock lug which means the frame is DWM. The upper has the commercial finish that DWM used but all the stamping is very early Mauser K Date.
Pat
 
#11 ·
Pat, Shoot me your email and I will send you a photo spread of this pistol. Mine has the Mauser hump and dimples as well as the thum defect on the front right of the receiver?
 
#14 ·
My K date, #1503, has the usual sharp barrel band. The only other barrel markings are the o/37 accept. and the droop wing eagle.
Tim H.
 
#17 ·
Tim and Jerry,

I've always seen these stamps identified as test eagles. There should be 3 test eagles on K Dates. One on right receiver, nearest to barrel. One on the right barrel, near receiver. On very early K Dates the test eagle on the barrel is at about the 2 oclock position. Later guns have this eagle inline with the receiver proofs. One on the left breech block.
Pat
 

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#18 ·
I'll have to check mine tomorrow when I have gun in hand. I think my barrel eagle is at 2 o'clock also.
Tim H.
 
#19 ·
Tim,

another interesting mark on the barrel is the 0]37 stamp on the left side, near the receiver. It was done with a roll stamp, because it's on a curved surface. The die mark got the spacing on the umlauts a little long. It's the only 0]37 stamp on the gun where umlaut are so far apart.
Pat
 

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#20 ·
Pat,
My barrel eagle is at the 3 O'clock position in line with the marks on the receiver. The O]37 is on the left side of barrel in the same position as yours.
Tim H.
 
#21 ·
Tim,

I think only the very early K Dates have the test eagle at the 2 oclock position. In this, they were following Simson's prctice. If you look at a Simson Luger, the barrel test eagle is at about 2 oclock. Are the umlauts widely spaced apart on the barrel 0]37?
Pat
 
#22 ·
Yes - the umlauts are widely spaced.
Tim
 
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