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1939 dated mauser military and police lugers

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#1 ·
1939 DATED MAUSER MILITARY AND POLICE LUGERS Copyright 2008 By Jan C. Still An update to add new Lugers and to add thumbnails to old posts. Any corrections or additions greatly appreciated.

The change from S/42 to 42 code, from the mid to late test proof, and from the E/63 to E/655 acceptance stamp all occur during 1939. During 1939 Mauser produced approximately 26,300 S/42 code Lugers in the 4100n-3700q serial range and 93,000 42 code Lugers in the 2000q-5000z serial range for the German military. All the S/42 code Lugers are reported with the MTP and all 42 code Lugers are reported with the LTP. The S/42 code Lugers bear the SE63 SE63 acceptance stamps and the 42 code Lugers bear the SE63 SE63, SE63 SE655, and SE655 SE655 acceptance stamps (The SE63 stamps come in three sizes. On close examination some SE63 are actually SE83). All 1939 dated S/42, 42 code and police banner Lugers have the Mauser hump. A few 1939 S/42 Lugers have an added sear safety and were procured by the police.

Some Mauser Banners dated 1939 bear police acceptance stamps of either E/L, E/C, E/K or E/F and were procured by the police.

The 1939 date has more military and police variations than any other date (1934-1942, excluding minor mechanical markings variations found on some earlier dates). Illustrated here in are: S/42 Army and S/42 police (all variations excluding changes in E/63 size); Mauser Banner police E/L (excluding E/C, E/K, E/F; and 42 Code (excluding SE/655 SE/655 and Navy property number). The variety of manufacturing codes, test proofs, acceptance stamps, police stamps or the addition of a sear safety make collecting the1939 dated military and police Lugers challenging and interesting. Addition of the missing Variations to this partial listing would be most appreciated. They and their photographs can be posted in this thread or linked to it. Also, post or link any photographs of 1939 dated Mauser Army or Police Lugers.

Figures one to four show the tops and right sides of the five Lugers described with more detail in Figures 5-51
S/42 Code Army and Police; and Banner Police
Figure 1. Tops, top to bottom: 1939 S/42 sn 9078n, E/83 E/63 MTP; Note red receiver.
1939 S/42 sn8515n, E/83 E/63 MTP sear safety;
1939 Banner Police, sn 2919w, CC/U, sear safety, E/L

42 Code Army
Figure 2. Tops, top to bottom: 1939 42, sn 4540, E/63 E/655 LTP
1939 42, sn 2233r, E/63 E/63 LTP

S/42 Code Army and Police; and Banner Police
Figure 3. Right side, top to bottom: 1939 S/42 sn 9078n, E/83 E/63 MTP;
1939 S/42 sn8515n, E/83 E/63 MTP sear safety;
1939 Banner Police, sn 2919w, CC/U, sear safety, E/L

42 Code Army
Figure 4. Right side, top to bottom: 1939 42, sn 4540, E/63 E/655 LTP
1939 42, sn 2233r, E/63 E/63 LTP

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#2 ·
1939 DATED S/42 CODE ARMY LUGER

Figure 5. S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 9078n. Left slant view. Note the exposed style of serial number placement and Mauser hump at rear of frame. An Army Luger. Note: the reddish receiver. This was the result of an in balance in the bluing chemicals. The hardened receiver took a more reddish hue.

Figure 6.
S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 9078n. Serial number on frame and barrel. Note: no letter suffix on the barrel. Blue Mauser military Lugers do not show a halo around the barrel serial numbers.

Figure 7. S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 9078n.. Right receiver and barrel, showing E/83(small) E/63 (small) acceptance stamps and mid test proof (MTP).

Figure 8. S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 9078n. Showing its crimped-blued- E/83 stamped matched magazine. (Note: this magazine has had its original number ground off and replaced.)

Figure 9. S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 9078n, with holster, tool and extra magazine. The holster is dated 1939, the extra magazine has a blued tube, and the tool is E/63 accepted.

Figure 10. Back of 1939 dated holster.

Figure 11. Details of manufacturing logo and date on back of holster between belt loops. CARL ACKVA / BADKREUZNACH / 1939 / E/WaA286

Figure 12. E/63 (large) accepted loading tool.

Figure 13 & 14. S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 9078n. This Luger is complete with capture papers dated 13/06/45. It is listed as Captured enemy material: “1 Pistol LUGER # 9078”. Second Lt. William A. Stanton captured this pistol and the papers are approved with the authority of the Theater Commander.

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#3 ·
1939 DATED S/42 CODE POLICE LUGER
About 600 1939 dated S/42 code Lugers had the sear safety added by police armorers. Thirteen of these police Lugers are found in the 9170m and 7339n to9505n serial range. (Axis Pistols page 205-211; Third Reich Lugers page 109-110)

Figure 15. Left slant view, police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n. Note the exposed style of serial number placement and Mauser hump at rear of frame.

Figure 16. Police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n. Serial number on the frame and barrel. Note: no letter suffix on the barrel. Blue Mauser military Lugers do not show a halo around the barrel serial numbers.

Figure 17. Police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n. Right receiver and barrel, showing E/83 E/63 acceptance stamps and mid test proof (MTP).

Figure 18. Police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n. Showing the sear safety. It is held by a rivet at one end and on the opposite end bears a small pin that blocks the sear and prevents the discharge of a partly dissembled Luger. The sear safety was a police requirement introduced by Prussian State Police orders dated August 30, 1933. It was not a military requirement.

The rivets for sear safeties were made of steel (brass or aluminum was not used). Its half rounded head is not deformed and the rivet is in the white.

Figure 19. Police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n, showing the bottom of the sear safety rivet. The rivet hole is counter sunk on the bottom to accommodate the smashed lower end of the rivet. The bottom of the rivet has been filed off. The rivet is in the white and was installed after the Luger was blued.

Figure 20. Police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n. Showing the inside of the side plate. The first two digits of the Lugers serial number plus 1 (86) is stamped inside the side plate. The sear safety cut in the top of the side plate is somewhat crude and in the white. The sear safety installation was at a police arsenal (not the Mauser factory).

Figure 21. Police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n. Showing inside of grips that bear the last two digits of the serial number 15 (large).
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#4 ·

Figure 22.
Police S/42 code,1939 dated Luger, serial number 8515n. Full rig showing, police holster, police tool, and extra magazine. Its extra magazine is plated, marked Haenel Schmeisser, and numbered 1 in the police style.

Figure 23. Showing the interior of the holster.

Figure 24. Back of holster showing the Berlin manufacture, 1940 date, police E/B stamp, and serial number of the police Luger (8590) that once occupied this holster.

Figure 25. Eagle/C police tool numbered 8590 on opposite side. Typically of the police marked tools the acceptance stamp is faintly marked and the tool is in the white.

Figure 26. Back side of above tool showing 8590 number on its back. This tool came in the above holster. The number represents the serial number of the police Luger (8590) that once occupied the holster this tool came in.

Figure 27. These sear safety military code Lugers bear the police required sear safety, magazines numbered in the police style, and some are matched to police holsters (Still, Axis Pistols, 1989, page 211). They were issued to police units. It has not been established if they were issued to the Schutzpolizei (city) and Gendarmerie (rural) shown here or some other paramilitary police unit. They are one of the rarest Military Code Lugers.
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#5 ·
1939 DATED BANNER POLICE LUGER
About 3500 1939 dated Banner Police Lugers were marked with an E/L police acceptance stamp.
These are found in the 2531w-3673w, 2919w-4938w, 5667w-5987w and 83x-767 serial range. These had their sear safety rivet holes drilled at the factory. The sear safety was added by police armorers. (Axis Pistols page 205-211; Third Reich Lugers page 109-110)

Figure 28. 1939 Banner Police Luger, serial number 2919w. Left slant view. Note the exposed style of serial number placement and Mauser hump at rear of frame. The CC/U commercial stamp can be seen on the left receiver above the serial number and on the breech block. The police sear safety is installed on its left receiver. These were issued to Schutzpolizei (city) and Gendarmerie (rural) and likely other police units. See figure 27.

Figure 29. 1939 Banner Police Luger, serial number 2919w. Serial number on frame and 8,83 gauge on barrel. This is the only stamp on the barrel except the CC/U commercial proof on the front of the barrel

Figure 30. 1939 Banner Police Luger, serial number 2919w. CC/U commercial proof on the front barrel.

Figure 31. 1939 Banner Police Luger, serial number 2919w. Police E/L acceptance stamp on right receiver. The meaning of this stamp (and the E/K, E/C and E/F) has been discussed in detail. No documentation has surfaced to indicate their purpose. Most likely they were some sort of police inspection stamp.

Figure 32. Same as above, white removed.

Figure 33. Same as above, white removed.
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#6 ·
Figure 34. 1939 Banner Police Luger, serial number 2919w. Full rig with 1939 dated police holster, police tool, and extra magazine.

Figure 35. Details of police holster manufacturing hallmark, date, and police acceptance stamp: SCHAMBACH & Co. / BERLIN 1939 / E/B

Figure 36. Details of plated Luger magazine (type 3 police) side marked “HAENEL SCHMEISSER PATENT E/L” and marked on its bottom 1 over E/L.

Figure 37. Details of blued extra magazine (type 4 police) side marked “HAENEL SCHMEISSER PATENT” and marked on its bottom 2 over 3762 over E/C.

Figure 38A & B. Details of police Luger tool. These are typically in the white, some bear the Lugers serial number on their back. This one is marked with a police acceptance stamp on its front and a serial number 9974, on its back.
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#7 ·
1939 DATED 42 CODE ARMY LUGER
Figure 39. Left side view. 42 code-1939dated Luger, serial number 2233r. Note the exposed style of serial number placement and Mauser hump at rear of frame.

Figure 40. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 2233r. Serial number on the frame and barrel. Note: no letter suffix on the barrel. Note the lack of halo on the barrel serial number digits. This is typical of Mauser Lugers with blued small parts.

Figure 41. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 2233r. Right receiver and barrel details, showing large E/63 and E/63 acceptance stamps and late test proof (LTP).
Figure 42. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 2233r. Complete with capture papers. Lt. John D. Gillis captured this pistol. He took binoculars off a dead German and another soldier removed this luger. At bivouac that night the other soldier traded the Luger for the binoculars. This is how Lt. John D. Gillis captured this pistol. The certificate for this pistol was signed over 63 years ago by Lt. John D. Gillis and his pistol is listed as Ger. Luger Ser. No. 2233 Model 1939. It was approved by Captain Infantry Lester V. Clinkenbeard of the 291Inf. Reg.

Figure 43. Details of capture papers.
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#8 ·
1939 DATED 42 CODE ARMY LUGER, TRANSITIONAL ACCEPTANCE STAMPS

Figure 44. Left side view. 42 code-1939dated Luger, serial number 4540w. Note the exposed style of serial number placement and Mauser bump at rear of frame.

Figure 45. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 4540w. Serial number on the frame (with suffix) and the barrel (without suffix). The barrel gauge is 8,82. Note the lack of halo on the barrel serial number digits. This is typical of Mauser Lugers with blued small parts.

Figure 46. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 4540w. Right receiver and barrel details, showing E/63 (large) and E/655 acceptance stamps and LTP. When there is a change in acceptance stamp there is usually a transition where both the new stamp and the old stamp are included together on the right receiver. The E/63 is the old stamp and the E/655 is the new stamp. Previous Lugers used the E/63 E/63 acceptance stamps on the right receiver and future production used the E/655 E/655 acceptance stamps on the right receiver. The E/63 E/655 stamps shown here are termed transitional stamps. A few of these are found in the middle of the “w” block. Five are reported: 4540w, 5448w, 4809w, 5415w & 6269w (Frank). Lugers bearing such transitional stamps are scarce to rare and of great interest to advanced collectors.

Figure 47. Same as Figure 47 but without white out. More difficult to discern acceptance stamps and proofs.

Figure 48. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 4540w. Serial number on left receiver and E/63 on left barrel.

Figure 49. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 4540w. Its magazine has a crimped blue case. Its bottom bears the 4540/w serial number; a “+” to indicate the extra magazine, and an E/63 acceptance stamp.

Figure 50. 42 code-1939 dated Luger, serial number 4540w. Its grips are not numbered and instead each bears a tiny E/655 acceptance stamp.

Figure 51. Details of tiny E/655 acceptance stamp.
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Addition of the missing Variations to this partial listing would be most appreciated. They and their photographs can be posted in this thread or linked to it. Also, please post or link any photographs of 1939 dated Mauser Army or Police Lugers.
Thanks
Jan

Recommended post:
Three Thirty-Nines tharpo http://luger.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=11413
 

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#9 ·
Fellow collectors
I was surprised that there was not more interest in this thread (It shows the details of five 1939 dated Lugers with over 50 photographs). In 5 days, there were no replies and no responses to my request: “Also, post or link any photographs of 1939 dated Mauser Army or Police Lugers.”

Jan
 
#16 ·
1939 Mauser Military Banner

something out of my lock box;
 

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#18 ·
Tom
Yours barrel has the commercial proof. The barrel serial number is often absent. The barrel gauge (8,81-8,85) on the bottom of the barrel is sometimes present. A police banner with only the CC/U on the barrel front is proper.
Jan
Dave
Thanks for posting photographs of your 1939 dated S/42 police.
John
Thanks for posting photographs of your 1939 dated Mauser Banner Military.
Jan
 
#19 ·
1939 42 luger with holster

this one appeared from out of no where in the lock box ;
 

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#21 · (Edited)
1939 Mauser Banner Eagle F with Simson eagle 6 Sideplate

found another one hiding in the corner of the closet ;
 

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#23 ·
1939 S/42 Military Police

can you believe it, another one fell out of the corner;
 

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#25 · (Edited)
1939 Mauser Banner Eagle C Simson Eagle 6 Proof Receiver

I simply must take some time and look further in this closet;
 

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