Hello,

Here is an unusual WWII German Luger.  This is a vet bringback but the ID has been lost to time.  It comes in its holster.

 

It is only marked with maker code of S/42 (Mauser) and the year 1939.  Any other markings on parts are just '42' There is no serial number anywhere.  No Waffenamt stamps anywhere.  

 

The magazine is a marriage from another pistol, so it is of no help.

 

I googled this sort of configuration and did find one other.  Someone posted one on another forum and most explanations were that it was likely a GI parts gun.  

 

I ran this configuration in AI and it came up with a few explanations.  Meaning these guns are reported.  One explanation was that there was a disruption in assembly and could have been pushed through. 

 

Another expiation was that it was assembled this way with generic '42' Mauser code parts. Like if parts were made as replacement parts for armorers but somehow made it on the assembly line.

 

The gun looks consistent with wear.  It looks like it was carried this way.  And I don't really see a 1939 dated barrel laying around in the factory in 1945.  This one has me stumped.

 

If anyone has any info on this and is willing to sharing, it will be very much appreciated.  Thank you.

 

 

Look closely at the markings and see if you can see either a WaA or Nitro commercial stamp.  The WaA will be an eagle over "WaA / letter or number" while the commercial marking of an "eagle / N".  There may also be a Police marking of an "Eagle / letter" under the wing.

 

What is the full serial number (including the lower case letter) to see where it falls in production.

 

 

 

“It is only marked with maker code of S/42 (Mauser) and the year 1939.  Any other markings on parts are just '42' There is no serial number anywhere.  No Waffenamt stamps anywhere”

No markings anywhere.  The pistol is totally devoid of any marking other than the year 1939, the "S/42", and the two parts that just have "42" stamped.  I had wondered would there have been a use for 'clandestine' pistols with no traceable serial number.  But why have a maker mark?

 

I also suppose it could have been battle damaged where the serial number was and maybe replaced with factory coded replacement parts.  But again, there are no WaffenAmt marks anywhere.  It is a very strange pistol.

 

Or is it the obvious that it is low serial number '42' which is sheer coincidence that would be the same Mauser '42' code?

 

Or the assembler at the factory was 'asleep at the wheel' and did not mark it...

 

Or is this a Germn equivalent of a 'lunchbox' pistol illegally taken home as parts from the factory and smuggled out...

 

I am stumped on this one...