byf 42 Luger -- Help date

Alfonso

Alfonso

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Hello,

I have a very nice byf 42 Luger having the serial number of 3800, having the suffix of g. I know that Mauser manufactured them in blocks of 10,000 for the Army and that they essentially stopped in November. Based on the above serial number info I think this P08 was manufactured around June or July. Can any one help me confirm this. As well, is it weird or lucky having a serial number of 3800? Also, why are all the other stamps marked simply 00?

Thanks
 
3800 is just a cool number, thats it. As for the 00, lots of german arms used the last two when stamping smaller parts. Like on a k98, the sight adjuster, ejector box, extractor, etc.
 
Luger serials......

The things were manufactured with Number 1 starting at the beginning of the year, proceeding to 9999. At 9999 they changed and added an "a" to the new Number 1, then ran that series to 9999a, changed again and made 1b through 9999b. January the First came around and they changed the YEAR marking and started all over again at 1.

Major parts were marked with the full serial. This includes the Receiver, Frame and Barrel. Everything else on the gun received the last 2 digits. Magazines received special treatment because they were individually fitted to a certain gun. SO......... Gun Number 1234a would be numbered 1234a on the three major parts, 34 on all the small parts and the two magazines issued with it would be numbered 1234a and 1234a+.

The g behind the gun serial is like adding a 7 in front of it, so yours is the 73800th Luger made by Mauser in 1942.

Lucky or unlucky? Who knows?

How does she shoot?

Lugers, above any others, are shooters and they are VERY accurate, especially if you use that 2-stage trigger as it was intended and not just b*tch about the "long, mushy pull" as usually is done in US gun magazines.

Most important of all: have fun!
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Not to hijack, but I just looked at a 41 byf with a 3 digit serial number, no suffix. How often does a beast like that turn up?
 
If you read smellie's explanation of how P08s were serialized, that serial number would have occurred once for a byf 1941 pistol. Just like any other serial number. There would be other pistols with a different date code with the same serial.
 
Let's switch gears now. So what would be considered the "wow factor" Luger's then. Would they be WWI or 41 or 42 Lugers from the 20's and thirties? What about the "Black Widow Luger?

I have one and now I want more lol. But I have funds to spend on "collectable" pieces, within reason of course. I'm not going to pay $20K on a Luger just yet.

Thanks
 
The term 'Black Widow' applied to a P08 was a sales hype from down there.

THE Luger to have, IMO, is ANY Krieghoff.

My two, a 95% condition and all-matching 1918 DWM, and a rare all-matching byf from 1942, had to be de-acted back in 1998 so that I could keep them here in UK where we live for much of the time. :=(

tac
 
I love my dwm 1914 luger. She has a four digit serial number without suffix letter so she would be pre war made.

She shoots quite accurately too.
 
The Ultimate Wow Factor Luger would have to be one with a "GL" inspectors' marking.

It also likely would be a no-date DWM Commercial.

And it would be worth more than my entire collection.

And possibly yours', too!

Very nice, but I can't afford that much WOW! factor. I'll stick with my 1938 RC, my 1916 deliberately-mismatched in 95% condition..... and my beat-up 1918, which is the one that started it all for me.
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The wow factor would be a nice cartridge counter or an 1902 fat barrel in Naval configuration, of course any early commercial with the GL monogram would be the icing.
 
I have my mint 1911 american eagle luger with the grip safety and in 30 luger. Shot it just yesterday and put 8 out of 10 in the black
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AmericanEagleLuger003.jpg
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Russian Lugers, Buffdog?

The Model 1913?

I believe exactly THREE are known to exist, including the rebuilt that Khrushchev gave to the corn farmer in the States during his "goodwill" visit. There might be more in Russia, but no-one knows.

Same number as "GL" Lugers, come to think of it.

Both pretty rare birds.

I'd take either one!
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