1937 Mauser, Discovered Non-matching

[mauser]

I have had a 1937 Mauser for a few years that I love. The gun is an honest 90% late year with a mint bore, and all matching except for the magazine, or so I thought.
It has mostly sat in my safe for the last 3-4 years, but recently I read on, I believe, another forum, that it is good for older guns to strip them down, and soak them in oil for a while. It sounded like a good idea, so I did, and I thought I had done it before, but this time I really looked, and all the little parts had a 60 on them, even the pin that holds the toggle to the upper receiver.
I all of a sudden notice that the small number on the hold open doesn't look like a 6-0, but a 6-something, and I get a flashlight and it is a 64!
I was understandibly upset, especially with the condition of the gun, that does not look like a weapon that has seen much use in its 70 years of existance.
Oh well, I used to brag to my friends about what a good deal I got on this luger, now it seems a little more in line.

[Edward Tinker]

Michael, I have done the same thing. In fact, had a really nice 1937 that I sold as matching a few years ago, got an email from the guy, "hey the firing pin is mismatched!". I of course sent him his money back. Oh well, thats life and now the story has a twist and you can tell it that way


Ed

[Ron Smith]

Michael,

What's the serial number?

Ron

[383 magnum]

The purists are likely to flame me for saying this but IMO, a non-matching internal part is not as big a deal as it's made out to be. I read somewhere that a mismatched firing pin would cut the value in half and I just don't buy that. If that is the case, where are all those half-priced Lugers with mismatched firing pins or hold opens? The last matched (except mag) P.08 I bought cost a grand. I would gladly pay $500 for one in similiar condition with a mismatched firing pin.

[John Winter]

I have a very early "P" block 1937 in excellent condition with an un-numbered, strawed hold open. It's tempting to replace it with an S/42 marked armourer's replacement that reposes in my parts box, but why tamper with the gun's history?

[mauser]

Ron,
My serial number is 860 and it looks like a lower case cursive L?
One of these days I want to take pictures of it, and figure out how to post them on here to share them with all of you.
thanks
Mike

[Guntoter]

Seems that the parts that usually end up mis-matched in Lugers tend to be the grips, firing pin and hold open. I am sure there are several reasons for this but I have learned to strip the pistol down (or have the seller do so for me) before buying the "all matched but magazine" Lugers. A mis matched hold open is not that bad overall.

Another thing to look for on Luger buying is check out the sear/firing pin contact points and make sure no one has been filing on them to make a better trigger pull or whatever. Have seen that a few times also and it is real easy to miss.

I love Lugers but so many of these have been screwed with that it gets to be a crap shoot buying these without handling them first.