books

[sandromxp]

Hi

I'm going a little nuts on buying Luger books. Today I received Sam Costanzo's World of Lugers Proof Marks Volume I. I picked it up on eBay for $82 which I think was a steal! But it's mind blowing on all the information it has. I can't find some details of my 1940 Mauser 42 in it but I'm going to have to really look into it. I also picked up Stoegers the parabellum, John Walter's The Luger story, the Luger Book and Luger story of the world's most famous Handgun, Fred Datig's the Luger Pistol, Reese Luger Tips and Lugers at Random. Not bad for two weeks! I'd love to get Jan C Still's third reich Lugers but right now I've only found them for around $300.

So far I haven't really found too much information on the 1940 Mauser but learning a lot! The books I was disappointed with was the Reese Luger Tips as I got both the First and Revised edition and both stopped at before and skipped the WW2 Mausers.

Sandro

[DonVoigt]

Good for you, buying books that is.
Some of those you bought won't be much help and/or are way out of date info wise.

If you can find the Still books for less than $300 you have done well, almost never see them at $225, but occasionally you do- and have to strike fast. Best buys I have seen were on "sets" of his books, then they may go below $200 each- but you have to shell out $600 all at once!

Consider the Goerts/Sturgess book or dvd- discussed in another thread. Lots of good info there- three volume of over 1500 pages total.
You will find more Mauser info in the Mauser Parabellum book.

[gunnertwo]

Here's a link to a seller that has two of Jan's books:

http://www.svmilitaria.com/NewItems.htm

The ad was posted a few days ago so they might be gone. But, it's worth a look. $200 per is a good value these days. I have no connection to the seller.

G2

[mrerick]

Sandro, you are making a very wise decision to obtain the books and study them.

Going to "Luger University" starts with this decision. The more you study and understand the better your acquisitions will be over time. You're also getting some level of protection from being defrauded.

The most comprehensive book I own is the Sturgess book (Red edition) followed by Don Hallock and Joop van de Kant's "The Mauser Parabellum".

Don and Joop's book has a deep level of detail about each of the Mauser variations. This book is out of print now, and getting more expensive on the used market.

Coupled with studying Lugers, you need to get as many of them as possible in hand to study in person. Observing things like finish and fit will help you understand things that you simply cannot get from the photographs and descriptions in the books.

What details are you looking for concerning your Mauser made 1940 42 code Luger?

[sandromxp]

Mrerick

Pretty much trying to find information on the gun. I found out most of the proofs but can't seem to find one on the barrel. After the eagle it has what looks like a asterisk. Also I'd like to know the correct magazine which I think is a eagle/655. The loading tool? And correct holster. The Costanzo book is very informative with all the proof marks but overwhelming at the same time. It explains the proofs but hard to figure out where they belong. Also mine is 3060a but the a I saw in the book is different than what's on the gun since it has a forward line. Is there anyway to figure out when it was made?

Thanks
Sandro

[sandromxp]

This is tha a

[Edward Tinker]

Costanzo did a great job, HOWEVER, every slight variation he called it a new proof or acceptance marking - realize the difference between proof and acceptance...

So, accept Costanzo as a good start but there are inaccuracies - how old is Sam's book now?

I am unsure what you are asking on the "a" suffix. Not every batch started at 1 and went to 9999 and then 1a to 9999a

so, "a" suffix would normally be the 2nd batch of 20,000 made

However, from Don and Joops book;

1940 / 42
low reported serial number 1501y and high of 8291n

100,612 made like that

you can guess at its age and Frank (who has passed on) was very good at guessing. Did you try searching the forums?
We are more than willing to help, but read the FAQ, read through the forums and it will help.

eagle 655 magazine correct, although 2 types

Ed

[sandromxp]

I'm just making sure that it is a letter a. Thanks. It's amazing on how much information and misinformation is out there on Lugers! I wish I knew where mine Luger was issued and who brought it back. The seller told me it could have come back one of three ways. One taken of a soldier two handed over when soldier surrendered or found in a Barricks Or safe. Since it doesn't look to used I'm thinking of someone who didn't use it much.

Sandro

[mrerick]

Sorry Sandro, much as I've tried to digitally enhance the photo, I cannot make out any of the detail on your barrel stamping except that there are 4 numeric digits over the bore gauge over some off center mark.

From the serial, you gun was around the 32,000th made in 1940. At a rate of 8,000 a month that would put manufacture some time in April, 1940. Starting in January at the rate of about 8,000 a month: 9,000 in the "y" block, 10,000 in the "z" block, 10,000 in the no suffix block, 3000 into the "a" block.

Sometimes the small asterisk was a rejection mark. Sometimes it is associated with Berlin. Sometimes with rework in the East after the war.

Sharp, detailed, well exposed photos taken in shaded sunlight will help.

[sandromxp]

Here are some photos

[sandromxp]

Photo 2

[sandromxp]

And the frame number

[sheepherder]

The starburst on the barrel has been discussed here before; may even be in the FAQ...

[sandromxp]

According to the Costanzo book it says it's the end of production run?

[Major Tom]

The gortz and Simpson book set (3 volumes) is great for details on every borchard or luger produced. Other German pistols are also examed. I got a new set for $225.

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by sandromxp

According to the Costanzo book it says it's the end of production run?

Sorry, but there is much in the Costanzo book that is conjecture or just is not so. He did a good job at the time, but that was near 50 years ago- lots more info available now- in books and online- but still lots of misinformation.

[Sky Zero]

I don't have any books yet but I think I want to get some. is Jan's the best place to start?

[mrerick]

If you're into Lugers, get the red Sturgess set "The Borschardt and Luger Automatic Pistols". Simpson's Ltd is the publisher in Galesburg, Il.

Marc

[mrerick]

So - you have a "1940" date "42" code Mauser made Luger with sn 3060a.

Hallock and van de Kant's "The Mauser Parabellum" probably has the most detailed information about this period and variation.

1940 production ran from the "y" block through the "ns" block to the "n" block at the end of the year. Total of 160,000 pistols made that year with those markings. "Y" and "Z" blocks had close to 15,000 serial numbers built on 1939 receivers, and 5,000 built on "1940" receivers.

That should put 3036a at about the 18,000th "1940" date Luger made that year. The math works out to about the 48th day of the year - so figure between February and March, 1940 for your gun. They were done in batches, so it's hard to say exactly - and factory records have not surfaced with exact data.