Mauser Parabellum grips

RAY1946 · 11-26-2011, 11:13 AM

I was looking at some of the sites on the web the other day and run across a site called Vintage Gun Grips.
The have a set of grips called;"Luger Swiss Type" grips. These look just like the grips on my Mauser Parabellum with the straight grips and the squeezer safety.

Has anyone tried these grips? They are a molded grip and the checkering looks like the style of the S42.
Thanks and have a nice Holiday,.................Ray

Ron Wood · 11-26-2011, 11:57 AM

I presume that by "Mauser Parabellum" you are referring to one of modern production in the 1970s. If so, the "Luger Swiss Type" grips from Vintage probably will not fit on your gun. The bottom of the grips on early Lugers is a curved contour while the bottome of the grips on 1970s Lugers is straight. They are not interchangeable and cannot be altered to fit. Also, in all probablility the Vintage grips are not cut for the wrap around grip safety.

ithacaartist · 11-27-2011, 03:41 AM

OK, boys and girls, I'm actually involved in this one. My 29/70 Mauser has a hairline crack in one of the grips, so I thought I'd fit it with something new and exciting. I, too, cast around and found cast urethane repro grips made by Vintage Grips. I ordered a pair, which they stock for my model. I chose "brown" and did not like the color when they arrived. I returned them and asked if the folks there could make them in a new color. Long story short, I have a pair of grips colored to be reminiscent of the "Red Swiss" grips. I think they came sufficiently close, judging by colors of online pics from the higher end sellers. I've yet to see one in person.

Here's the deal: They needed fitting, though not much. I'd not filed the first set of brown ones down and consequently had not experienced the fit with them. When I had the Red Swiss ones coaxed into place and grasped the handle, I was in for a shock. Everything I'd read about 70's Mauser Parabellum grips here on the forum hit home. It was like holding a rough cut 2" X 4"! The new grips are significantly thicker than the wooden originals to the gun. I had thought maybe Ed Tinker, et al, were wussies, complaining about the "bite" of the postwar Mauser grips. So, with near 40 years work metal fabricating and welding under my belt, I didn't think my hands were soft, but the thicker examples used to make the molds for this model had to have been in very good condition because the checkering on these cast replacements was nice and crisp; and after shooting only one mag, I gave up because the web of my right hand now was checkered to match!

I've sent the urethane grips to Hugh. My plan is to change their surface to the more rounded DWM style profile and 18 line per inch checkering pitch, versus the brutal Mauser pattern.

In the meantime, I've sent Joy at Vintage Grips the original grips from the 29/70 so they can make a mold for thinner grips.

The matching mag bottoms they offer are fxo style. An fxo style mag wouldn't be correct for an actual Swiss '29, would it? Didn't they make their own?

Ron, the grips offered for Swiss style frame were taken from another 70's Mauser, so accommodate the grip safety and fit within reason, literally no worse than a pair of wood originals! Yes, the early Swiss were made with extra DWM parts and machinery, but in 1929 mfg. was all Swiss tooling and they redesigned the handle to be straight from then on. But you know that.

Ray, I'd hold off another week or so until we get the bugs worked out of this situation. You could certainly drop Joy an email at the company and ask how it's coming. If Hugh has had an authentic Red Swiss in hand at some point, perhaps he can make a call as to how close the color came out to the real thing. At this point, it looks like you'd be able to get a pair of the thinner grips as soon as they have made a mold from the ones I sent last week. The only thing available at this moment would likely be a set of the fat, prickly ones. I'm under the impression that the real red Swiss grips were of a finer checkering pattern than the 70's ones, perhaps midway between the 70's version (I sent away the only pair I could measure.) and the 22 lines per inch pattern to be laid down on my fatties after they are sanded down for comfy contour.

David Parker

RAY1946 · 11-27-2011, 10:30 AM

Ron and Dave, Thanks so much for the input on the grips. The ones that were on there site really looked good and I thought it would be a good way for me to get a pair and alter them to my comfort zone. I retired 3 years ago after 40+ years of machining,grinding and milling all kind of alloys and castings. After 3 years of retirement the once-tough and firm hands are just not as tough as they once were.

I think I will wait and maybe contact them sometime around the middle of December. Hopefully if they are headed towards a casting of your grips, they may have something completed by then. Looking forward to some softer replacement grips. Thanks and have a good one,.......................Ray

Vlim · 11-27-2011, 04:25 PM

On the pistols with the 29/70 frame (straight front, like the Swiss 06/29) you can fit Swiss pattern grips (same drawings, after all).

But: Mauser shortened the grip safety somewhat, so when you use Swiss grips, you are left with a gap under the safety.

Intermediate solution: Make up 'custom' 29/70 grips by using the Swiss grips as an example, then add some extra filling under the grip safety.

11-26-2011, 11:13 AM	#1
RAY1946 User Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 77 Thanks: 178 Thanked 14 Times in 9 Posts	Mauser Parabellum grips I was looking at some of the sites on the web the other day and run across a site called Vintage Gun Grips. The have a set of grips called;"Luger Swiss Type" grips. These look just like the grips on my Mauser Parabellum with the straight grips and the squeezer safety. Has anyone tried these grips? They are a molded grip and the checkering looks like the style of the S42. Thanks and have a nice Holiday,.................Ray

11-26-2011, 11:57 AM	#2
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,022 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 5,178 Times in 1,703 Posts	I presume that by "Mauser Parabellum" you are referring to one of modern production in the 1970s. If so, the "Luger Swiss Type" grips from Vintage probably will not fit on your gun. The bottom of the grips on early Lugers is a curved contour while the bottome of the grips on 1970s Lugers is straight. They are not interchangeable and cannot be altered to fit. Also, in all probablility the Vintage grips are not cut for the wrap around grip safety. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

11-27-2011, 03:41 AM	#3
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,347 Thanks: 7,285 Thanked 2,579 Times in 1,366 Posts	OK, I confess... OK, boys and girls, I'm actually involved in this one. My 29/70 Mauser has a hairline crack in one of the grips, so I thought I'd fit it with something new and exciting. I, too, cast around and found cast urethane repro grips made by Vintage Grips. I ordered a pair, which they stock for my model. I chose "brown" and did not like the color when they arrived. I returned them and asked if the folks there could make them in a new color. Long story short, I have a pair of grips colored to be reminiscent of the "Red Swiss" grips. I think they came sufficiently close, judging by colors of online pics from the higher end sellers. I've yet to see one in person. Here's the deal: They needed fitting, though not much. I'd not filed the first set of brown ones down and consequently had not experienced the fit with them. When I had the Red Swiss ones coaxed into place and grasped the handle, I was in for a shock. Everything I'd read about 70's Mauser Parabellum grips here on the forum hit home. It was like holding a rough cut 2" X 4"! The new grips are significantly thicker than the wooden originals to the gun. I had thought maybe Ed Tinker, et al, were wussies, complaining about the "bite" of the postwar Mauser grips. So, with near 40 years work metal fabricating and welding under my belt, I didn't think my hands were soft, but the thicker examples used to make the molds for this model had to have been in very good condition because the checkering on these cast replacements was nice and crisp; and after shooting only one mag, I gave up because the web of my right hand now was checkered to match! I've sent the urethane grips to Hugh. My plan is to change their surface to the more rounded DWM style profile and 18 line per inch checkering pitch, versus the brutal Mauser pattern. In the meantime, I've sent Joy at Vintage Grips the original grips from the 29/70 so they can make a mold for thinner grips. The matching mag bottoms they offer are fxo style. An fxo style mag wouldn't be correct for an actual Swiss '29, would it? Didn't they make their own? Ron, the grips offered for Swiss style frame were taken from another 70's Mauser, so accommodate the grip safety and fit within reason, literally no worse than a pair of wood originals! Yes, the early Swiss were made with extra DWM parts and machinery, but in 1929 mfg. was all Swiss tooling and they redesigned the handle to be straight from then on. But you know that. Ray, I'd hold off another week or so until we get the bugs worked out of this situation. You could certainly drop Joy an email at the company and ask how it's coming. If Hugh has had an authentic Red Swiss in hand at some point, perhaps he can make a call as to how close the color came out to the real thing. At this point, it looks like you'd be able to get a pair of the thinner grips as soon as they have made a mold from the ones I sent last week. The only thing available at this moment would likely be a set of the fat, prickly ones. I'm under the impression that the real red Swiss grips were of a finer checkering pattern than the 70's ones, perhaps midway between the 70's version (I sent away the only pair I could measure.) and the 22 lines per inch pattern to be laid down on my fatties after they are sanded down for comfy contour. David Parker

11-27-2011, 10:30 AM	#4
RAY1946 User Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 77 Thanks: 178 Thanked 14 Times in 9 Posts	Ron and Dave, Thanks so much for the input on the grips. The ones that were on there site really looked good and I thought it would be a good way for me to get a pair and alter them to my comfort zone. I retired 3 years ago after 40+ years of machining,grinding and milling all kind of alloys and castings. After 3 years of retirement the once-tough and firm hands are just not as tough as they once were. I think I will wait and maybe contact them sometime around the middle of December. Hopefully if they are headed towards a casting of your grips, they may have something completed by then. Looking forward to some softer replacement grips. Thanks and have a good one,.......................Ray

11-27-2011, 04:25 PM	#5
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,988 Times in 1,205 Posts	On the pistols with the 29/70 frame (straight front, like the Swiss 06/29) you can fit Swiss pattern grips (same drawings, after all). But: Mauser shortened the grip safety somewhat, so when you use Swiss grips, you are left with a gap under the safety. Intermediate solution: Make up 'custom' 29/70 grips by using the Swiss grips as an example, then add some extra filling under the grip safety.