byf 41 magazine question

[David Kramer]

Gentlemen:

I'm a new forum member with a question.

I have a byf 41 #6408f or t (Iâ??m not sure - it looks like a script i with a cross on it instead of a dot above it)
It has standard checkered wood grips. Two magazines came with the pistol:
1. has black or very dark blue finish marked with â??fxoâ?� above eagle 37. with a smaller eagle 37 higher up on the body. It is also marked â??p08â?�. It has an unmarked black plastic bottom.
2. has black or very dark blue body with the same fxo and eagle 37 marks & p08 in the same locations on the magazine body. This one has an unmarked aluminum bottom.

Can anyone advise me if either or both of these magazines are correct for my pistol?

Thanks
David

[RylanBrissette]

I believe both could be/are correct. I could be wrong though, but I'm pretty sure the fxo black bottom mags are correct on byf 41's & 42's.

[Frank]

Hi David, WELCOME to the Luger Forum. The 41 byf Lugers started in the "O" suffix, so either "f" or "i" would be incorrect. A "t" suffix would be most likely!! A picture would do wonders.

The early 41 byf Lugers had magazines marked with a "122" and were matched numbered to the postol. Then came the "fxo" magazines numbered to the pistol until (about) the "v" suffix. Then a combination of blank bottom "fxo" magazines were supplied either with aluminum or black plastic materials. I suspect they used up the aluminum bottoms, then switched to the plastic as the aluminum bottom supply was exhausted. There is no way to defend that theory since the records were destroyed. Hope this helps!!

[Lugerdoc]

Frank, I agree with your analysis. TH

[David Kramer]

Frank:
Thanks for the response. If I understand your comments correctly, my byf 6408t was manufactured prior to the use of unmarked magazines, and would have originally had an fxo122 (not 37) magazine which would have had the serial number of the pistol - corrrect?
David

[Frank]

David, 41 byf S/N 6408t would have been shipped with two "fxo" magazines, both numbered to the pistol, including the suffix, and the spare was indicated by a "+" sign.

[David Kramer]

Thanks!
Too bad - I missed it by the suffix 'u'!
Any chance of finding the corectly numbered magazine?
David

[Frank]

David, if you go down to the section on Luger Accessories, there is a post on Luger Magazines. That would be a start!

It's extremely difficult to fid a matching magazine, but possible. So far, I've been able to locate 3 matching magazines to my collection.

My next recommendation would be to locate a "proper" magazine. This to me is one that is an "fxo" type in the "t" suffix block. There are 20,000 magazines that would fit that category, and should not be nearly as difficult to find.

GOOD LUCK

[David Kramer]

Frank,
Being a relative novice at this, I have a question about "fxo type in the 't' suffix block": do you mean an aluminum bottom fxo with a different serial number then the sn of my byf41?
If so, should it be fxo/37, or fxo/122, or either one?
thanks for the guidence.
David

[Frank]

David, sorry I wasn't clear. What I meant to say is, try to find a "fxo" magazine with a "t" suffix, but a different numerical value than your pistol. For instance, a "fxo" magazine marked "1234t or 4321t +" would be a proper magazine. While it's not matching, it's as close as you can get without it being matching!

There are several different magazine construction and finish types and many different inspection marks used by Mauser between 1934 and 1942. If you look in the section on Luger Accessories and my post on Mauser Magazine identification, you may get a better idea on the procedures.

While I have Lugers with a matching magazine, all the rest have "proper" magazines. That was my goal to begin.

I hope this answers your question. Good Luck!!

[David Kramer]

Frank, thanks for the clarification and I will check your post on Mauser mags
David