This is a 1941 Pistole 08 military gun manufactured by Mauser. This piece is a 4 inch (98 mm) 9mm Parabellum.  To conceal production a series of alphabetical/numbers were assigned to Mauser in 1939 to identify their production in addition to the date code over the chamber to indicate the year of production. In February 1941 Mauser changed from the 42 code to byf.   ''41" dates are representative of the Luger contract production accepted by the German military in 1941.        [527]

This is a standard 1934 Model gun designated by collectors as the "Black Widow" 41/42 Mauser. This Luger has all matching numbers.

The finish is 96% Blued and no straw blue on this model and model has a hold open latch and stock lug..

The first toggle link is marked with the "42" Mauser code.  There is the "V" rear sight on the rear toggle link and the last two digits of the serial number appear.

This variation (41/42) in the black widow is a difficult gun for the Mauser collector to obtain.

The extractor is marked "GELADEN". The bore is good with distinctive lands and groove. 

The thumb safety is new style, and blued. The thumb safety is marked 'Gesichert' and safe is down.  The black plastic grips are what designates this gun as the Black Widow.

This Luger has a deep blue, almost commercial color to it.  It is in very clean condition and an exceptionally fine piece.

The Early 655 Proof with the straight wings tells us that this is an early 1941 produced Luger. The curved 655 began later in 1941

Serial number placement is in the military ("exposed") style.   The serial number appears on the front of the frame, on the side of the locking bolt, on the trigger, on the bottom of the barrel, the side plate,  the left side of the receiver, the safety bar, the sear bar, the rear connecting pin, and on the extractor.

These are known to collectors as the 1934 Model (the general period when the rework of the DWM/BKIW ended and new production began).

In 1941 production was on a war time footing at Mauser in Oberndorf. The German military's decision to switch to the less expensive P38 in 1938 had begun to reduce the contracts to  Mauser to produce Lugers. In mid-1942 Mauser also tooled up to start producing the P38. However, there was a large requirement to arm all the various police units throughout Germany and the captured territories .

War time production also discarded the extra steps of "straw blueing" the trigger, thumb safety, locking lever in favor of the complete blue process.  So to we begin to see the dark colors of the hot salt blue treatment.

The barrel is serial numbered to the gun and the barrel gauge is marked 8.81.  This step was also discarded in later production so it continues to verify this was an early "42".    Note the "n" suffix on the serial number, a mid-range suffix in this series.

The holster is original manufacture with a  WaffenAmt Code stamped on the exterior.  As the Luger's were marked P.08 so were the matching holsters.   This holster contains  an extra matching magazine.

The belt buckle is an original Wehrmatch with a dated leather tab. The buckles sell from $7-$125 by themselves   If you wanted a "bring back" original, this is it for the complete rig. 

Beginning in Early 1941 the four digit chamber date was change to a two digit date and P.08 was added to the left side of the frame.  In February 1941 the "42" code was changed to "byf".  There is some serial number over lap between the 41-42 code and the 41-byf code and it is believed that a portion of these were contracts for the Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine (Kü 41/42).  There are estimated to be only 7,000 41-42 Codes made in January 1941. The 41/42 is a highly desirable Luger for the collector.

The fxo on the magazine tells us that it was manufactured by C. G. Haenel Waffen-U-Fahrradfrabrik in the city of Suhl.

The Eagle 37 is the German military acceptance stamp used at the Haenel Factory commonly called the Waffen Amt. Proof.

These magazines were salt blued/black with extruded steel, black plastic bottoms and a new zig-zag spring with the P.08 markings.  

These magazines were supplied for mostly Mauser Lugers bearing the Code 42 or byf on the toggles and are exceptionally durable magazine.

The inside of the gun is clean and shows it has been cared for for many years. 

This gun is an exceptional Luger bearing all the correct proofs and markings to make it a text book "41 42" Black Widow.

See Kenyon Lugers at Random Page 290.

This Luger is identified as a curio and can be send directly to C&R licensees and above.   Questions to: josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com

It is entirely subjective to give any Luger a rating of excellent or fine, just as it is to declare it xx% blued or strawed. Few Lugers are out of the box new and these are premium priced. Bluing percentages is like Beauty, in the eye of the beholder. 

We strive to provide pictures so you can judge for yourself if the gun meets your criteria.

 This is the kind of rig you would take off the battle field (plus bullets).