41-42 Mauser byf Black Widow Luger

Archived-NOT FOR SALE
"41" Dated 42 Code Mauser Black Widow Rig

This is a 1941 Pistole 08 military gun manufactured by Mauser. This piece is a 4 inch (100mm) 9mm Parabellum. To conceal production a series of alphabetical dates were assigned in addition to the code on the toggle 42 (issued to Mauser in February 1941). ''41" dates are representative of the Luger accepted by the German military in 1941. Additionally this has the black bakelite grips and magazine bottom making this a Black Widow Rig. The 41-42 in itself is a hard to acquire model, this Black Widow Rig is rare. (1761)

This is a standard 1934 Model gun designated by collectors as the "Black Widow" 41 - 42 Code Mauser. This Luger has all matching numbers. The finish is nicely blued with honest holster wear on the end of the barrel and side plate. This Luger has a hold open latch and stock lug.

NOTE: Photographs taken today with the high mega-pixel camera show more than we sometimes can see with the human eye. Magnified close-ups show us tool marks and natural surface conditions that one normally doesn't see in the ordinary handling of the weapon. Photographs are copyrighted, all rights reserved, any extraction, reproduction or display of gun pictures without the express consent of the Phoenix Investment Arms is strictly prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation.

To conceal production a series of alphabetical/numbers were assigned to Mauser in 1934 to identify their production in addition to the date code over the chamber to indicate the year of production so began the S/42 toggle identification. In 1939 the S/42 was changed to simply Cod 42. So we have the 1939 and 1940 Code 42 Lugers.

In February 1941 Mauser changed from the 42 code to byf, with two digit ''41" dates are representative of the Luger contract production accepted by the German military in 1941. There is some serial number over lap between the 41-42 code and the 41-byf code and it appears in the "n" block. It is believed that a portion of these were contracts for the Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine.

The thumb safety is new style, and blued. The thumb safety is marked 'Gesichert' and safe is down. These end of contract production Lugers (the P38 was under production as the side arm) were mostly issued to the SS troops that had their own procurement system. That and the fact it was issued to SS police battalions that did the occupation law enforcement behind the front line troops.


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.

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. The all matching serial number on the barrel and the frame reflect also the gauge marking (8.82) and the suffix "n". Military Lugers were all numbered with four digits to 9999 and then the numbering started over again for that year with 1a-9999a, etc.

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 bluing" 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 grips and magazine bottoms were beginning to be made out of bakelite because of the shortage of wood and aluminum.

A very rare picture of Der Führer Adolph Hitler swearing in a Schutzstaffel SS unit by grasping the flag and with two fingers extended on the right hand swore their oath of allegiance to Adolph Hitler


These magazines were salt blued/black with extruded steel, black plastic bottoms and a new zigzag 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. These 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 Waffenamt. Proof.

The Eagle 655 Proof reflects the that this is an 1941 produced Luger because the E655 changed in late to E135 in 1942. The Swastika/Eagle Proof with the full wings appears on the receiver, the barrel and the left side of the front toggle link. This proof began in September 1939 and simply represents the army acceptance.

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. The 41-42 Parabellum is a production of the transition in 1941 to the byf code in 1941

There are estimated to be only 7,000 41-42 Codes made in January 1941 consistent with the average monthly production of Mauser of 10,000. of these The 41/42 is a highly desirable Luger for the collector.


The primary military arm of the *Ordnungspolizei* was the SS Polizei Division, 4th Panzergrenadier Division of the Waffen-SS. Mainly used as a rear guard and reserve formation, the Polizei Division was historically known as being undertrained and lacking in skilled combat tactics. The division consisted of four police regiments composed of Orpo personnel and was typically used to rotate police members into a military situation, so as not to lose police personnel to the general draft of the Wehrmacht or to the full SS divisions of the regular *Waffen-SS. Very late in the war several Orpo SS-Police regiments were transferred to the Waffen-SS* to form the 35th SS and Police Grenadier Division.

The Black Widow

The issue of these "black" appearing Parabellums to mostly police and Gestapo units and their use of as props in era war movies gave them the "sinister" connotation associating the Luger and the Nazi's. Ralph Shattuck, the world renowned Luger collector for over 40 years, is credited with applying the term "Black Widow" to these pistols of the 41-42 era with black plastic grips and magazines. Aptly applied the term has stuck with collectors the world over.


This is a standard 1934 Model gun designated by collectors as the 41-42 Mauser. This Luger has all matching numbers. The finish is very good 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 is an extraordinary holster with the leather pre-died black to match the SS uniforms and the stitching still white and completely intact. The leather has been cared for and in excellent condition.

Above the holster date proofed with the 1941 matching the holster to the gun. Also the P.08 which was ordered to all holsters when the production of the P-38 hard shell holster was also in the inventory. Note the white stitching indicating this is the original black died holster before construction.

The Load Tooling (the center hole fits over the thumb button on the magazine and inversed the extended portion gives a wider space to apply pressure to the magazine follower compressing the internal spring. The Screw driver end is for the grip screws and firing pin retainer) bears the very rare Code 42.

This Luger has a deep blue, almost commercial color to it. It is in very clean condition and an exceptionally fine piece. This Parabellum has a stock lug, is all blued (as post 1936 Lugers were with Mauser) and a hold open. In November 1942 formal production of the Luger stopped but there were still orders to fill and so up until 1944 Lugers were being assembled from existing stocks of parts.

There were two sub-variations of the "41" date, the early with 655 Eagle acceptance stamps and serial numbered from approximately 3300n to 9950a from which this Luger was produced. So of this variation of the "41" date there were approximately 122,000 produced. Then later in 1941, early 1942 there began the Eagle/135 Waffenamt acceptance stamps and the second sub-variation with an estimated serial number range of 1000-9950a. The Black Widows for the SS made up a minor portion of these production figures.


The inside of the gun is clean with no evidence of pitting or rust. It has been cared for many years. This is an exceptional Luger being in such fine shape and bearing all the correct proofs and markings to make it a text book "41 -42: Black Widow. See Kenyon Lugers at Random Page 288. This Luger is identified as a curio and can be send directly to C&R licensees and above.

Left: Here is the Luger in full recoil with the rear main axel pin exposed. The frame is a Mauser frame as you can see the 2mm hump that Mauser built into the frames to protect the rear main axel pin. Right: Note the extractor marked GELADEN (Loaded) which extrudes whenever the gun is loaded. Even in the dark one can feel the extrusion on the breach block and know the gun is ready to go.


The leather is in very good condition with all the stitching intact. All parts of the holster are still pliable and functional. This rig comes with the all-matching Luger, a loading tool, and a second matching magazine,

Mauser-Werke and Berliner-Karlsruher Industrie-Werke (BKIW), [BKIW was the successor to DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken)] had common ownership. In 1930 the machinery, technicians and supplies were moved from Berlin-Wittenau to Oberndorf and BKIW's interest in the Parabellum ceased. There is a "V" notched rear sight and stock lug.

On the right of the receiver are the E655 proofs of the inspector assigned to Mauser and both on the receiver and the barrel is the straight wing eagle with the swastika which represented the latter war military acceptance stamp. The Swastika/Eagle Proof with the full wings appears on the receiver, the barrel and the left side of the front toggle link. This proof began in September 1939 and simply represents the army acceptance.

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 Legendary Black Widow, the Mauser contracted Parabellum, the 1941 byf. It comes with the all matching gun, the 1941 dated holster, a proofed loading tool and two FXO matching magazines. Taken completely from the battlefield and preserved almost 73 years for the discriminating collector. Thanks for looking. Any questions to josef@www.phoenixinvestmentarms.com This Black Widow Luger is being offered for $4,695.00 over the counter (the gun has been discounted for a cash sale).