And here are a few German weapons From World War II. The Mauser pistol with its holster is the Weiman Republic variation. It started out as a 'Red 9" and after the war had the barrel shortened and the original muzzle sleeved over the stub of the barrel to satisfy the Interallied Control Commission. The rear sight was removed and a fixed sight attached. It bears an early Waffenamt stamp (post WW I). The holster is dated 1920. The rig went with the German occupying forces in Norway and after the war it was used by the Norwegian Army. It was surplussed around 1956 and bears the Norwegian rampant lion mark to show it was released from Norwgian service.
Next is a Mauser banner police Luger with its holster. The pistol is dated 1939 and has the safety bar that prevents the firing pin from being released once the sideplate is removed.
Next is an Astra Model 903, the selective fire version of the Astra copy of the Mauser pistol. It's registered, of course. Its serial number is in the batch sold to Germany in World War II. René Duquesne has traced one of these back to a German Naval Artillery unit that defended Cherbourg, and I would'nt be surprised if this one came from there too. It has a Mauser stock (not the original Astra stock), with a piece grafted onto the front to accept the longer Astra 903 barrel.
Last is an early Mauser HSc in caliber 7.65, with the hole in the butt for a lanyard and a matted sight groove in the slide. It, too, has a waffenamt stamp to show it was accepted into the German Army.
I think I'll shut up for a while now.
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