[sauerfan]

Jim,

Several things to be mentioned:

They started at 260000, where the Behorden model left off, and went to around 600000

1/ 1/ The Behördenmodell stopped at 23x.xxx and never reached the 260.xxx border, simply because the model 28 vest pocket model, 2nd variation started at 250001 up to 254.xxx approximately. 2/ Production of the model 38/H stopped at 506.xxx with 506910 being the highest known having German acceptance markings. After US troops occupied the factory, some thousand were made from remaining parts up to 513.xxx and some starting in a totally new SN block 1 to 700 approximately.

The very late models omitted both the manual safety and the cocking/decocking lever.

No, that is not true. The late war models did not have the thumb safety lever any longer, but they ALL had the cocking/decocking lever. Only some of the GI souvenir pistols did not have the lever.

I understand that the pre-production models had no manual safety. The one used was installed at the request of the Luftwaffe, which was to be the major customer.

Not only the pre-production models did not have the thumb safety, but also the series production models in the range 260001 to 2636xx approximately, Consequently, the first 3,600 did not have the thumb safety.

The one used was installed at the request of the Luftwaffe, which was to be the major customer

Sorry, but there are only two characters to describe this. The first is a “B”….. Sorry, no offences intended, I guess your information comes from this “article”:

http://www.handgunsmag.com/featured_...306/index.html

The author even can’t read the serial number….. it isn’t 606910 as stated, but 506910 as can be clearly seen on page 3. Anyway, it is totally wrong, that the Luftwaffe was 1/ requesting the safety and 2/ being the major customer. The safety was introduced on “request” of the Army being the major "customer".

Interesting in this article also: “the gun of the Paratroopers”. Yeah, sure! I like all those Wikipedia stuff: “the vast majority of the HiPower was delivered to the SS”, the “Sauer 38/H was the gun of the Tank troops and the Luftwaffe” (German Wikipedia), and so on. Seems, all gun were only delivered to special “elite” troops….. but what about the average infantry and artillery officer?

I have not been able to locate a picture of the early "no safety" model, but at least one other person has confirmed that it existed.

Here, you can see (post #6) one of mine:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=275911



@Thalor:

As you expressively asked for my opinion: well, without having seen and examined the gun personally, it isn’t easy to make a statement. Is the eagle/N proof marking present also on the slide? If not, you can forget the idea of an original pre-war engraving. What I don’t like is the eagle/N below the serial number. Seems, the left wing (“left” from the eagle’s point of view) is grounded??? That wouldn’t be a good sign. The style of the engraving: well, could be, maybe not.

Are there remainders of rust pits present on the frame button (mag well)? If there is present something like rust pits UNDER the nickel – a bad sign also.

I’m suspicious when it comes to engraved pistols. Your’s looks good, but if the engraving was carried out before the end of the war…. I don’t know.

Regards

Martin