#LUGER SERIAL NUMBER SUFFIX SERIAL NUMBERS#

In 1942 the Mauser factory started the production of P38 pistols to fulfill the huge demand for these pistols by the German army. So every month started with a higher suffix letter. The goal of every P38 manufacturer was to produce 10.000 P38 pistols every month. From this combination it is easy to determine the production date of the pistol. The combination ofВ year + serial number + suffix (or no suffix for the first 10,000 pistols)В is unique for every pistol. For example: TheВ 25,000thВ pistol produced in a certain year had serial numberВ 5000b,and theВ 35,000thВ pistol produced had serial numberВ 5000c. The first 10,000 pistols produced at the start of the year had no suffix letter.

#LUGER SERIAL NUMBER SUFFIX SERIAL NUMBERS#

At the beginning of a new year, both the serial numbers and suffix letters again started over. The letter went up one character each time the serial number once more started at 1. To ensure that every pistol had a unique serial number, the Germans added a suffix letter. The firm started over at 1 when the number 10,000 was reached. Walther used serial numbers ranging from 1 to 10,000. Most of the serial numbers also have a suffix letter. There are periods wereВ acВ +В production yearВ were stamped next to eachother and periods where this combination was stacked. In addition to the secret code the last two digits of the year of production were also stamped on the slide.

This new code was acВ and was introduced in august 1940. The secret code 480В for the Walther factory was already abandoned after two months use and replaced by a new code.

Luger serial number suffix