Is my 1914 Mauser .32 ACP a Model Variation ?

[Gun Master]

I recently acquired a 1914 Mauser .32, which appears to be in good shape (98 % - maybe 95 %). All the parts are matching and serial # 123xxx. Oh, first, it's not a "humpback". I wish !

What got my attention was the grips. All I've ever read, spoke of wraparound wood or rubber grips "with checkering". Mine has wraparound wooden (walnut?) grips, but "no checkering". There is no evidence that original checkering existed, or removal of said, or replacement of the original.

These appear to be the original grips. The wood appears in somewhat old, but good shape. In fact I can see the same vertical grain of the wood all the way around. The finish has a dull semi gloss, such as you might expect to see from an old application of linseed or tung oil.

Do I have a rare (or semi-rare) version of a 1914 Mauser .32 with "smooth" (non-checkered) wood grips ?

 

[Jim K]

The grips could be custom, but it is more likely that they are simply worn down, or possibly smoothed down deliberately by someone who preferred smooth grips for one reason or another.

Jim

 

[Kendal Black]

Some small variations are lost to time, and we will never know from historical documentation all that went on. There are several explanations in this case. None is necessarily true but all are plausible. Note that to this day there are people who prefer uncheckered grips, so I suppose it was true back then.

> Maybe your info is incomplete and this was a factory option.

> The grips are factory work but somehow were simply sanded and finished rather than getting checkered. There are several scenarios wherein that could happen, such as an employee purchase gun, a special order, or even a "lunchbox special" scenario.

> The grips are later replacements sold for those cracked in use--either factory or aftermarket, and no one bothered to duplicate the checkering. (Wartime expedient?)

> The grips are aftermarket, either one-off work or a production item that history has forgotten somewhere in the back of old European gun periodicals that have long since mouldered away. We best understand history when we remember that it is always an incomplete record.



Found this picture while noodling around the web. Unless this is your gun, yours is not the only one... Maybe the answer is, we'll never know!

 

[Gun Master]

1914 Mauser .32 (smooth grips)

That certainly appears to be the same model as mine, but my gun is in better condition. I wish I could do pics of mine, but I can't.
I tried to pull up the Armslist on this gun, was not successful.
What area (town, state, etc.) was listed for this gun in Armslist ?
Thanks, Kendal.

 

[rondog]

I have one of those, but "checkering" is a rather generous term for what's on the grips. I thought mine was homemade, until I did some research and found they ALL look like that. Except for your smoothie and the other one pictured. I could understand why someone might want to sand them smooth, the checkering looks like hell. Not what I'd expect from Germany 100 years ago.

 

[Kendal Black]

Location was "Hickory County, Springfield, Missouri." Here is the expired listing: http://www.armslist.com/posts/40241...-mauser-1914-32acp-german-federal-proof-marks

Pre-WWII .32 automatics are quite interesting!

 

[Gun Master]

Interesting 1914 Mauser, etc.

Yes, are they not ? !!!

Best thing since the WWII stuff skyrocketed in price, while slowing the supply, and sometimes depleting my wallet !!!