M.L.:
Sweep is correct and the "142" would be January 1942. Yours must be serial number 338900 or 338901 because 338902 is dated 6.42.
The reason for the German longarm interest in my opinion is that since the 17th century, German has always had some type of consumer protection in the form of a city, state or proofhouse mark. For example in the mid 17th century, a citizen of the city of Suhl was employed to inspect and fire a couple rounds thru every tube produced there. If he lived or considered the tube or barrel to be of the quality associated w/ the City of Suhl, then he put the the mark of "SVL" and later "SUL" stamp on the tube. Prior to the 19th century Spanish tubes/guns were held in high regard and it could have been due to the extent of the Spanish Netherlands which included Belgium. At any rate a proofhouse was established in 1844 in Eibar but like the French, the proof was purely voluntary. France's proof law was in effect until 1885 when Parliament passed a bill that cancelled obligatory proof. Both France and Spain did not consider coming back to the compulsory table until the International Proof Conference in 1914. And then it was finally law in France on June 4th 1926 and in Spain in 1923. And let's not forget Italy who joined the International Commission in 1920 and compulsory proof began on December 30, 1923. But Spain attempted to do more with less. The used inferior raw material on some weapons which lead to their reptuation of building two types of weapons: some of the best and some of the worst. And at times its difficult to differentiate the two.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
Last edited by ellenbr; 07/20/08 10:49 PM.
