Reporting Stolen Luger help

[PMKS]

I am by no means a Luger expert, so hopefully someone here knows:

My best friend's father recently passed away suddenly at his home. He was a WW2 vet and had a small gun collection. My friend knows his dad had a postwar P38 and a matching P08 1940 Luger in it's original holster with extra clip & mag loader. His father kept these 2 pistols in his desk.
Well, the neighbors reported the death, and between the time Law Enforcement/EMS arrived, it seems that several neighbors entered the house to "help out".
Anyway by the time my friend drove the three hours it takes to get there, the two pistols vanished, along with an undetermined amount of cash, leaving only the Luger holster with its spare clip & mag loader.
No rifles or anything large was taken, leaving my buddy to believe a neighbor took them while in the house. his dad did not get along with some of his neighbors.
My friend told the police, who requested serial numbers.

The original Walther P38 box with test target, sales receipt, serial #, etc was found so he has the information for it.
The Luger, all he has is a 4 digit serial number that was written down, spare magazine, holster & mag loader?
How else would a 1940 Luger be marked so that he can properly report it to the police?

Here is a picture of the back of the holster if it would help:

Thanks for any help with this, my friend is having a hard time with all of this.

[pammy]

that realy is sad..! keep looking as it might turn up check with the local pawn shops also.wish you the best

[theotherhomer]

If the extra mag in the holster is a matching magazine to the Luger itself then look around local gunshops and pawn shops and have the extra mag with you. Did he have the capture papers to the Luger? And it'd probably be best to start asking around. Hope your able to find the Luger soon

[PMKS]

My friend said both mags matched the gun, so the spare mag is a match. Problem is that we both live over 3 hours away and can't really spend time at the pawn shops and such, and his dad lived in the middle of Houston.

No capture papers my friend is aware of, He just wanted to know how the Luger would be marked; S/42, etc? So that he can give that info to the police for the report.

[theotherhomer]

Well since you are 3 hours away from him you can search on online gun auction sites, gunbroker, auction arms and others. Someone who knows more about Lugers can help you with the production code

[militarymania]

i live in Houston area,,,if i run across any luger dated 1940...i will give a shout,,,what is the sn?,,receiver could be a 42 code dated 1940 or mauser banner dated 1940...

[habicht]

As the son has the four digit serial number, compare the number on the one remaining magazine to the number on the slip of paper he found. If the numbers match then in all liklihood it is an original magazine. Beneath the number on the magazine will be a letter suffix; the number with this suffix is the whole serial number. If you can report the entire number here then it can be determined whether the toggle would have been marked "Mauser" or "42".

[PMKS]

Sorry for the delay, had to wait until my friend got back home.
The spare mag matches the number written down, has a shiny metal bottom, aluminum?
Couldn't take a picture, the reflection is too great

Serial number is 3613
There is what looks like a letter V or U stamped by itself
Also a tiny waffenampt with a 63 under it

Thanks for all the help

[Killroy]

If you report it to the police the serial number will be entered into NCIC as stolen. This system cross checks the same database that pawn shops are suppose to use to track stolen property. This system is nationwide so if it was pawned it should show up. I can give more info if you wish in a private message. I am law enforcement and deal with this stuff daily.

Regards

Jeff

[Studly]

That's a Bloody Low Act love thy neighbor not!! i hope you friend gets it back PMKS