somd_mustangs
-----
- Jul 1, 2012
- 5,739
As promised
There are two different markings:
1) "Made In France" under the Manurhin logo, with a circle proof on front left of slide and crossed cannon and firing proof on right side of slide. This is the original, and most common, marking. These slides were supposedly reused from a Portuguese military contract that fell through.
2) "France" under the Manurhin logo, with St Etienne (?) proof on left rear of slide and no proofs on right side. The engraving can be more crude and the last 3 or 4 of S/N is hand-stamped in a somewhat random place on left side.
After looking at more of the "French" only slides, it turns out all of those (seen so far) are the later "fat" slides so are replacements. The Manurhin P1's were produced in the 1963/4 time frame, and the fat slides didn't come out until later (1968 or so). You can easily tell the slide is the later, improved "fatty" because there are many more serrations at rear of the slide, extending past the safety lever pocket.
These pistols came with an interesting pair of shoulder holsters dated 1971 and marked for West Berlin Police.
The Manurhin-marked P1's were made for the West Berlin police to get around the restriction of using German-made pistols in that sector.
