S/42 parts numbering question

[serger]

I'm new at Lugers and just recieved an S/42 1939 that is all matching except for the firing pin. The numbering is 55 and the firing pin's number is 05. One of the older guys I work with says it is probably a wartime field repaced part. He says the unit armorers only carried limited replacement parts and they would just match the last digit of the SN when they replaced failed parts.

So my questions are: Is there any truth to this? Is there a vender who sells numbered original parts?

Thanks. BTW I'm reading and learning a lot here.

[Johnny Peppers]

A field replacement might have been marked with an S/42 or just 42 indicating a replacement part, but would not have had any serial number. The task would have been to get the pistol repaired with no concern for a serial number.

You may luck into a firing pin with the serial number you need, but not an easy task.

[the_stig]

Yeah watch the auction sites and sooner or later you'll find a correct firing pin. Firing and toggle pins are usually the most common mismatched parts on otherwise matching Lugers.

Keep in mind soliders would sit around, dissasemble and clean weapons together. Not uncommon for the smaller parts to get mixed up accidently. I have an honest matching bring back k98 straight from a Vet, but with a mismatched handguard, and I'd bet money that's how it happened.