Originally Posted by
harvey_s
Interestingly the vendor says it's an early gun, whereas other sources say that stamped model designations are a later thing.
Very interesting thread Danny and very interesting gun.
I just wonder.
Perhaps the 53/52 issue is related to the way the model designation was created (machined apparently).
Perhaps all it took was operator error one dozy Monday morning to set up the machinery to engrave "52" rather than "53". The LG52 is no myth, the error must have been easy to make at the time, 52, 53, etc etc.
Till the mistake was noted by the operator, who mentioned this accident to no-one for obvious reasons, so a handful of guns were mismarked and got through Walther's gates and out onto the shelves.
Would explain why Walther deny the existence of the 52, (why would they otherwise?) and why there are so few of these known about, Danny's is the first I have seen, yet "no smoke without fire" the fact that the "52" has had previous mention indicates that there may be something behind the myth, it was not just dreamt up.
I don't see why anyone would want to fake a 52 it's not like its value is going to change anyone's life or even be worth the extraordinary effort.
If the above is correct (though I admit it is impossible to prove, only to speculate) then the gun may well not be a "52" as we imagine it to be, but it's augmented value will be of a similar sort to that accorded to collectible postage stamps that have been printed with errors, some of which are exceedingly costly!
**WANTED**: WEBLEY PATRIOT MUZZLE END; Any Diana/Original mod.50 parts, especially OPEN SIGHTS