What is a MAB model D 765 cal worth?

Answer 1

The MAB model D was made in France from 1933 until the mid-1960s in .32 (7.65mm) and .380 (9mm court). There was a major resign change in June 1945, with all pistols made after that date called a "Type 2." While the model D was primarily a police and commercial pistol before WWII, as the French military prepared for war the entire model D production was diverted to the military. While there are no special marks for the Army pistols, those that went to the Navy were stamped with an anchor on the pistol's slide. During the German occupation of France, production of the model D continued, with the pistols going to the German military. These pistols have German WaffenAmt (acceptance) marks, but are otherwise no different than the pre-occupation pistols. About 1,000 model D pistols made during the occupation have a s/n beginning with the letter "L" and do not have German markings. The purpose of these pistols is not known. Up to this point, all the pistols are Type 1. When Type 2 production began in the summer of 1945 the pistols were part of the post-occupation rearmament of the French military, and a number of them were sent to the Kingdom of Morocco, at that time a French protectorate/colony. The pistols sent to Morocco have a stylized "palm tree" stamp on the right side of the trigger guard. After WWII, MAB pistols intended for various French armed government agencies (Customs, National Railroad, National Forestry, State Police, Bank of France, etc) received s/n beginning with one or more letters (other than the German occupation "L" pistols, all previous model Ds had only numbers in their s/n). Military and commercial pistols continued to have only numeric s/n. There were several versions of the Type 2 pistols, identifiable by changes in the wording on and the appearance of the slide.

The value of a model D will depend on its rarity and condition. The German-marked pistols (there are about 50,000 of them) sell for more, as do those with the French Navy anchor. Some sellers have added fake German marks to model D pistols (often Type 2 pistols) in order to "enhance" the selling price, so check those pistols carefully; the German serial number range is well-known. "Advanced" collectors look for the pre-WWII French military pistols (the approximate s/n range is known) and the "L" pistols, or specific versions of the Type 1 and Type 2 pistols.

In general, in 2010 in the USA, average prices range from about $150 to about $500, although bargains (about $100) can occasionally be found. They are often somewhat cheaper in Europe, although the added cost of required license fees usually means the final cost is about the same as in the US.

Answer 2

$1200.ooh FIRM