WWII Russian Capture vs. Numbers Matching P08

Dwight Gruber · 02-28-2013, 11:00 PM

A bi of clairification:

"Russian capture" Lugers are generally matching, not repaired or rebuilt. They frequently have an X stamped somewhere on the pistol. Their wooden grips were usually removed for storage, replaced with new plastic grips when they were reissued. What is usually referred to as the "Russian dip" is different from the chemical salt-blue bath used in Mauser P08 production beginning in 1937. "Russian dip" is a very tough, paint-like application applied over whatever finish was on the pistol--or not--at the time.

P08s of the Deutsche Volkspolizei were pistols left in arms caches, repair depots, or scrounged wherever they could be found in East Germany. They ranged from needing repair to barely usable even for parts. East German police armorers created serviceable pistols by repairing the best pistols with parts scavenged from irrepairable pistols, or by assembling new Lugers by cannibalizing other pistols wholesale. DVP Lugers usually have force-matched parts and new barrels, and were brought fully up to specification by capable armorers (see Police Lugers, Chapter 5). Russia surreptitously shipped Lugers from their captured stocks to East Germany in contravention of post-war treaty agreements.

--Dwight

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02-28-2013, 11:00 PM	#15
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	A bi of clairification: "Russian capture" Lugers are generally matching, not repaired or rebuilt. They frequently have an X stamped somewhere on the pistol. Their wooden grips were usually removed for storage, replaced with new plastic grips when they were reissued. What is usually referred to as the "Russian dip" is different from the chemical salt-blue bath used in Mauser P08 production beginning in 1937. "Russian dip" is a very tough, paint-like application applied over whatever finish was on the pistol--or not--at the time. P08s of the Deutsche Volkspolizei were pistols left in arms caches, repair depots, or scrounged wherever they could be found in East Germany. They ranged from needing repair to barely usable even for parts. East German police armorers created serviceable pistols by repairing the best pistols with parts scavenged from irrepairable pistols, or by assembling new Lugers by cannibalizing other pistols wholesale. DVP Lugers usually have force-matched parts and new barrels, and were brought fully up to specification by capable armorers (see Police Lugers, Chapter 5). Russia surreptitously shipped Lugers from their captured stocks to East Germany in contravention of post-war treaty agreements. --Dwight