New member with a question on a 1937 P08

Yakman · 04-13-2022, 01:11 AM

Woody,

You'll probably be hard pressed for folks that go back far enough to answer your question as the answer is not written in any reference I've ever seen.

When I began collecting Lugers in 1957, I noticed the holsters that came with many of them had what appeared to be cleaning patches stuffed in the toe (P.38 holsters, too). It didn't take much imagination to guess what that was for. It was for the muzzle to rest on. Helps keep foreign matter from migrating into the bore and puts the weight of the pistol on the muzzle lifting it off the interior contours of the box holster. Without the patch, the sight scraping around in the toe is enough to create debris.

In the Fall of 1958, I was sworn in as an Indiana State Trooper and was issued a brand-new S&W K-38, Combat Masterpiece. I used this same patch-in-the-toe thing in my holster for it.

I would say by far most of the Lugers we are talking about here were brought back from WW2 by veterans as there were not a lot of foreign countries surplusing stores of this stuff in the 50's and early 60's. Therefore, much of it came off the battlefield, so to speak. Vets have told me of filing through buildings with this stuff being handed out as souvenirs.

When cleaning holsters that had patches in the toe I, and others, naively discarded them. It is very rare today to find a holster that still has patches undisturbed in the toe. For those who like their collectables to show signs of originality and use, how much better can it be?

Jack

04-13-2022, 01:11 AM	#6
Yakman User Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Indiana Posts: 119 Thanks: 881 Thanked 81 Times in 40 Posts	Woody, You'll probably be hard pressed for folks that go back far enough to answer your question as the answer is not written in any reference I've ever seen. When I began collecting Lugers in 1957, I noticed the holsters that came with many of them had what appeared to be cleaning patches stuffed in the toe (P.38 holsters, too). It didn't take much imagination to guess what that was for. It was for the muzzle to rest on. Helps keep foreign matter from migrating into the bore and puts the weight of the pistol on the muzzle lifting it off the interior contours of the box holster. Without the patch, the sight scraping around in the toe is enough to create debris. In the Fall of 1958, I was sworn in as an Indiana State Trooper and was issued a brand-new S&W K-38, Combat Masterpiece. I used this same patch-in-the-toe thing in my holster for it. I would say by far most of the Lugers we are talking about here were brought back from WW2 by veterans as there were not a lot of foreign countries surplusing stores of this stuff in the 50's and early 60's. Therefore, much of it came off the battlefield, so to speak. Vets have told me of filing through buildings with this stuff being handed out as souvenirs. When cleaning holsters that had patches in the toe I, and others, naively discarded them. It is very rare today to find a holster that still has patches undisturbed in the toe. For those who like their collectables to show signs of originality and use, how much better can it be? Jack