Inherited weapon - Question out of Germany

Doubs · 12-18-2023, 04:51 PM

Thomas, welcome to the forum.

Your P.08 is what collectors call a Vopo Luger. It began life as a Mauser made P.08 and was reworked in the 1950's for issue to the East German Volks Polizei. In being reworked, mismatched parts were used from multiple Luger pistols to make a functional Luger. Those parts have been renumbered to match the frame serial number. Old numbers may be obliterated. That's called being "force matched". The receiver is clearly a 1940 production and the toggle train is code 42 which was one of Mauser's "secret" wartime codes to conceal who actually made it.

The barrel has been replaced with a new, East German manufactured barrel dated 752 or July, 1952. The Crown/N proof is also East German. The sunburst with S under it shows that it was issued to East German Police. The S indicates the department that issued it.

Your pictures are very good but we need more overall full pictures of your P.08 showing both sides, top and bottom. We can possibly tell you more about it with those pictures.

12-18-2023, 04:51 PM	#2
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,747 Thanks: 832 Thanked 1,805 Times in 595 Posts	Thomas, welcome to the forum. Your P.08 is what collectors call a Vopo Luger. It began life as a Mauser made P.08 and was reworked in the 1950's for issue to the East German Volks Polizei. In being reworked, mismatched parts were used from multiple Luger pistols to make a functional Luger. Those parts have been renumbered to match the frame serial number. Old numbers may be obliterated. That's called being "force matched". The receiver is clearly a 1940 production and the toggle train is code 42 which was one of Mauser's "secret" wartime codes to conceal who actually made it. The barrel has been replaced with a new, East German manufactured barrel dated 752 or July, 1952. The Crown/N proof is also East German. The sunburst with S under it shows that it was issued to East German Police. The S indicates the department that issued it. Your pictures are very good but we need more overall full pictures of your P.08 showing both sides, top and bottom. We can possibly tell you more about it with those pictures.