Luger P.08 1938 S/42 N3089
 

This Luger 1938 S/42 is for sale (1000 euro), it looks original in good condition, on the back is number N3089. It's navy or what??? I need help :bowdown:. Thanks.

Hi Nikola,
It's a Weimar Navy marking for the North Sea fleet based at Wilhelmshaven. Nice gun, well worth 1,000 euro.
Norm

If that gun was in front of me. I would immediately buy it.

Thanks for reply. I will buy it, I think.

Very nice gun with a very good price !

Barrel
 

I saw P.08, nice finish, but barrel is like in shotgun:(
I don't wanna P.08 in that condition for 1000 euro. I preffer gun in excellent condition, including barrel.

in the USA, I would imagine many members here would still buy it for $<$1200

If you are saying that the inside of the barrel has no rifling and is smooth like a shotgun, I find that odd given that the rest of the gun is quite nice. Please explain more about the barrel.
Thank you;
dju

Can you supply a photo of the inside of the barrel?

I havn't pics, my friend saw barrel, it's almost without rifling. The owner's father use P.08 during WWII in partisans near Belgrade, Srbija. The P.08 is now in the capital of Croatia, Zagreb. I think 1000 euro it's too much. Maybe, owner will reduce price?

Hi Nikola,
With or without rifling that gun is still well worth 1000 Euro. It has a double-matched magazine and a fascinating history!
Regards, Norm

"I havn't pics, my friend saw barrel, it's almost without rifling. The owner's father use P.08 during "WWII in partisans near Belgrade, Srbija. The P.08 is now in the capital of Croatia, Zagreb. I think 1000 euro it's too much. Maybe, owner will reduce price?"

I don't understand how a pistol with so little external wear can be worn smooth in the barrel unless someone has drilled it out, but that will have to remain a mystery, I guess. Otherwise that would be a valuable Luger in this country.

Good luck!
dju

Norm, thanks for reply. Maybe, I will buy it.

My guess, without seeing it, is the barrel is fine. Some peoples idea of what rifling should look like is incorrect. I've had a number of folks bring 22's into my shop over the years that they said were "shot out", that had perfectly good barrels. A bright, shiny bore will fake out some people, especially folks who are not knowledgeable.

If someone shot a lot of soft lead bullets through this Luger, and they were undersize, or loaded too hot, perhaps the barrel grooves are full of lead. It wouldn't be the first time that has happened. They clean up great!!

Reading through this "old" post, I tried to figure out when the unit markings were halted. This S/42 was marked for the Navy but my searches for unit markings seems to dry up during the nineteen twenties?

1940 was the last year Naval markings were applied to Mauser Lugers. Unit marks for Imperials, I think, generally stopped being applied in 1917. Then you have all of the Police markings being used in the Weimar era. I could b e wrong on some or all of this, just going from memory.