P.08 Front sight gauge.
 

I have always found Waffenmeister tools and gauges very interesting and worthy of collecting, I have paid dearly for my interest in them. In this thread you will find a front sight gauge to determine height. It’s very interesting to apply to a group of P.08’s and notice the difference in height that some have.

The gauge is marked with a scale of 11,29 to 10,69 and is WAa 42 with a company logo of a “WS.” The references I have suggest that it was a “Polte” manufactured gauge but if so why the “WS.”

Perhaps others may have suggestions as to the manufacture.

Should there be interest in these gauges and tools I will post others.


Robert

Interesting! Now, what do the gauge number represent?

FN

Great stuff!!!

So it would be a WWII tool???

Robert, no clue, but plenty of interest if you're wiling to take the time!


Ed

These types of tools are Very rare and would find much interest from collectors and enthusiasts. Please continue to post such interesting photos of your collection. Could you please also give the size (diameter) of the portion of the tool that fits in the muzzle?

!
 

I was just looking at a VERY rare 7.92 "Kurtz" headspace gauge and it is also WAa42 and a Erma logo mark. Yet looking at a set of the same type gauges (as posted for the P.08) but for a K98 I see a WAa42 BUT with another type of logo.

Could Erma have been one of the locations of final waffenampt approval for other makers of these gauges? Or is Erma just another maker who sent gauges to "WAa42."

Who is WAa42...

Js, Yes I will get the diameter for you.

Robert

Hello!
Found this WaA info:

42 Gebr. Klinge Dresden (Sn) 1936
42 C. Heinichen Dresden (Sn) 1937
42 cartridge gauge Polte Magdeburg (ST) 1939 – 41
42 P08 tool,K98 tool
42 MG42 tool Hommel Werke
42 gmm cartridge gauge Eckhardt und Lohkamp Berlin (Be) 1944

Hope this helps.

jussi

Thanks for sharing Hessian, hope we see more of your collection.:cheers:
Alf.

Hi, nice gauge and it would be interesting to see the others in your collection.

Collecting gauges can be a bit addictive. For those who want to pursue that goal here are some tips:

-Beware of fakes or boosted post-war examples. Especially the last group is abundant. The DDR used many of the same armorer's tools, as did countries like Norway.
-Tools can be divided into a number of categories, the rarest being the production tools and gauges, followed by acceptance tools and lastly by armorer's tools.
-Many of the tools we find on the market today came from armorer's tool kits which were stored after WW2 and rediscovered a couple of years ago. The kits, shaped in the form of MG ammo boxes, were mostly stripped of their individual parts and those parts have been offered for sale at gun shows since. Finding a complete WW2 armorer's kit is a bit of a challenge as a result of this.
-Most gauges follow the 'go/no-go' approach.
-IIRC there is a list of Wehrmacht tools, with their serial numbers and a description, in circulation somewhere.

The markings on the sight tools show the height of the sight in millimeters.

Hello Robert,
I like too the gauges and I have a nice set in my collection.
The front sight gauge is usually associated to the back one.
Here the DDR set from my collection.

Have fun,
Mauro
Attachment 8245

In Addition,
I have the manual listing all the official gauges (quite a number) dated 1937 that Gerben mentioned in his last point.

Ciao,
Mauro

How about a photo of the front cover please , Mauro :D
Alf

Mauro -

I can see from Hessian's pic how the front sight gauge works; but it's not clear to me how the rear sight gauge works...That other one you posted is a rear sight gauge, no???

Do you plug it into the toggle axle hole???

Very interesting. I would assume plugging into toggle hole in disassembled mode being the only way (?)

But why did they measure the rear.... Isn't adjusting the front alone enough?

//// Two heights on rear. Trying to figure out what's in German's mind.... there must be a reason

Quick reply!
 

I have to make this a quick response as I have to run BUT below you will find the German WWII version of the gauge that is inserted in the chamber.

Very nice feedback from all of you! I will post comments later tonight.

...???..."Chamber"???... :confused:

What is there that needs checking near the chamber???

Hello all,
to see the manual and some pages related to the gauges you can refer to my web site: http://www.lugerlp08.com and then click on "gauges" in the main page.

For the rear gauge it is inserted in the rear toggle link after removing the pin.

Cheers,
Mauro

OK...Setting aside the one that is inserted in the chamber for the moment... :rolleyes:

What exactly is this rear gauge (that you show) measuring??? Were there different rear sight heights??? Different toggles maybe??? :confused:

Why there are two rear sight heights, that's exactly my previous wondering.....

Coincidentally, Parabellum has two calibers. Related, not related, maybe related, may not be related....

Mauro -- Did the tool's manual say anything? Thanks!

Thought it again. I think I got it.

Not related with caliber. The rear sight height must fall into the range measured by the two heights. It cannot be exact, must between 6,64 - 6,7. One height must higher than the rear sight, and the other height must be lower than the rear height. So the rear sight won't be too high or too low. Manufacturing tolerance was 0,06m/m.