P08 - bulgarian
 

At the local gunshop where I often go, I've seen a nice P.08 that according to the seller should be pretty scarse. I'd like to know the unbiased opinion of your experts. Thanks in advance.

Sergio,

You again present a Luger with not enough photos to give you an opinion. Unless you can completely photograph the pistol and all its markings. Nobody can give you an educated opinion as to what the pistol is. Other than that it looks nice and has Bulgarian safety markings nothing more can be said about this pistol.

Other that being mismatched and restored...
dju

Very rare. One of a kind. You will never find another one with the same takedown lever and side plate numbers.

An original matching M08 Bulgarian with all the orig markings intack would be quite scarce, as many of them were broken up an shipped here as parts after WW2. So that you will find a lot of mismatched shooter with Bulgarian frames, but unmodified top halves are hard to find. TH

East German sideplate.

--Dwight

By any means I do not want to highjack this thread, but how do you see this is an East German sideplate?

I can see that it's a non-matching and restored Luger, that's obvious.

Thanks in advance,

The cast trigger bar hump with little or no machining around it.

When compared to an authentic DWM, Erfurt, Simson, or Mauser sideplate, the trigger lever island is noticeably shallower in depth and noticeably larger both vertically and horizontally.

--Dwight

The side plate and locking bolt must be without sn on front , only like commercial placement : under .
The sear bar must be a "long" one with sn .

I've got a new photo of the above mentioned bulgarian Luger, althogh I do not think that might change anything

P08 Bulgarians with their original topside markings are seldom found. Raises this pistol up a notch from the buff'n'reblue, parts Luger category.

--Dwight

I doubt the originality of the Bugarian crest on the toggle link. I've looke at more than a few of these and never seen one that perfect - it is way too nice when compared to the "DWM" that is obviously buffed & worn. And on a heavily buffed barrel extension and toggle train - it should be somwhat damaged or at least worn. In any case a $1200-$1500 curiosity at best, but only if it has a good bore so you can shoot it.

Can you post a picture of the right side? It would be nice to see the other (small) lion.

- Geo

The price is more or less that, but to me is not an issue; I cannot send any more pictures simply because the gun is at the gunshop, anyway I think you might be right about the Bulgarian crest. Moreover I should add that here in Italy since we are not allowed to own any cal. 9 Parabellum weapon (stupidly considered a "war caliber") all the P.08 - even the most rare and expensive Imperial Navy Luger that might cost more than 7k Euro, before being sold gets "mutilated" i.e. irreparably damaged wih the transformation to 9x21 IMI caliber. So at least in theory, the "real collectible value" is very close to ZERO !!

Sergio, Is it not possible in Italy to legally have the original barrel changed for a new barrel chambered for 9x21mm? Then you could have the original barrel re-installed in the event you sell such a firearm to someone in a different EU country, and Therefore no loss of overall collector value.

The barrel is the same; to get a 9x21 IMI from a 9 mm Para they don't modify (spoil) the barrel but they bore the actual chamber of the pistol.
9x21 IMI and 9 mm Para have the same diameter but the chamber has a different lenght as the case lenght of a 9x21 IMI should be mm 21.15 (0.833 in) vs 19.15 mm (0.754 in) of the 9 mm para.
That's why I started to collect only Swiss in 7,65 Para

Sergio -

is it required to mark/engrave the new caliber on the pistol when it is altered??? Or can you leave it 'bare'???

I think, if it was me, I would make a 7.65 'liner' to press in 9mm barrel...leave 9mm lands & grooves; just press [lightly] the liner in...Liner would only have bottleneck of chamber...Would that satisfy the authorities???

Sometime on the market you can find WWI P.08 originally 9 mm Parabellum "transformed" in 7,65 Surely they do what you just said to the chamber, then either change the barrel or the re-barrel the original one as the diameter of the 7,65 mm Para is obviously narrower (about 0,309 in.)