This Mauser P.08 followed me home...
 

This 1937 Rust Blued / Strawed earlier Mauser S/42 P.08 followed me home from an estate sale this past weekend.

Nice and tight, and not shot much. Some high wear on the side plate and barrel - but the best grip straps I've had!

Marc

Hard variation to find, very nice!

Looks excellent. I wish one of them would follow me home.
Mike Z.

Excellent gun. Found in local gun show?

Found, not at a show, but an Estate Sale!

It was the only Luger or military handgun of any type.

Came with a E/C un-numbered Haenel Schmeisser milled magazine and a 1915 holster too.

Marc

It looks like a very clean original Luger. Those grip straps are really nice. Congrats!!

It is a very good acquisition! Congratulations!

Sergio

At least she has a good home now! A very nice Luger!

Outstanding find!!

Marc,

Nice gun - I've been looking for an affordable rust blued '37 for some time.

What is the SN please?

I am a little concerned about the solid bluing on the underside of the barrel extension. I believe the inside was still done in the white on these rust blued guns, no? At least the rails should be white, either to prevent galling or from wear if nothing else.

You probably know more than I do about 3rd Reich pistols, but I have to mention it - if I am wrong I can still be educated by those more knowledgeable.

- Geo

Is the bluing you mention the lug under the chamber on the receiver? It's interesting... I'll check to see if Sturgess has any observations on this... He does! On page 744 he mentions:

"Interior of frame and receiver rust blued from the end of 1936 production instead of being masked to remain polished in-the-white."

He also mentions this on page 1135 as a cost saving change implemented in October 1936.

The blued lug finish is identical to my 1936 midway into the "i" block. It's rails are either in the white, or worn to in the white.

This was one area where they might have been trying to save time and money before moving to salt bluing later in the year 1937.

I have two 1916 DWMs. *Both have the lug surface blued and the receiver rails in the white.*

My 1917 DWM Arte has the lug surface and rails in the white.

My 1924 vintage DWM Alphabet Commercial has the lug blued and the rails in the white.

On all these rust blued guns the frame rails are in the white.

Marc,

I was talking about the rails on the 'receiver' part, not the lug.

So it seems 1936-37 rust blued have the 'receiver' inside and rails blued - Fascinating!
I never heard this before. I have seen some 36-37 Lugers like that but I assumed they were refinished. I'll have to stop ruling them out. Thanks for the lesson.

I'm not sure I would agree with the comment about the interior of frame being all rust blue, because your gun is obviously in the white in the picture, and so are several others I have seen. Maybe the 36-37 frames can legitimately be blue or white inside?

- Geo

The frame rails and other frame interior are in the white.

you mean you didn't have to fight the hordes away at the sale? Was it an auction per say? Did it go fair or did you have to fight for it?

You can find some really good things at estate sales, but you can also have a fight on your hand with people as well! I once bought a gas mask (German WWII) at my cousins sale, he was in the Bulge. No one knew what it was and I got it for a steal!
Not often that happens though....

Chip

This estate sale seller runs an interesting concept. On day one, he sets a price (which is what I paid as it was fair for this gun - actually high collector / low retail pricing, but I wanted this one).

He accepts lower bids all day and will sell it at the highest bid on day 2. If he receives no bids, he sells at one half the first day's price on day 2.

He had some bids on this one when I saw it. I decided not to fool around...

Considering it came with a rather rare un-numbered E/C Haenel magazine and a 1915 holster I was pretty happy with everything.

Marc