1938 byf po8 with some extras
 

picked up a fairly nice 1938 byf p08 , serial number 154 , side plate and toggle train mismatched , but it is in real good shape and will make a good shooter , has some medals and decorations with it , those I know very little about . the bore is real nice and shiny , paid 700.00 for it , I figured that was an ok deal .been awhile since I have bought another luger , is this what is reffered to as a black widow ? have fired it and it shoots fine with not issues . shows very little wear . any info anyone can tell me on the pistol or the medals and extras with it would be apreaciated , much respect

If it is all there and shoots, sounds like a good deal for sure.

shoots fine , no issues at all

Sweet...
dju

the medal s and ribbons I got with it , any information on those would be greatly appreaciated

Dan
Looks like a great shooter at a nice price. I know as much about medals as you. Sorry. Regards. Bill

how have you been mr bill? I think of you fondly every time I take the Erfurt out of my safe that you sold me years ago . this one will replace it as my shooter ,as it is a 1938 and a bit newer/lol. took it all apart and cleaned it and everything looks good with little wear and the bore is excellent . all the mismatched numbers have been lightly stipled over , not that it matters on a luger of this type.

Padredan:
Nice to hear from you once again.
No one has touched the question of Black Widow - It is black but not not a BW; not as a 1938.
Jack

byf code on a 1938? Should it not be S/42?

Balder

You have an Iron Cross, second class from World War One and a "Russian Front" service medal from World War Two. German soldiers called this the "frozen meat" medal. It is missing its red ribbon with narrow white, black, white strip down the middle. The ribbon was usually worn through the third button hole of the tunic, rather than on a bar.Authentic examples will have a tiny acceptance stamp on the metal ring.
.The third medal is not military, but looks like something struck to conmemorate the twenty fifth anniversity of a veteran's association or something similar. Probably given out at a reunion or convention.

On a sour note; the black grips look like reproductions.

to my thinking it should be a s/42 but it is a byf , like I said the toggle train is a mismatch . what surprised be was how well all the mismatched parts fit . this pistol shoots and functions perfertly .

Sadly I can no longer recall when the transition was made from the S/42 code to byf...

and I agree with Alanint, the grips are not original German grips. Reproductions. Coarse checkering (which is great while shooting since you are not risking original grips), but I have always found that checkering pattern to be pretty ugly... but that is just my $0.02

thanks for you help , what value would you place on these items?

In between S/42 and BYF codes there is the 42 code used in part of 1939; 1940 and early 1941 (with chamber date 41)

I was rather sure the grips were repo's as the magazine . since it is a shooter which I am well pleased with , since most of the times the mismatched pistols do not function well. looks like I got a good one . thanks for you help

Your 1938 shooter is worth at least the $700 that you paid for the lot, but no idea on the value of the metals. Tom

I am totally out in left field with regard to current values. I would show the images to the guys over at :

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/

And see what they think.

The back of the commemorative medal reads something like "Prussian War Veterans" 25 year reunion.

Good luck

Almost forgot.
Even though "black widow" is a marketing stunt. A true "black widow" would be a 41 or 42 BYF with the bakelite grip panels.

There I have it for not reading the initial post properly - sorry about that. Good looking gun, regardless.

Balder

ty tom, I have fired about 100 rounds of the Winchester white box through it now without one issue . I am well pleased with it , the medals are just something extra . have had local look at them and he made an offer of 250.00 for them , which I am considering . but a lot of ammo with that or maybe replace the grips . overall very pleased .