Today's find
 

I'm a bit more familiar with Walther P-38 pistols than Lugers, but I did pick up my second P08 today.

I really know NOTHING about it except it is a commercial model of some sort. It's all parts matching (mag not serialized) with all of the main parts being 5197 or 97. There really are no other marks to speak of except a small crown and N on the side of the toggle and the DWM emblem on top. The metal is not bad with just the top toggle being poor although the side plate is a little rough. There is zero original finish left except on the front toggle. The outside is just a greasy gray like an old lead pipe. The unfinished inside is not rusty but is dirty. The grips seem to be original Luger grips but the left and right side do not match in pattern. Both are very old but have no markings inside. Bore is nice just dirty. The barrel is slightly unscrewed a couple of degrees. There are no import marks, no "Germany" etc. either.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...psxmnzz4xr.jpg



http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...pskopualuq.jpg


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...psj449nhpz.jpg


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...ps3ckyubdt.jpg


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...pspteznow8.jpg



Unless this is a really valuable specimine, I really am considering rust bluing and straw bluing it back to its original glory. I have purchased some new grips, grip screws and a new DWM top toggle. It wasn't overly expensive and I figure it will make a nice display piece and occasional shooter.

These things are addictive too!

What's the numbers and suffix letter on the front, just above the trigger guard?

FN

I suppose its "i" but I cant make out the dot and it looks more like an "L" to me. 5197 above the i

Looks like she's been around a bit.
The right grip is definitely a repro. and I would suspect that the barrel is not original. 9mm or .30caliber?
Interesting finish. Do you think it is just worn or has it been bead blasted?
Thanks for sharing!
dju

you should probably get the barrel screwed in correctly, check headspace,and test fire before doing much more work on it, JMHO.

I would get it functioning and use it as a shooter as it is.

As David said it's been around a bit; it depends on how much you've spent for it

I paid $600 which is ok with me for a parts matching gun. I figure it has $600 worth of parts. Bore is good with sharp rifling and no pitting (just dirt).

The 9mm barrel is 5197 which matches the frame and all the other parts. I do not think its a modern barrel. The shop owner that I got the gun from said he thought someone had probably retouched the barrel finish at some point with some cold bluing.

I'm pretty sure this was not blasted or anything. The remains of the original finish are obvious, especially on the forward top toggle, under the grips, around the edges of the inside (where it was not finished). It's just worn down. The metal itself is pretty nice without much damage, pitting, etc.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...psqvn7onvl.jpg

Any idea when this one was made?

I'm pretty sure the barrel is replaced and re-numbered, the bbl markings are not original factory, IMO.

Need more/better pictures of the frame front serial number and bottom of the barrel from straight on. The suffix is important.

Also the left chamber, right chamber, top chamber close ups; there would likely have been some markings there if military, and at least on the left if commercial. Though maybe polished away by now.

it has an "relieved' sear bar which would be from about or after 1916 IIRC.

Here is the front (parts just slipped together for photo since I have taken it apart)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...pskofwswqo.jpg



I dont see anything (anything remaining?) on the top. There is an O on the bottom left end under the toggle peg hole

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...psenwrkx8k.jpg

Right side seems bare

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...psktsplog6.jpg

Left side has an N and crown. There also seems to be a similar mark on the side of the barrel itself

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b6...psz9udnbyh.jpg



Pre 1916 is cool. I can live with the barrel new or otherwise. I bought it with the idea of refinishing it.

David

As I've just written in another thread, also in your case after all the most important thing is not its value, but the fact that you like it and that you're happy with it, so congrats on your new Luger.

Dang right!:cheers: Enjoy!

Yeah I am not worried about value per se. Just finding out mostly what it is or started out as. I don't feel like I overpaid and the gun was not misrepresented to me. I just liked the looks. Mostly I saw it's potential as a "project" gun. It's still neat to know some history of the piece. Plus now I an say I have TWO Lugers and you can never have enough....

Don,

Where do you see an unrelieved sear bar? It looks cut (2nd picture down from top).

- Geo

What are the numbers on the mag. If you don't mind could you post a few pics

Geo,
My bad, brain bubble from looking at the picture with the toggle locked back(up).

It is relieved, changed in the post.

Thanks.:cheers:

Having one of these is OK, especially the first one. Before knowing anything, spending thousands on a pistol could be dangerous. Relatively speaking, this one is a better buy than this:

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/582618499

Why? Cost vs quality ratio. But I would say there is no need to reblue it, unless you love that work and do it yourself.

Alvin,
posting a link to an auction is pretty much useless, the auction will disappear from the GB server in less than 1 month- then your comments will really make no sense. Better to say what it is or post pictures on the forum server. Otherwise you waste your time.:eek:

P08 sn 5197k with an upright commercial c/N proof was made in the early-to-mid 1920s. Due to the requirements of the Treaty of Versailles, commercial P08s made between 1920-1927 were always in cal. .30 Luger, with 3 3/4 inch barrels. The long 9mm barrel on this pistol is a replacement of indeterminate provenance and year.

If you are considering this pistol as a shooter, you should consider replacing the .30 cal. recoil spring with one made for 9mm in order for the pistol to function properly. You should also obtain an aftermarket magazine instead of using the original--Mec-Gar is best.

--Dwight