P-08 2nd. Issue Luger...???
 

Found this photo of an odd 2nd. Issue luger in H. Jones' old book on pages 124-125. Is has no chamber date (i.e. 1908 or 1909 made), has it proof marks on the left hand side but is also numbered in the Military numbering style, which did not start until the 1910 chamber dated P-08's.

What was the story with this luger ?

Any more surface ?

Was this specimen found to be spurious ? Or just a 1st. Issue that was reworked at some time and Military numbered ?

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/p08_2nd_issue.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/p08_2nd_issue.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Pete,
The so-called "second issue" 1908s were really just first issues that were subsequently re-worked for some reason and the military style serial numbering added. It is not uncommon to find "second issue" Lugers with the small parts numbered with both the commercial and military number placement.
I do not know how the "second issue" label came about.

Thanks, Ron...the only place I saw the term "2nd. Issue" was in the Jones book. Jan Still does mention these in his IL book and states some collectors use the 2nd. issue term.

Maybe they should all be 1st. Issues with variations...???

Thanks for your help...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

EVERY book writer likes certain terms, many he has invented and feels they make sense. So, we have 1923 Commercials and 1920 Commericals, Black Widows, etc., that are not factory terms?

Let alone all the Navy variation names?

Ed

I've seen "second issue" bandied about in several places. One author, in a source I can't cite right now, noted that there was no "second issue", but that the First Issue pistols with serial numbers added on the left chamber and exposed surfaces came about when these pistols came in for armory attention during their service life post-1910, and the marks were added to bring them into accordance with the 1910 marking regulations.

--Dwight