Post WWII French Lugers...?
 

Noticed in this month's AutoMag newsletter (issued by NAPCA) that a Mr. Joel Giraudeau writes about some post-war French made luger production...

Can anyone direct me to some books so that I might read up about these pistols...I was certainly not aware of such French production, until I read it in AutoMag...but being a relative "new kid on the block", I am sure I miss more than most folks remember...

Regards,

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

There is the story that the French took up production of Lugers using existing parts at the Mauser factory after the war ended, until they had to turn the factory over to the Russians. It is this little part of the Lugers history used to explain the existance of some 1945 and 1946 marked Lugers...

Hello Pete,
you can find information about Mauser production under French control (1945-47) in my book at page 91 and 92. August Weiss, Mauser responsible of this production, estimates in 2506 the total amount of Lugers produced in this period. Both P08 and LP08 were produced. In my book I have written the history of this production and also the use done by Franch Army and Gendarmerie. Let me know if you need more help.
Ciao
Mauro

Were any of these French occupation pistols chambered for the 7.65 mm cartridge?

No unspellable,
as far as I know all P08 made under French occupation are in 9mm.
Ciao

Just to correct a incorrect idea put forth by Johnny C. Kitchens. The Mauser factory was not turned over to the Russians. It remain in the French zone. The Russian did protest that the French were using it to produce weapon of war which was a no no according to the agreement between the Allies.

Absolutely correct Wizard.
Actually the Mauser produced guns under French occupation starting from the end of WWII up to the 1947. After that all tools were destroyed. August Weiss, that was in charge of Parabellum production during French occupation (and also before) saved from destruction all blue prints related to the Parabellum production (also all blue prints related to the tools for producing Parabellum).
These blue prints were available when Mauser produced again the Parabellum (1969-1985) but the firm thought very expensive to produce again all tools and then it bought all tools from the Swiss Berna arsenal.
Whit these tools, Mauser carried out the first Parabellum Model called 29/70, very similar to the 1929 Swiss model. Due to the fact that these models were not so well accepted by the Luger community, the tools were modified in order to produce the model 06/73, very close to the 06 model.

It is possible to find a description of Parabellum models (P08 and LP08) made under French control at page 91 and 92 of my book.

Ciao

Mauro,

Do these post war blue-prints for both the parabellum pistol and the tools to produce this pistol still exist? All of the blueprints that I have seen for the Luger are dated in 1913...

I have heard that the tooling Mauser acquired from Switzerland was for the most part in too poor a condition to be satisfactory and that Mauser used a lot new tooling, perhaps the majority of the line.

Mauser must have blue prints for the re-intro pistols. There are numerous differences between them and vintage Parabellums.

Hello John,
I have two Mauser blue prints. One of them is dated 7.15.41. You can see these blue prints at page 85 of my book.

Unspellable, as far as I know Mauser was obliged to invest a lot of money for updating the line. I guess you are right.

Ciao

Pete
I talked to Don Hollack in Washington State about this variation. He has been collecting the cerial#s for this variation. It is my understanding that there is not very many known.

Russ <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

Thanks for the info. guys... <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

Did also hear from Tom Knox, Sr. at NAPCA. These little-known guns are written up in some French magazine articles. Tom has one (in French) that appeared but does not have the others...

I will send Tom an e-mail suggesting an English translation be posted in an up-coming AutoMag issue...

Regards,

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

Got a follow-up reply from Tom Knox, Sr. at NAPCA. He is working on getting all the French articles and may attempt to secure the French author's and the publisher's permission for a possible English reprint in a future AutoMag issue...

Regards,

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

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LU1900

thanks for the data... can you tell us the source of your information? Very little has apparently been documented about these Lugers.

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