Mauro,
A great find and a nice presentation too!
You know that I am very busy researching the Mauser commercial Luger production, including the period that the French Authorities under General Le Lattre de Tassigny started the production of weapons at Oberndorf in August 1945.
Of course you know too that the French merely used the parts that were found in the factory when it was captured in April 1945. A few thousands Lugers were made.
August Weiss, present at the factory during this period, has estimated the arms which were produced under French control between August 1945 and May 1946:
- 47,696 Rifles K98
- 6,375 Carbines .22LR
- 3,500 Pistols P.38
- 20,000 Pistols HsC
- 2,560 Pistols P.08 (Luger)
It is known that some 10-35 LP.08 were made; again by using the last barrels and sights that were found in the inventory. Most have been sold by the French authorities directly to interested military personnel back in 1945-1946.
Known Serial Numbers having the * are: 260, 400, 450, 456 (the last one is now yours)!
Other LP.08 having the E/N proof are: 696, 842, 854, 1649, 2562, 2584.
It is confirmed that the French took all machinery out of the Mauser factory when they where obliged (by the Russians) to stop weapons manufacture on German soil by mid 1946.
I have not yet found any documentation confirming the assembly of P.08 (or LP.08) on French soil after 1946.
Congratulations Mauro, you have one of the four known LP.08 proofed with the French Star...
__________________
Joop
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