[George Anderson]

Originally Posted by DD-P08

Norme,
Everything I have read and heard so far indicates there are no 1915 dated Erfurts, but what is this?
http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_in...0e76b4d78cdb83 Aaahhh! "Barrel and receiver may be DWM manufacture."
Why were no Erfurts produced in 1915?

Simpson knows damn well that it is a DWM receiver.

As to the question of 1915 Erfurt production; there probably were many P08s and LP08s manufactured at Erfurt in 1915 but all with the 1914 date. In 1914 Erfurt was directed by Spandau to dramatically ramp up production of the KAR 98 model carbine. My beliefe is that some of the Parabellum production lines at Erfurt were switched over to carbine production. This would have dramatically reduced pistol output resulting in backed up finished pistol components in excess of what could be assembled and finished on the remaining pistol lines during 1914.

Further hints that this theory may be true are found in some 1914 dated Erfurt P08s and LP08s that have characteristics not normally seen unitil 1916 dated Erfurts. One of these is the small Erfurt acceptance stamp on the left frame rail that is not seen on 1914 or earlier Erfurts. The RC marks so commonly found on later Erfurts are also seldom seen on 1914 and earlier pistols but do appear in number on some 1914s. Another is the existance of two 1914 Erfurts with exactly the same serial number, one with the later acceptance stamp and numerous RCs the other without.