Quote:
Originally Posted by Edward Tinker
the four digit with an added 8 in front is a different run than the true five digit commercial lugers...
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The 8xxxx DWM P08s with 1921 (and 1920) chamber dates are clearly different from the true commercial Parabellums in that serial range but I'm not sure that they have a separate serial range. I have scanned Dwight Gruber's commercial data base and don't see any examples of duplicate serial numbers where one is a commercial Parabellum and the other a 1920/21 dated P08. Of course, the data sample is small but, until we see such duplication of serial numbers, I don't think we can rule out that both types of pistols may have been numbered in the same serial range. If they were, it was probably a headache for the DWM management to avoid duplication.
Reviewing Dwight's database reminded me that many 8xxxx P08s have 1920 chamber dates in addition to those with 1921 dates.