OK, eat this for lunch:
"The Army Pistol 08
In order to replace the Army’s revolvers by more handy and practical weapons, different multi-loading pistols were developed. The pistol which was finally introduced in the Army was the Pistole 08.
It is a Borchardt-Luger-Pistol which occured in the first basic version approx. 1900 and has been, after several improvements, manufactured in it’s most known form from 1908.
The 08 has been carried in the Army even in WW II and is generally knwon under the name Parabellum. The cartridge 08 (later 9mm Parabellum) has been developed especially for her.
During the introduction in the Wehrmacht (should rather read „Imperial Army“ [img]wink.gif[/img] the Customs Administration preferred the Dreyse pistol in 1912.
Therefore the 08 was only introduced (in the Customs Admin.) from 1908 through 1912 for carrying tests. As some districts did not introduce the Dreyse pistol for their officials there were some of these weapons (P08) still existing.
(record from 1912 for the supply of Border Officials with the P08)
The surplus weapons (P08) have even been kept in the Reich’s Finance Supply Dept. until 1934.
As surplus weapons have been transferred to the Wehrmacht at that time, it is assumed that the existing P 08 were transferred to the Army Administration.
From approx. 1927 through 1934 the weapons of the Customs Administration (and therefore also the P 08) were marked with "R.F.V." or "R.Z.V." (Reichsfinanzverwaltung or Reichszollverwaltung) and consecutive numbers of the Reichs Finance Supply Dept.
The P08 which were carried in the RZV in these times can be identified by these markings."
Don't kill the messenger, I did the translation only.
|