[Patrick]

Lugers were arsenal stored during WWII, which is why so many were captured by the Rudssians. All units preferred the P 38. Although the Waffen-SS was considered by many to be elite, the Wehrmacht did not give it preferential treatment and considered it to be poorly trained.The SS was not part of the Wehrmqcht establishjment and was responsible for its own weapons procurement. Thus, the SS often had to make do with what the Wehrmacht no longer needed. It was only later in the war that the SS got first pick of the newly issued G 43 rifles and other equipment. The SS concentration camp guards (the Totenkopf units) were issued with Lugers and did not get the P 38 as they were not front-line troops.The Luger was essentially a WWI weapon.