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Dwight Gruber · 10-24-2021, 06:58 PM

The details behind your question are a bit more complicated than you suggest.

The earliest reported New Model (7,65/9mm, grip safety) is sn 25056, made not before 1906.

The earliest commercial P08 reported (9mm, 4in. barrel, no grip safety) is sn 39047, likely not made before 1910.

The New Model and commercial P08 were made concurrently; New Model production ceased in 1913. Commercial P08 production ceased in 1916 (Sturgess).

From the end of the war DWM manufactured pistols in 7,65mm, 3 3/4in. barrels on P08 frames (stock lug, no grip safety). DWM itself designated these pistols Parabellum.

In 1920-1921 DWM undertook P08 production under contract for the Reichswehr; an unknown number of commercial P08s were delivered in this contract. P08 contract production was halted by the IMKK. Parabellum production continued.

Parabellum serialization switched over from five digits to four digits/suffix in 1921 or early 1922. Conventional wisdom has the five digit range ending at sn 92000 and the Alphabet Commercial Parabellum range beginning at sn 2000i. There are reports of pistols with serial numbers greater than 92000 and lower than 2000i.

Circumstantial evidence indicates that DWM began manufacturing P08s (9mm, 4 inch barrels) concurrently with Parabellums after the IMKK left Germany in 1927, as early as the Alphabet Commercial late-r suffix range.

All DWM Luger production was concluded by the end of 1929, early in the v suffix range.

--Dwight

10-24-2021, 06:58 PM	#3
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,889 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,281 Times in 423 Posts	The details behind your question are a bit more complicated than you suggest. The earliest reported New Model (7,65/9mm, grip safety) is sn 25056, made not before 1906. The earliest commercial P08 reported (9mm, 4in. barrel, no grip safety) is sn 39047, likely not made before 1910. The New Model and commercial P08 were made concurrently; New Model production ceased in 1913. Commercial P08 production ceased in 1916 (Sturgess). From the end of the war DWM manufactured pistols in 7,65mm, 3 3/4in. barrels on P08 frames (stock lug, no grip safety). DWM itself designated these pistols Parabellum. In 1920-1921 DWM undertook P08 production under contract for the Reichswehr; an unknown number of commercial P08s were delivered in this contract. P08 contract production was halted by the IMKK. Parabellum production continued. Parabellum serialization switched over from five digits to four digits/suffix in 1921 or early 1922. Conventional wisdom has the five digit range ending at sn 92000 and the Alphabet Commercial Parabellum range beginning at sn 2000i. There are reports of pistols with serial numbers greater than 92000 and lower than 2000i. Circumstantial evidence indicates that DWM began manufacturing P08s (9mm, 4 inch barrels) concurrently with Parabellums after the IMKK left Germany in 1927, as early as the Alphabet Commercial late-r suffix range. All DWM Luger production was concluded by the end of 1929, early in the v suffix range. --Dwight Last edited by Dwight Gruber; 10-27-2021 at 02:36 PM.