1940-42.... Mystery markings and grips

lugercollector · 08-28-2004, 12:09 PM

I just bought this Luger from a 85 Year old Austrian veteran who spent 2 years on the Russian front with the 519th Heavy Tank Battalion (still very lucid, the stories he told me were really fascinating, and hair raising!! He also described how most troops did not like the Luger, and really prefered the P38!!) .....this was not brought back by him, but purchased post war in Canada....he claims it could be a Luger made for the Japanese.... I think it is a custom gun that somebody put their initials on....it has P08 on the side plate??... grips that are numbered to the gun, yet I have never seen Luger grips like that...

Frank · 08-28-2004, 02:52 PM

Peter, obviously the parts are from "51" and "96" pistols. The grips from the "51" were reworked to give you the lines rather than the checker effect. Are both grips reworked?

The JAP. was not referring to the Japanese, I'm reasonably sure.

Interesting, but it's just an unusual "shooter", IMO.

Edward Tinker · 08-28-2004, 04:12 PM

I think so too Frank, the JAP. with a period hints at that it is a name rather than a term.

Ed

jamese · 08-29-2004, 08:01 AM

What about the trigger plate,
I don't recall seeing any with "P08" stamped in them before.

lugercollector · 08-29-2004, 06:57 PM

Hi Frank....Both grips are the same....although one has no markings inside...

Aaron · 09-01-2004, 06:36 PM

Occasionally a pistol turns up with additional stamped letters which cannot be explained, and are usually accepted as an owner's name or initials. Sometimes the letters are crudely stamped or engraved, but once in a while the letters seem to be professionally, even factory stamped, and just cannot be explained. Do the letters on this example appear to have been stamped before or after the blueing process?

lugercollector · 09-01-2004, 07:39 PM

I cannot tell if it was before or after, however the gun has been reblued...my best guess is that "JAP" is someones initials....why the side plate is stamped P08,and why the numbered custom grips,I have no idea...

Vlim · 09-03-2004, 05:23 PM

Original message deleted.

I was barking up the wrong tree....

Lugerdoc · 09-04-2004, 10:02 AM

I've seen several of the Russian reworked lugers with similar verticle gooved black plastic grips. Also, the PO8 on the side plate may just be a reminder of the ammo (9mmP) required for this pistol, for those unfamiliar with it (Russians, etc?). Perhaps, the "JAP." may ring a bell with an expert in Finnish, Latvian, Swedish, etc. type units. TH

08-28-2004, 12:09 PM	#1
lugercollector Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: canada Posts: 322 Thanks: 0 Thanked 25 Times in 15 Posts	1940-42.... Mystery markings and grips I just bought this Luger from a 85 Year old Austrian veteran who spent 2 years on the Russian front with the 519th Heavy Tank Battalion (still very lucid, the stories he told me were really fascinating, and hair raising!! He also described how most troops did not like the Luger, and really prefered the P38!!) .....this was not brought back by him, but purchased post war in Canada....he claims it could be a Luger made for the Japanese.... I think it is a custom gun that somebody put their initials on....it has P08 on the side plate??... grips that are numbered to the gun, yet I have never seen Luger grips like that...

08-28-2004, 04:12 PM	#3
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,928 Thanks: 2,028 Thanked 4,525 Times in 2,090 Posts	I think so too Frank, the JAP. with a period hints at that it is a name rather than a term. Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

08-29-2004, 08:01 AM	#4
jamese User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 789 Thanks: 0 Thanked 84 Times in 34 Posts	What about the trigger plate, I don't recall seeing any with "P08" stamped in them before. __________________ The "truth" is a matter of Perception

09-04-2004, 10:02 AM	#9
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	I've seen several of the Russian reworked lugers with similar verticle gooved black plastic grips. Also, the PO8 on the side plate may just be a reminder of the ammo (9mmP) required for this pistol, for those unfamiliar with it (Russians, etc?). Perhaps, the "JAP." may ring a bell with an expert in Finnish, Latvian, Swedish, etc. type units. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

08-28-2004, 02:52 PM	#2
Frank RIP Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hot & Dry PHX, AZ Posts: 2,078 Thanks: 24 Thanked 163 Times in 87 Posts	Peter, obviously the parts are from "51" and "96" pistols. The grips from the "51" were reworked to give you the lines rather than the checker effect. Are both grips reworked? The JAP. was not referring to the Japanese, I'm reasonably sure. Interesting, but it's just an unusual "shooter", IMO.

08-29-2004, 06:57 PM	#5
lugercollector Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: canada Posts: 322 Thanks: 0 Thanked 25 Times in 15 Posts	Hi Frank....Both grips are the same....although one has no markings inside...

09-01-2004, 06:36 PM	#6
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Occasionally a pistol turns up with additional stamped letters which cannot be explained, and are usually accepted as an owner's name or initials. Sometimes the letters are crudely stamped or engraved, but once in a while the letters seem to be professionally, even factory stamped, and just cannot be explained. Do the letters on this example appear to have been stamped before or after the blueing process?

09-01-2004, 07:39 PM	#7
lugercollector Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: canada Posts: 322 Thanks: 0 Thanked 25 Times in 15 Posts	I cannot tell if it was before or after, however the gun has been reblued...my best guess is that "JAP" is someones initials....why the side plate is stamped P08,and why the numbered custom grips,I have no idea...

09-03-2004, 05:23 PM	#8
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,988 Times in 1,205 Posts	Original message deleted. I was barking up the wrong tree....