1918 DWM P08 with sweetheart grips

saab-bob · 05-19-2011, 01:16 PM

Hello Gents

Thanks to a fellow fourm member. I was able to get a set of "sweetheart grips" for my plated 1918 DWM.
So I thought I would show it off.

I found this rig years ago.
It is a 1918 DWM with a sear safety,no sign of a magazine safety.It was fitted with a set of old plastic Franzite grips ,that had shrunk so much they fell off.

Whoever plated it did very little buffing.All the edges are sharp and the stampings are pretty readable. It is a totally matching gun,the bore is pristine,it functions great and even the magazine #matches.So,someone had to go and plate it!

It came with a interesting 1917 holster that was converted from a artillery holster.

The pics are of my dad in his first uniform from 1941.Hard to believe he was old enough to enlist,he looks so young.
The girl is his wartime girlfriend.
Pics I put on the grips are a little family remembrance project.

I think my dad will get a kick out of them when I show him.
Bob

lugerholsterrepair · 05-19-2011, 02:55 PM

Bob, A very cool project! I am impressed...Nicely done..

wlyon · 05-19-2011, 04:46 PM

Bob
Very nicely done!! Bill

Mike Z · 05-19-2011, 07:57 PM

I Just Learned Something. Sweet Heart Grips. Thats Really Something. Thanks For Posting.
Mike Z

sheepherder · 05-20-2011, 07:14 AM

While sweetheart grips are certainly 'period', I've noticed a pic show up in the Random Album shots of a plated Luger with cream colored grips...It is a very striking combination...If i had a nickeled luger, I would consider the solid cream grips for it...I suppose they are imitation ivory...that has aged somewhat...Melvin Tyler's company made some faux ivory grips in the past...I had a few sets; not bad...

MikeP · 05-22-2011, 01:34 PM

Back in the early 60s there was a catalog by EMF, I believe.

There were many pages of Lugers, brooms and P38's.
25 or so per page just laid out in one pic and numbered;

It was interesting how many were plated, stag or "cream" grips, whatever.

Must have been several hundred pistols in each issue-price around 50 bucks.
Gunshows then were similar-plating and custom gips.

Nomadr · 05-25-2011, 10:41 PM

Here's a HSC I picked up at a local gun show with the sweetheart grips. I think they really add to the war time pistols!

Bob

sheepherder · 05-25-2011, 11:21 PM

"September 1945"???... VE day was May 8th, 1945...

Occupation forces???

alanint · 05-26-2011, 07:01 AM

Sure, remember that most of the weapons brought back to the US came from occupying troops, not combat troops.
The poor GIs who actually did the fighting mostly just wanted to go home and where threatened with searches and court marshalls should they attempt to bring back souvenirs. That is why the "it was taken off a dead nazi officer" story is so often bogus. Occupying troops had the time, opportunity and peacetime methods of shipping stuff back they simply got from stockpiles.
This is especially true of the larger items like MP40s, MP44s, MG 34, MG42s..

MikeP · 05-26-2011, 11:02 AM

Not like there were busses and ships lined up on May 9th with everybody lined up to get on board.
My dad was 506th PIR, and they were in Austria several months.
In fact, they were gearing up for the Pacific when Hirohito gave up.

Even then there was a point system involved for priories on who went 1st.

Dad had a bunch ou souvenier stuff stored in an established division rear area, but a fire took it.

Douglas Jr. · 05-26-2011, 02:39 PM

Now that's an original and col project!
Real cool dude!
Please, let us know how was you father's reaction.

Douglas.

saab-bob · 05-26-2011, 03:37 PM

Alanint is correct.
My dad told me that it was possible to bring back weapons from the Pacific theater,but you had to be very careful. He didn't think it was worth it for the Japanese stuff,but he did get his Colt 1911 A1 rig back home.
Speaking of the end of the Pacific war,he was in the Philippines training for the final invasion of the Japanese home islands. When his outfit heard about the A-bomb explosion,his whole unit got down and kissed the ground.
They correctly figured they would be going home soon.

He also told me a fun story about visiting a gun shop near Edwards AFB(formerly Muroc AFB) in the late 1940's. He told me they had a wall crowded with Lugers,Broomhandles,P-38s,Walthers,etc,etc. The flyboys used to bring them back from Europe and sell them for a couple of bucks at the local stores. I am sure some the guns we hold in our hands now,where on that wall or ones just like it!

Bob
Bob

Georgesd · 05-26-2011, 05:56 PM

Bob,
The pics are great! Very creative. I'm sure your Dad will love them. Please thank him for his service from all of us!
George

05-19-2011, 01:16 PM	#1
saab-bob User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 459 Thanks: 774 Thanked 143 Times in 87 Posts	1918 DWM P08 with sweetheart grips Hello Gents Thanks to a fellow fourm member. I was able to get a set of "sweetheart grips" for my plated 1918 DWM. So I thought I would show it off. I found this rig years ago. It is a 1918 DWM with a sear safety,no sign of a magazine safety.It was fitted with a set of old plastic Franzite grips ,that had shrunk so much they fell off. Whoever plated it did very little buffing.All the edges are sharp and the stampings are pretty readable. It is a totally matching gun,the bore is pristine,it functions great and even the magazine #matches.So,someone had to go and plate it! It came with a interesting 1917 holster that was converted from a artillery holster. The pics are of my dad in his first uniform from 1941.Hard to believe he was old enough to enlist,he looks so young. The girl is his wartime girlfriend. Pics I put on the grips are a little family remembrance project. I think my dad will get a kick out of them when I show him. Bob Attached Thumbnails __________________ "I think,therefore I own guns"

05-19-2011, 02:55 PM	#2
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,766 Thanks: 4,883 Thanked 3,121 Times in 1,432 Posts	Bob, A very cool project! I am impressed...Nicely done.. __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

05-19-2011, 04:46 PM	#3
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,627 Thanks: 3,165 Thanked 2,546 Times in 951 Posts	Bob Very nicely done!! Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

05-20-2011, 07:14 AM	#5
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,182 Thanks: 1,400 Thanked 4,441 Times in 2,329 Posts	While sweetheart grips are certainly 'period', I've noticed a pic show up in the Random Album shots of a plated Luger with cream colored grips...It is a very striking combination...If i had a nickeled luger, I would consider the solid cream grips for it...I suppose they are imitation ivory...that has aged somewhat...Melvin Tyler's company made some faux ivory grips in the past...I had a few sets; not bad... __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

05-25-2011, 10:41 PM	#7
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	Here's a HSC I picked up at a local gun show with the sweetheart grips. I think they really add to the war time pistols! Bob Attached Thumbnails

05-19-2011, 07:57 PM	#4
Mike Z User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 180 Thanks: 51 Thanked 79 Times in 39 Posts	I Just Learned Something. Sweet Heart Grips. Thats Really Something. Thanks For Posting. Mike Z

05-22-2011, 01:34 PM	#6
MikeP User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ILL Posts: 686 Thanks: 36 Thanked 452 Times in 198 Posts	Back in the early 60s there was a catalog by EMF, I believe. There were many pages of Lugers, brooms and P38's. 25 or so per page just laid out in one pic and numbered; It was interesting how many were plated, stag or "cream" grips, whatever. Must have been several hundred pistols in each issue-price around 50 bucks. Gunshows then were similar-plating and custom gips.

05-25-2011, 11:21 PM	#8
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,182 Thanks: 1,400 Thanked 4,441 Times in 2,329 Posts	"September 1945"???... VE day was May 8th, 1945... Occupation forces??? __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

05-26-2011, 07:01 AM	#9
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	Sure, remember that most of the weapons brought back to the US came from occupying troops, not combat troops. The poor GIs who actually did the fighting mostly just wanted to go home and where threatened with searches and court marshalls should they attempt to bring back souvenirs. That is why the "it was taken off a dead nazi officer" story is so often bogus. Occupying troops had the time, opportunity and peacetime methods of shipping stuff back they simply got from stockpiles. This is especially true of the larger items like MP40s, MP44s, MG 34, MG42s..

05-26-2011, 11:02 AM	#10
MikeP User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ILL Posts: 686 Thanks: 36 Thanked 452 Times in 198 Posts	Not like there were busses and ships lined up on May 9th with everybody lined up to get on board. My dad was 506th PIR, and they were in Austria several months. In fact, they were gearing up for the Pacific when Hirohito gave up. Even then there was a point system involved for priories on who went 1st. Dad had a bunch ou souvenier stuff stored in an established division rear area, but a fire took it.

05-26-2011, 02:39 PM	#11
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	Now that's an original and col project! Real cool dude! Please, let us know how was you father's reaction. Douglas.

05-26-2011, 03:37 PM	#12
saab-bob User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 459 Thanks: 774 Thanked 143 Times in 87 Posts	Alanint is correct. My dad told me that it was possible to bring back weapons from the Pacific theater,but you had to be very careful. He didn't think it was worth it for the Japanese stuff,but he did get his Colt 1911 A1 rig back home. Speaking of the end of the Pacific war,he was in the Philippines training for the final invasion of the Japanese home islands. When his outfit heard about the A-bomb explosion,his whole unit got down and kissed the ground. They correctly figured they would be going home soon. He also told me a fun story about visiting a gun shop near Edwards AFB(formerly Muroc AFB) in the late 1940's. He told me they had a wall crowded with Lugers,Broomhandles,P-38s,Walthers,etc,etc. The flyboys used to bring them back from Europe and sell them for a couple of bucks at the local stores. I am sure some the guns we hold in our hands now,where on that wall or ones just like it! Bob Bob __________________ "I think,therefore I own guns"

05-26-2011, 05:56 PM	#13
Georgesd User Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 34 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Bob, The pics are great! Very creative. I'm sure your Dad will love them. Please thank him for his service from all of us! George