Opinions on this P-08 - Page 2

sheepherder · 03-10-2014, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvin

From pictures, probably no. The label says "Afrika..."

So, you're saying this is an Afrika Korps Luger??? On what do you base that identification???

I can put my Luger in a box with a Totenkopf picture [Flammenwerfer!] but that won't make it a Freikorps Luger...

pedroMM · 03-10-2014, 03:04 PM

Thank you guys for the replies, I will try to answer them in order.
-First of all, I will try to loose those screws with some lubricant this week, but I dont want to broke or damage them so if they are extremely tight I wont force them.
- Regarding its origin, I have bought it to a mate, which has had it for 5 or 6 years, I will ask him some questions about the man he bought it to.
Here in Spain there are hundreds of weapons which fought both in the Spanish Civil War ( 1936-1939) and in the WW II ( Due to the Spanish participation in the Russian Campaign). Those weapons were usually stored in garages and hidden places like churches or private houses because their owners had keept them in fear that another civilian war started. That situation was clearly described with the phrase " por si vuelven los rojos" which means something similar to " just in case the reds came again". With the years those former owners passed away and those weapons were discovered by relatives or simply workers which were performing some job in the house or church( I have some familiar story about this issue).Some of those weapons could be legalized by that moment ( former Gun Law enabled all the military officers and NCO's to have one submachine gun for their personal defence. I dont know much about civilian gun law in Franco's era, I am just 23).
So for sum it, here in Spain there is a certain amount of legal handguns which took part in both wars due to trades among military personel and other war circunstances.
This P 08 could be one of those Lugers which were part of trades among the officers ( It seems to havent been fired too much,the main using marks are due to a holster and it still has one of its original mags), but there is no documental proof of it.
IMO it has been used as personal weapon of a military man for a long time, until he passed away, when the gun was sold for first time.

Regarding the CT Afrikakorps, it is just one of the pieces of my militaria collection. I have displayed the Luger with those pieces just until I have a specific place for it, which will be a wooden box with a blue velvet cover inside.

mrerick · 03-10-2014, 03:42 PM

Pedro Jose, congratulations on your Luger and welcome to the forum.

it is always wonderful to know the history of a firearm, but sometimes this is lost as it is bought and sold. As you have owned it for 5-6 years, it is understandable if you cannot locate the original owner through the friend that sold it to you.

Since you have it with one of the original magazines, it is more likely that it was used away from groups of German soldiers. This is because it was very common for them to exchange magazines, which accounts for not finding so many with matching magazines.

It would be good to live where a trusted citizen could have their own sub-machine gun for personal defense. That seems to make sense!!!

Please let us know more of your Luger's history as you discover it...

Marc

sheepherder · 03-10-2014, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedroMM

...owners passed away and those weapons were discovered by relatives or simply workers which were performing some job in the house or church( I have some familiar story about this issue)...

That story would be an interesting addition to anyone writing a book about war leftovers...

alvin · 03-11-2014, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheepherder

So, you're saying this is an Afrika Korps Luger??? On what do you base that identification???

I can put my Luger in a box with a Totenkopf picture [Flammenwerfer!] but that won't make it a Freikorps Luger...

That's right. It's relationship with Afrika is not unlike its relationship with Spanish Civil War. Putting stories aside, it's still a very nice Luger though.

pedroMM · 07-21-2014, 03:57 PM

Hi guys!
I couldn't forget those people who helped me before purchasing my first P 08, so I would like to show you how it has been displayed.

I made a wooden box,covered in blue velvet and added a group of medal bars ( all of them belonging to the same man- a German officer- and bought directly from his great daughter. ( In the picture also appears a repro mag because the original one is inside of the gun)

I hope you like it

Ron Wood · 07-21-2014, 04:56 PM

Nicely done! Great display.
Ron

03-10-2014, 03:42 PM	#23
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,925 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,139 Times in 1,520 Posts	Pedro Jose, congratulations on your Luger and welcome to the forum. it is always wonderful to know the history of a firearm, but sometimes this is lost as it is bought and sold. As you have owned it for 5-6 years, it is understandable if you cannot locate the original owner through the friend that sold it to you. Since you have it with one of the original magazines, it is more likely that it was used away from groups of German soldiers. This is because it was very common for them to exchange magazines, which accounts for not finding so many with matching magazines. It would be good to live where a trusted citizen could have their own sub-machine gun for personal defense. That seems to make sense!!! Please let us know more of your Luger's history as you discover it... Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

07-21-2014, 04:56 PM	#27
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,051 Thanks: 1,119 Thanked 5,286 Times in 1,728 Posts	Nicely done! Great display. Ron __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

03-10-2014, 03:04 PM	#22
pedroMM User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Spain Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Thank you guys for the replies, I will try to answer them in order. -First of all, I will try to loose those screws with some lubricant this week, but I dont want to broke or damage them so if they are extremely tight I wont force them. - Regarding its origin, I have bought it to a mate, which has had it for 5 or 6 years, I will ask him some questions about the man he bought it to. Here in Spain there are hundreds of weapons which fought both in the Spanish Civil War ( 1936-1939) and in the WW II ( Due to the Spanish participation in the Russian Campaign). Those weapons were usually stored in garages and hidden places like churches or private houses because their owners had keept them in fear that another civilian war started. That situation was clearly described with the phrase " por si vuelven los rojos" which means something similar to " just in case the reds came again". With the years those former owners passed away and those weapons were discovered by relatives or simply workers which were performing some job in the house or church( I have some familiar story about this issue).Some of those weapons could be legalized by that moment ( former Gun Law enabled all the military officers and NCO's to have one submachine gun for their personal defence. I dont know much about civilian gun law in Franco's era, I am just 23). So for sum it, here in Spain there is a certain amount of legal handguns which took part in both wars due to trades among military personel and other war circunstances. This P 08 could be one of those Lugers which were part of trades among the officers ( It seems to havent been fired too much,the main using marks are due to a holster and it still has one of its original mags), but there is no documental proof of it. IMO it has been used as personal weapon of a military man for a long time, until he passed away, when the gun was sold for first time. Regarding the CT Afrikakorps, it is just one of the pieces of my militaria collection. I have displayed the Luger with those pieces just until I have a specific place for it, which will be a wooden box with a blue velvet cover inside.