Shooting an LP08

[Michael Zeleny]

I fired my first 1917 LP08 for the first time two days ago. I was also shooting two SIG P210-6 pistols and two Colt Pythons, one fitted with a 4" hollow lug barrel and the other wearing a 2 1/2" tube. Of all these guns, the Artillery Luger was by far the most accurate in my hands. About 60 rounds of Winchester 124gr FMJ ammo all went into a single hole about 40mm in diameter, firing rapidly offhand at 25 feet. The bullets hit about 50mm below the point of aim, a condition that should be easy to fix by adjusting the rear sight blade. Even so, I was able to ding 7 out of 8 silhouettes at the 50 yard line. There were no malfunctions, other than occasional failures to feed the last round out of Mec-Gar magazines that latched into the frame too low to activate the hold-open lever. I expect properly refitted magazines to deliver perfect cycling. This is very different from my experience with the 9mm P08, liable to turn into a manually operated repeater with the slightest slackening of its mainspring. I am confirmed in my belief that the Luger requires extra mass in the cannon assembly to cycle reliably with modern ammunition.

The LP08 is a death ray machine. I would not hesitate to employ this handgun for social work. Given this performance, I remain puzzled at the failure of German and Swiss gunmakers to replicate their outstanding pre-WWII designs for the benefit of shooters worldwide.