1917 Erfurt "police" P 08 with interesting features

[DonVoigt]

You all may know by now that I'm kind of crazy and like Police used luger pistols. On of the guys tells me "they all look alike" - why do you need more than one? I tell him it is the "history" sometimes "writ right in the steel".

I blame Ed Tinker , Dwight Gruber, and Don Maus and their great books on police lugers for this "affliction".

Here is the latest acquisition, bought from a member of the other luger board, they have or could see the pictures so I'm writing the story here.

The Basics:
-Accessories/Other: Black Police type holster with “4323” stamped upper right back; loading tool numbered 4323 with */s inspection

-Condition: VG-exc after rework, all matching numbers, matching DWM toggle(must have been added during rework), else all original Erfurt mfg. including well and original marked grips; bore excellent; police replacement but matching magazine

-Description and History:
1.0 – Std. 1917 military Erfurt P 08. Taken into police service sometime after WWI.

2.0 –Ugrade/Rework
Received sear safety and grooved(original #) firing pin after 1933 orders, never received mag. Safety, so either updated after 1937 or belonged to a German state other than Prussia(likely).
-A minor point is the un-numbered rear toggle pin, should be, but could have been replaced/lost anytime after re-work.

2.1-Center toggle link was replaced with a DWM marked part-numbered before finishing after re-work as the "23" has no ghosts. The toggle was replaced before the pistol received the sear safety, as the sear safety rivet is not blued- or else just the toggle center link was blued; the rest of the toggle train appears to be the original numbered and acceptance marked parts from Erfurt. The small pin in the top of the toggle is in the white and the breech block and toggle show more wear than the center link- a mystery for sure.
2.2 No police unit markings.

3.0 Magazine –
Has birch mag base with police # 1 and 4323 over scrubbed earlier number
3.1 - Mag body is scarce 1st type Haenel Schmeisser, with */k inspection, and flat checkered button; must be one of the 6,000 spare magazine bodies ordered from Haenel for replacement use in Sept. 1935.(Goertz and Sturgess)

Some interesting/puzzling to me questions raised, though there may be others!

A- Where was this pistol during the time it should have received the "1920" property marking?
Perhaps hidden from the IMKK in "black inventory" ?

B- When did it enter police service? Early on(1920) or after 1932?

C- Holster- For Jerry!
The police up-strap type holster is not marked, except for the pistol serial number in the upper right.
Is it a commercial holster pressed into police service?
Likely; if so when? It has the later "wide, integral" back piece to form the magazine pouch, but not the full stitching across, nor does it have a "strap retainer" for the up strap. The holster bears a resemblance to AKAH holsters shown in Goertz and Sturgess.

I was quite happy to add this rig, and to have an example of the early type Haenel Schmeisser Magazine. You will notice it has the angle cut and round spring of the early mags, not the straight cut of the second type Haenel type with zig-zag spring; in addition to the different shape of the follower button.

The star/k and star/s inspection markings on the magazine and tool are the two police inspectors whose names are fairly certainly known to be Krause and Schmidt.

Notice the markings on the frame and inside of the side plate, these may be original from 1917 or date to the rework- either way they would enable the pieces to be kept together. Note the small Erfurt acceptance marking on the trigger lever.