Newbie "Whatizit?" question

llewdeb · 06-01-2005, 11:52 AM

I'm an ignorant Luger newbie who is really impressed with the level of detail in the knowledge I see being shared here. Last weekend I stumbled upon a P.08 that has me scratching my crainium trying to figure out. I sure need some help. This thing's a four-inch 9mm with a 1914 chamber date. It has four proofmarks on the forward end of the right side of the upper receiver which resemble some of those shown on LugerForm's reference site for German military proofs for the 1914 time period. The upper receiver and barrel are serially numbered alike, bearing a four digit number with no suffix or prefix. The toggle is marked byf and it and all the remaining numbered parts are numbered to the lower receiver, which also bears a four-digit number without suffix or prefix. The only visible part without a number is the plate to the rear of the takedown lever. The grips are what look like very old black bakelite. (I can see a little frayed fiberous material in the curve above where the left panel is inletted for the magazine release button, which makes me think they aren't just modern-day plastic.) The magazine is marked fxo above an eagle above a 37. It has a black plastic floorplate which has a chunk missing. The finish on the pistol is definitely that blackish hot blue and it appears to have been done a long time ago. There are no discernable rounded corners or polishing over blemishes. It was a nice, uniform blue job. The trigger and all small parts are blued, except the safety tab. It does work good and shoot straight. I couldn't resist giving it a little offhand workout. After reading a lot of previous posts, I am thinking maybe it's a Mauser rework if a DWM 1914 military pistol. Does that make sense? Would that be considered a "black widow" even though it doesn't have a 41 or 42 chamber date? What's something like this worth? Thanks in advance for any information.

06-01-2005, 11:52 AM	#1
llewdeb User Join Date: May 2005 Location: East Texas (Piney woods...not the desert.) Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Newbie "Whatizit?" question I'm an ignorant Luger newbie who is really impressed with the level of detail in the knowledge I see being shared here. Last weekend I stumbled upon a P.08 that has me scratching my crainium trying to figure out. I sure need some help. This thing's a four-inch 9mm with a 1914 chamber date. It has four proofmarks on the forward end of the right side of the upper receiver which resemble some of those shown on LugerForm's reference site for German military proofs for the 1914 time period. The upper receiver and barrel are serially numbered alike, bearing a four digit number with no suffix or prefix. The toggle is marked byf and it and all the remaining numbered parts are numbered to the lower receiver, which also bears a four-digit number without suffix or prefix. The only visible part without a number is the plate to the rear of the takedown lever. The grips are what look like very old black bakelite. (I can see a little frayed fiberous material in the curve above where the left panel is inletted for the magazine release button, which makes me think they aren't just modern-day plastic.) The magazine is marked fxo above an eagle above a 37. It has a black plastic floorplate which has a chunk missing. The finish on the pistol is definitely that blackish hot blue and it appears to have been done a long time ago. There are no discernable rounded corners or polishing over blemishes. It was a nice, uniform blue job. The trigger and all small parts are blued, except the safety tab. It does work good and shoot straight. I couldn't resist giving it a little offhand workout. After reading a lot of previous posts, I am thinking maybe it's a Mauser rework if a DWM 1914 military pistol. Does that make sense? Would that be considered a "black widow" even though it doesn't have a 41 or 42 chamber date? What's something like this worth? Thanks in advance for any information.