My 1st P.08, a 1914 Erfurt

[John D.]

Originally posted by feldm�¼tze
....This pistol is not what I wanted for my first P.08, but......

Hi feldm�¼tze..!

If I were you - I wouldn't be a bit disappointed.. For that - if yours was the "only one" known to ever exist, well - then you'd have a problem... However - to make you feel better, I sold one of my 1911s today, so I had the cash to pick up my 1914 Erfurt as well. Since "misery" loves company - following is a short description of mine. As well - I'll try to post some rather extensive pictures in a new thread in the next few days. In the meantime...

After reading all these posts and theories and closely examining mine, I'm more inclined to agree with the following post:

Originally posted by George Anderson
.... I would assume that the government arsenal was not instructed to cease LP08 and P08 production as of 31 December 1914. It is more likely that parabellum production was halted sometime during the year of 1914..... If 1914's production was halted rather abruptly then one might assume that P08 components were available but put aside in order to pursue whatever the greater need was. Subsequently, when that greater urgency had been satisfied, P08 production resumed and at some point the 1914 dated receivers were pulled in to the production line...

I'm way out of my specialized area here, so I reserve the right to be wrong

1914 Erfurt - serial number "7019 q". Overall VG to excellent blue with strong straw. Non-matched MAG, but correct type.

Some of the details....

- Notched receiver for arty sight;
- Relieved sear bar;
- The grips are matched, stamped with the last two digits AND are proofed;
- Grip screws are NOT proofed;
- The same "RC" stamps as shown on the "q" block pictured by feldm�¼tze are present - including one on the left of the barrel he indicates is also present on his 1914;

Now - I have a question... When did Erfurt stop putting the proof on the MAG releases (right side). If I look at the photos in Jan's "Imperial Lugers" (I'd be LOST without that reference!!) - it would not be present on post 1914 production? If that's true, coupled with the relieved sear and grip screws - it points to post 1914 Erfurt production, with Erfurt producing these "q" block 1914s....

As for the theory that these were produced after the end of WW1, I'm not so certain I'd agree. To make that theory plausible - it would say that these were completed "Lugers" (read below as to why) that were not issued during the war - but during the Weimar period by the "new owners" of the Erfurt spares. That certainly doesn't make sense - but it would have to be the case... Why?

Based on the fact that these are all serialized (including the small parts) and the majority of the small parts also carry the Erfurt proof which again, are also correctly numbered to the pistol. If they were assembled post WW1 - I would tend to doubt that the Erfurt proofs/digit matched parts would continued to be used to "make these complete" Erfurts;

Second - note the comments about the crown RC being prevelant. I highly doubt that the new post-war assembler would have "matched" so consistiently all the parts that had the crown RC old Erfurt spares to "create" this new variation. If the proofs/serialized part/crown RCs were more random - I could be more inclined to agree with post-war assembly - but they are not random - hence, highly unlikely is was a "post war spare parts" Erfurt;

Third - fit and finish. This variation appears to have a uniform finish and blue. If they were "assembled" from different year parts - one would expect that the Luger would have to re-blued to achieve the same consistiency overall throughout the firearm. That is not the case, they are not re-blued - as all the stamps proofs are crisp - including the correct halo on the serial number digits on the left side of the receiver (not the toggle, see the previous posts in this thread on this issue).

For all that - I'm more inclined to agree with George's theory stated above, certainly moreso than any of the "post war" theories brought forth so far.

Just my $0.0002

John D.