More info on my "VOPO" Parabellum (please?)

(sorry guys...I'll get to the "Profile" thing real soon!)


Well, I have determined, through the little research that I have found, that what I have is a 1918 made, Erfurt pistol that was hot-dip blued at some time and has a mint set of the "target" or "VOPO" grips. All serial numbers do indeed match and the bore is very good as well.


Overall, this pistol does not appear to suffer from the bluing over pitting that you see on several types of refinished military surplus rifles/pistols (Isn't that unsightly...or what?).


Does anybody know a date in which these "VOPO Lugers" were refinished? How about dates when they were used?


I have an East German Makarov (ooh...is is bad to mention this pistol here? too bad - it's an excellent shooter) that is dated in the early 1960s...were the P-08s used before the Makarovs?


I looked for info on the web about the VolksPolice and found only photos of soldiers carrying AKs or SKS rifles...no pistols.


Can anybody fill me in on the useage of the P-08 by the East Germans or when about the re-builds would have taken place?


I have a feeling that my Parabellum was re-built and not shot very much afterwards.


I have no intentions of "restoring" it to WWI correctness, but leaving it as-is and putting it in with the rest of my Cold War collection, with the EG Makarov, SKS and Polish and Romanian M-44 Nagants.


Thanks guys!


-SA