1920-dated DWM P08s with “n” suffixes --- HELP!

[Don M]

For a number of years, I have been intrigued by the existence of an apparently nearly complete block of DWM P08s with 1920 manufacture dates on their chambers and “n” suffixes to their serial numbers. (See http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...WMs-w-n-suffix and http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=25334 ) These are counter to the long-held understanding that P08s manufactured in 1920 for the police and Reichswehr had serial numbers with no suffix, “a” or “b” suffixes. No reasonable explanation for this out-of-sequence block of serial numbers has been offered, nor do I have one.

When I received my copy of Görtz & Sturgess’ The Borchart & Luger Automatic Pistols (TBLAP), I hoped that it might shed some light on this mystery. While the authors do offer an explanation, it only deepens the mystery for me. Perhaps someone can help me understand this.

On pp. 530-5 of TBLAP, it is stated that wartime production of P08s by DWM was terminated in the mid-“m” block of serial numbers and that post-war production of P08s for the police and Reichswehr in 1920 picked up at this point and continued into the mid-“n” block using 1918 and 1920-dated receivers before beginning the “no suffix,” “a” and “b” series. This has me baffled. According to Jan Still’s Central Powers Pistols (p. 38), DWM’s 1918 production ran into the “s” block of serial numbers. Also, it is evident from the list I posted in the LugerForum thread above (post #5) that low-number (167) “n” suffix pistols have been observed. Finally, I have not observed a 1920-dated P08 with an “m” suffix. (These should not be confused with “m” suffix P08s manufactured in 1924 with a 1920 property stamp on the chamber --- mostly Landespolizei Thüringen pistols. Some of these have been erroneously reported as 1920-dated.)

Can anyone clarify this for me?