1921 DWM front strap S.W.I. 6.5.1.

[Don M]

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

the four digit with an added 8 in front is a different run than the true five digit commercial lugers...

The 8xxxx DWM P08s with 1921 (and 1920) chamber dates are clearly different from the true commercial Parabellums in that serial range but I'm not sure that they have a separate serial range. I have scanned Dwight Gruber's commercial data base and don't see any examples of duplicate serial numbers where one is a commercial Parabellum and the other a 1920/21 dated P08. Of course, the data sample is small but, until we see such duplication of serial numbers, I don't think we can rule out that both types of pistols may have been numbered in the same serial range. If they were, it was probably a headache for the DWM management to avoid duplication.

Reviewing Dwight's database reminded me that many 8xxxx P08s have 1920 chamber dates in addition to those with 1921 dates.