08 First Issue Questions

[RockinWR]

Dwight & John,
* Appreciate your kind assessments. I feel indeed fortunate to have found this example & am giving it a good home among some fellow brothers.
* John: Been with me for over a dozen years now & is righteous IMHO. Bought it after an educational learning curve on a VOPO byf 41 & Lots of books. Good pedigry. From a recognized Luger collector to a Winchester Collector who wanted to own just one P.08. He then wanted a Winc. Yellow Boy more and needed the cash. Amazing how one can remember the deal like it was yesterday.
* As mentioned, I have not built a light box nor have indirect reflectors to adequately illuminate my picture subjects. These are about the 4th experiment with my old Kodak CX4230. The inside, non flash, under a twin 40w shop industrial flourescent yields too much blue as evidenced by the Top View. Characteristic of the flourescent output. Flash, beyond the glare, seems to darken the DWM rust blue somewhat; but, is a better rendition. I like the natural, full spectrum light of the outdoors; but, we're just getting to some cloudy winter days here in Texas. Farmers Almanac says that winter may be only on a Tuesday sometime in January for these parts.
* IMO: Garfield has a clearer C/Z pic with the sub crown in Jan's Forum under his "1908 1st Issue/9th Hussars" thread. Shows S/N 7179a. Jan shows 6099ns in his recent "Erfurt Proofs on DWM Lugers" discussion.
* Been looking @ a lot more '08 & 1910 DWM pics posted on various Forums. I'm now convinced the C/Z sub-crown is not unique to the '08 - 1st Issues. Appears the sub-crown may go into the "d" block of the 1910's. As it seems independent of the side of the receiver, I think we may have a previously worn stamp which was incompletely reground of its former character(s). The haste to mark '08 1st Issues may have caused Spandau Inspectors to use refurbished stamp(s). Interesting is the C/Z is the first stamp(receiver detail part acceptance) in the 1st Issues & appears as the final acceptance stamp in some of the 1910's. Guess the Inspector graduated to a more senior status with a year of experience. I've yet to decipher whether one of the C/T stamps in a sequence of C/T, C/T, Proof Eagle also exhibits a sub-crown. If members wish to check/report their 1st Issue's & 1910 dated ("NS" to "d" block) DWM's and report their C/T sightings with and without a "subcrown", we may be able to bound the range of this marking. Then again, the minutia does seem to be getting a bit thick? <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />
* The trigger bow letter is really going to be a tough nut to crack. Jeff Noll's initial (1988)booklet on Imperial German Regimental Marking lists a single letter "H." as a Hussar Regimental marking. His Luger listing on Pg. 53 brackets my #9976a by a 1st issue, #9608a "Grip Marked" to an Infantry regiment as is #3452b. Not a match to the Hussars; but, a 4k spread is too generous of a range to draw a definitive conclusion.
* Gortz/Bryans, Pg. 33 (Bravarian Directive) shows a Block "H" meaning "Hilfs" (auxilliary) & a script "H" meaning "Hartschiere"(Bravarian Royal Palace Guards). However, as much as I'd like to think it the latter, I recognize both of these should be prefaced with a "B." The more likely Prussian mark of an "H." is listed on Pg. 19 and yields Haumpt-(Principle or Quarters); Haubitz(Batterie); Husar( ); & Hessish(Grossherzoglich??). Then their is the Saxon's & Wuerttemberg Units.
* Occam's Razor suggests this single letter is a rack marking @ some reserve unit storage site. When WWI started, time precluded a full grip strap marking. Or; maybe, it was just "Heinz's" private gun.
* Appreciate thoughts, facts, or other examples from the membership.
Respectfully,
Bob