Please Help Me Evaluate A P08 Luger Pistol

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 12:21 PM

I have inherited a P08 Luger. It's a 1918 Erfurt with all serial numbers (with possibly 1 exception) matching. It went into police service at some point. It has 1 matching magazine, no holster, and no tool. I wish to learn market value, not for selling it, as it is a family heirloom, but for equitable division of the estate among the siblings. Thanks in advance for any helpful valuation information you may provide.

DavidJayUden · 02-15-2019, 12:33 PM

You are asking a lot and supplying little (no photos), but I will give you a generic estimate based on what you have offered.
I'm going to assume that the 1 matching mag. is a police rework mag, not orig. WW1, and will ignore the (possibly) 1 non-matching, and would base it somewhere between $1100 and $1500, but understand that is a WAG of the highest order.
dju

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 12:37 PM

Here are some more photos...

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 12:48 PM

More photos...

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 12:52 PM

Yet more photos...

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 01:04 PM

Still more photos...

DavidJayUden · 02-15-2019, 01:08 PM

The firing pin is mis-matched, and the magazine is a police re-work and force-matched, the rest looks pretty nice! The book guys can tell you what the unit markings indicate. I'll hold at around $1300-$1400.
But other more-knowledgeable members may disagree...
dju

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 01:09 PM

Final set of photos...

DonVoigt · 02-15-2019, 01:46 PM

Please tell up which # you think may not be mismatched- I've looked at the pictures but there are a lot of them.

HerrKaiser · 02-15-2019, 02:15 PM

Don, firing pin is marked “21” instead of 20 like all the other parts of the pistol.

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

You are asking a lot and supplying little (no photos), but I will give you a generic estimate based on what you have offered.
I'm going to assume that the 1 matching mag. is a police rework mag, not orig. WW1, and will ignore the (possibly) 1 non-matching, and would base it somewhere between $1100 and $1500, but understand that is a WAG of the highest order.
dju

Sorry about that, DavidJayUden. I mistakenly attached the wrong photos to the original thread message, and immediately noticed and removed them...then I spent 20 minutes or so attaching the correct 57 images.

Please look again.

Thanks!

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

The firing pin is mis-matched, and the magazine is a police re-work and force-matched, the rest looks pretty nice! The book guys can tell you what the unit markings indicate. I'll hold at around $1300-$1400.
But other more-knowledgeable members may disagree...
dju

The firing pin is also marked '20', although the 0 is a weak stamp...you are not the first to mistake the stamped '20' for a '21'.

DavidJayUden · 02-15-2019, 02:28 PM

Your gun uses a later style "fluted" firing pin. That, with the incorrect number, hurts the value a bit.
What dollar amount were you expecting?
dju

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HerrKaiser

Don, firing pin is marked “21” instead of 20 like all the other parts of the pistol.

Actually, the firing pin is stamped '20', although the 0 is weakly stamped. In that particular photo, unless you zoom in, it does appear to be a 1. Others have mistaken it for '21', as well.

Puma357 · 02-15-2019, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

Please tell up which # you think may not be mismatched- I've looked at the pictures but there are a lot of them.

The 'hold open', which is not clearly represented in these photos and is weakly stamped '03', which upon initial inspection (looking at it upside down) appeared to my eyes to be '20'.

Vlim · 02-15-2019, 04:40 PM

The fluted pin modification is correct for a police pistol like this.

Geo99 · 02-16-2019, 03:53 AM

Barrel and toggle train look too nice compared to the rest of the gun - highly suspect they are reblued, which is not uncommon for police guns (they seemed to like rebluing the toggle & breechblock). Rest of the finish looks original to me. Anyway, I agree with David's estimate of $1400 for this gun. It might even sell for $1500 or so on gunbroker.

- Geo

DonVoigt · 02-16-2019, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HerrKaiser

Don, firing pin is marked “21” instead of 20 like all the other parts of the pistol.

No,
it IS a 20, just missing part of the left side.

DonVoigt · 02-16-2019, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puma357

The 'hold open', which is not clearly represented in these photos and is weakly stamped '03', which upon initial inspection (looking at it upside down) appeared to my eyes to be '20'.

Thanks,
that hurts a bit, as we are now into a "mismatched" pistol.

DonVoigt · 02-16-2019, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

The firing pin is mis-matched, and the magazine is a police re-work and force-matched, the rest looks pretty nice! The book guys can tell you what the unit markings indicate. I'll hold at around $1300-$1400.
But other more-knowledgeable members may disagree...
dju

I would not call the magazine a "forced" match, it is entirely correct for a reworked police pistol- it even has the "dove/o" police acceptance. It is not the "original" magazine- but then the pistol has been through a complete "police" overhaul!

Tom,
what makes you say the rear toggle is "force matched" ? Looks like a clean #20 in the one picture I found it.

02-15-2019, 01:46 PM	#9
DonVoigt User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: near Charlotte NC Posts: 4,681 Thanks: 1,443 Thanked 4,356 Times in 2,041 Posts	Please tell up which # you think may not be mismatched- I've looked at the pictures but there are a lot of them. __________________ 03man(Don Voigt); Luger student and collector. Looking for DWM side plate: 69 ; Dreyse 1907 pistol K.S. Gendarmerie

02-15-2019, 02:15 PM	#10
HerrKaiser User Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: South Carolina Posts: 887 Thanks: 835 Thanked 897 Times in 434 Posts	Don, firing pin is marked “21” instead of 20 like all the other parts of the pistol. __________________ -QM

02-16-2019, 03:53 AM	#17
Geo99 User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Whidbey Island WA Posts: 400 Thanks: 102 Thanked 127 Times in 75 Posts	Barrel and toggle train look too nice compared to the rest of the gun - highly suspect they are reblued, which is not uncommon for police guns (they seemed to like rebluing the toggle & breechblock). Rest of the finish looks original to me. Anyway, I agree with David's estimate of $1400 for this gun. It might even sell for $1500 or so on gunbroker. - Geo __________________ "Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie, until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers

02-15-2019, 12:33 PM	#2
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	You are asking a lot and supplying little (no photos), but I will give you a generic estimate based on what you have offered. I'm going to assume that the 1 matching mag. is a police rework mag, not orig. WW1, and will ignore the (possibly) 1 non-matching, and would base it somewhere between $1100 and $1500, but understand that is a WAG of the highest order. dju

02-15-2019, 01:08 PM	#7
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	The firing pin is mis-matched, and the magazine is a police re-work and force-matched, the rest looks pretty nice! The book guys can tell you what the unit markings indicate. I'll hold at around $1300-$1400. But other more-knowledgeable members may disagree... dju

02-15-2019, 02:28 PM	#13
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Your gun uses a later style "fluted" firing pin. That, with the incorrect number, hurts the value a bit. What dollar amount were you expecting? dju

02-15-2019, 04:40 PM	#16
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,991 Times in 1,205 Posts	The fluted pin modification is correct for a police pistol like this.