My latest Erfurt - 2021 Show of Shows find

Dwight Gruber · 08-21-2021, 05:19 PM

Bill,

This is an extraordinarily interesting pistol.

The 1914|18 date stamp indicates that the receiver itself was manufactured in 1914, but not assembled into a completed pistol until 1918. This marking protocol is specified in the 1910 pistol marking specifications. The receiver notch indicates that this receiver was indeed intended for an LP08 (the requirement that all Erfurt receivers include the notch dates from 1916), but was for some reason put aside until 1918.

In 1918 the German army issued a requirement that a Prussian Imperial Eagle be stamped on all pistols’ trigger guards (not just P08s) as an indication of army property. The applied stamp itself was one of the various Imperial rifle factory’s proof stamps. These markings are very seldom seen. In fact, as of Jan Still’s “Central Powers Pistols” in 2007, only one Erfurt P08 with such a stamp had been reported. Your pistol with the trigger guard eagle is virtually unique.

The holdopen pin is a much later replacement. One might guess that it replaced an original damaged pin. It appears to be a hollow, split expansion pin pressed into plce.

--Dwight

08-21-2021, 05:19 PM	#5
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,908 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,330 Times in 435 Posts	Bill, This is an extraordinarily interesting pistol. The 1914\|18 date stamp indicates that the receiver itself was manufactured in 1914, but not assembled into a completed pistol until 1918. This marking protocol is specified in the 1910 pistol marking specifications. The receiver notch indicates that this receiver was indeed intended for an LP08 (the requirement that all Erfurt receivers include the notch dates from 1916), but was for some reason put aside until 1918. In 1918 the German army issued a requirement that a Prussian Imperial Eagle be stamped on all pistols’ trigger guards (not just P08s) as an indication of army property. The applied stamp itself was one of the various Imperial rifle factory’s proof stamps. These markings are very seldom seen. In fact, as of Jan Still’s “Central Powers Pistols” in 2007, only one Erfurt P08 with such a stamp had been reported. Your pistol with the trigger guard eagle is virtually unique. The holdopen pin is a much later replacement. One might guess that it replaced an original damaged pin. It appears to be a hollow, split expansion pin pressed into plce. --Dwight