Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08

07-12-2001, 02:12 PM

About18-20 years ago, I purchased a NEW P-08 (4" bbl, grip safety, Mauser mfg. from Arms de Chasse in Penna. It's got the original box, target, instruction booklet, loading tool, 2 spare firing pins, 2 spare clips, all original. NO stock mounting paraphernalia (thankx, BATF) and has had only one clip fired through it in all this time. 100% original, high blue, straw and wooden clip grips. Does anyone out there have any sense of its worth, in view of the fact that Mauser (as I understand it) doesn't manufacture handguns any more. I was told at the time of purchase that Mauser made only 500 of different variations and grades for worldwide distribution. I had to wait about a year (after a sizeable, sizeable deposit) to take delivery. Oh, yes, it is NOT engraved, but it's MINT. Please, anyone with a sense of worth for the gun, please e-mail me with a figure, or a place (book) where I can look up the info I need. I MAY be selling it, if the price is right, and if it's as rare as I think it is.

John Sabato · 07-12-2001, 02:54 PM

since he purchased the remaining stock of Mauser parts... I think he recently posted that he still has a few of the Lugers of this vintage new in the box for sale...

you can find him using the "links and resources" link on the frame to your left. or just visit Hellerarms.com

BTW, Welcome to the Lugerforum Bob... Glad you could join us here. Please take a moment and use the link at the top of the main discussion page to "Edit Your Profile" and that will lock your user ID so no one can post using your name.

Feel free to "View User Profiles" and read a few of them to get to know us first, so you have some idea what to put in your own. You don't have to reveal anything that your not comfortable with... but we would like to know a little about you... maybe your age, general location -- you get the idea.

Come back often. This is a great forum and there is much information about Lugers to be learned here.

-John Sabato

Aaron · 07-12-2001, 03:31 PM

As a collector of many years, quite a few of the postwar Luger types have passed through my hands. The one you have is the common one, but I can't be sure of how many were made without looking it up. They did make a number of scarce models, and as I remember, some were commemorative models marked with Russian and Bulgarian inscriptions. These rare ones hardly ever turn up. Yours, however, is the Swiss model, three of which I have encountered in the last year, as they turn up quite frequently at gun shows. Asking price new in box is usually around $650, but after a little dickering, they change hands for around $575, give or take $50. They don't seem to have gone up in price appreciably, as I recall that twenty years ago they were going for about $500. The big values are in wartime models, as that is what the collectors are going for. The current Blue Book of Gun Values, the most used reference today, lists your gun in mint in the box condition at $695, but they usually change hands for less. The following are the book prices for all the postwar Mauser models according to the Blue Book. Keep in mind that they really sell for somewhat less:

Swiss............................................695

New model carbine with stock...................4,995

Cartridge counter..............................2,650

Commemorative Bulgarian........................1,800

Commemorative Russian..........................1,500

Sport Parabellum (heavy barrel, 10 made).......2,500

Some were also made in consecutive numbered pairs, and these are listed at a slight premium.

07-12-2001, 09:45 PM

ANYHWERE FROM 500-EVEN 1000 DOLLARS IF IT HAS THE SWISS STYLE GRIP SAFETY. BUT HEY ITS A LUGER THE ONLY VALUE YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH IS THE ENJOYMENT OF SHOOTING CLEANING AND DISPLAYING SUCH A FINE WEAPON.

07-12-2001, 10:19 PM

Aaron, I don't know what edition of the Blue Book that you are looking at, but the 21st edition shows the Swiss model in New condition @$825. I find that 9mm will sell for a bit more if NIB with all accessories. I concur with your estimates for a used one, even if 98%, with no accessories. Tom

Rick K · 07-12-2001, 10:40 PM

Well hey Bob Regers! Do you think maybe you could check your caps lock and see if it's on, maybe without your knowing it?

07-12-2001, 11:28 PM

I've seen two or three NIB and mint MAUSER repro "Luger" pistols sell at auction over the last year at about $600 each.

Those things aren't Lugers.

Mike

07-12-2001, 11:45 PM

These lugers tend to appear at "retail" at shows and in ads for around $950 and tend to sell informally around $600-650 in my experience in Virginia and the northeast states. The accessories are usually with these guns as they are recent manufacture. I have never seen one with any wear on it as the owners seem to have kept them as special collectibles rather than used them for shooting. The common versions have not been popular among collectors it seems and the special versions very rarely appear for sale.

John Sabato · 07-13-2001, 08:43 AM

machine tools, and manufactured by an original major producer of the originals... They are just newer and they just don't have the historic legacy of most of the pistols that impress this crowd...

My personal preference is for Lugers manufactured from 1893 to 1945...

-JS

Aaron · 07-13-2001, 09:55 AM

Tom, you are absolutely correct, the 21st edition of the Blue Book quotes a 100% Swiss style postwar at $825. I was looking in the 20th edition which quotes the gun at $695, and am astounded that they increased the value so much in one year. According to my observations, there is no more interest in these guns than there was fifteen years ago, and my $600 estimate is still correct. Ordinarily, there is virtually no difference in prices in two consecutive editions of the Blue Book. My apologies.

07-12-2001, 02:12 PM	#1
Bob Badalamenti Guest Posts: n/a	Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08 About18-20 years ago, I purchased a NEW P-08 (4" bbl, grip safety, Mauser mfg. from Arms de Chasse in Penna. It's got the original box, target, instruction booklet, loading tool, 2 spare firing pins, 2 spare clips, all original. NO stock mounting paraphernalia (thankx, BATF) and has had only one clip fired through it in all this time. 100% original, high blue, straw and wooden clip grips. Does anyone out there have any sense of its worth, in view of the fact that Mauser (as I understand it) doesn't manufacture handguns any more. I was told at the time of purchase that Mauser made only 500 of different variations and grades for worldwide distribution. I had to wait about a year (after a sizeable, sizeable deposit) to take delivery. Oh, yes, it is NOT engraved, but it's MINT. Please, anyone with a sense of worth for the gun, please e-mail me with a figure, or a place (book) where I can look up the info I need. I MAY be selling it, if the price is right, and if it's as rare as I think it is.

07-12-2001, 02:54 PM	#2
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,153 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	This sounds like a job for Tom Heller... since he purchased the remaining stock of Mauser parts... I think he recently posted that he still has a few of the Lugers of this vintage new in the box for sale... you can find him using the "links and resources" link on the frame to your left. or just visit Hellerarms.com BTW, Welcome to the Lugerforum Bob... Glad you could join us here. Please take a moment and use the link at the top of the main discussion page to "Edit Your Profile" and that will lock your user ID so no one can post using your name. Feel free to "View User Profiles" and read a few of them to get to know us first, so you have some idea what to put in your own. You don't have to reveal anything that your not comfortable with... but we would like to know a little about you... maybe your age, general location -- you get the idea. Come back often. This is a great forum and there is much information about Lugers to be learned here. -John Sabato

07-12-2001, 03:31 PM	#3
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08 As a collector of many years, quite a few of the postwar Luger types have passed through my hands. The one you have is the common one, but I can't be sure of how many were made without looking it up. They did make a number of scarce models, and as I remember, some were commemorative models marked with Russian and Bulgarian inscriptions. These rare ones hardly ever turn up. Yours, however, is the Swiss model, three of which I have encountered in the last year, as they turn up quite frequently at gun shows. Asking price new in box is usually around $650, but after a little dickering, they change hands for around $575, give or take $50. They don't seem to have gone up in price appreciably, as I recall that twenty years ago they were going for about $500. The big values are in wartime models, as that is what the collectors are going for. The current Blue Book of Gun Values, the most used reference today, lists your gun in mint in the box condition at $695, but they usually change hands for less. The following are the book prices for all the postwar Mauser models according to the Blue Book. Keep in mind that they really sell for somewhat less: Swiss............................................695 New model carbine with stock...................4,995 Cartridge counter..............................2,650 Commemorative Bulgarian........................1,800 Commemorative Russian..........................1,500 Sport Parabellum (heavy barrel, 10 made).......2,500 Some were also made in consecutive numbered pairs, and these are listed at a slight premium.

07-12-2001, 09:45 PM	#4
BOB REGERS Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08 ANYHWERE FROM 500-EVEN 1000 DOLLARS IF IT HAS THE SWISS STYLE GRIP SAFETY. BUT HEY ITS A LUGER THE ONLY VALUE YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH IS THE ENJOYMENT OF SHOOTING CLEANING AND DISPLAYING SUCH A FINE WEAPON.

07-12-2001, 10:19 PM	#5
tom h Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08 Aaron, I don't know what edition of the Blue Book that you are looking at, but the 21st edition shows the Swiss model in New condition @$825. I find that 9mm will sell for a bit more if NIB with all accessories. I concur with your estimates for a used one, even if 98%, with no accessories. Tom

07-12-2001, 10:40 PM	#6
Rick K User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Cochran, GA Posts: 305 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08 Well hey Bob Regers! Do you think maybe you could check your caps lock and see if it's on, maybe without your knowing it?

07-12-2001, 11:28 PM	#7
MK Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08 I've seen two or three NIB and mint MAUSER repro "Luger" pistols sell at auction over the last year at about $600 each. Those things aren't Lugers. Mike

07-12-2001, 11:45 PM	#8
mac Guest Posts: n/a	Re: This sounds like a job for Tom Heller... These lugers tend to appear at "retail" at shows and in ads for around $950 and tend to sell informally around $600-650 in my experience in Virginia and the northeast states. The accessories are usually with these guns as they are recent manufacture. I have never seen one with any wear on it as the owners seem to have kept them as special collectibles rather than used them for shooting. The common versions have not been popular among collectors it seems and the special versions very rarely appear for sale.

07-13-2001, 08:43 AM	#9
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,153 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Sure they are Lugers Mike, they were made on the original Swiss machine tools, and manufactured by an original major producer of the originals... They are just newer and they just don't have the historic legacy of most of the pistols that impress this crowd... My personal preference is for Lugers manufactured from 1893 to 1945... -JS

07-13-2001, 09:55 AM	#10
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Trying to get a sense of worth of my P-08 Tom, you are absolutely correct, the 21st edition of the Blue Book quotes a 100% Swiss style postwar at $825. I was looking in the 20th edition which quotes the gun at $695, and am astounded that they increased the value so much in one year. According to my observations, there is no more interest in these guns than there was fifteen years ago, and my $600 estimate is still correct. Ordinarily, there is virtually no difference in prices in two consecutive editions of the Blue Book. My apologies.