1914 Erfurt Artillery...

[Daniel76]

Recently acquired this 1914 dated Erfurt artillery luger. What made this particular example interesting to me were several modifications apparently done when overhauled (possibly more than once) at a police arsenal.

Pistol started as a 1914 LP08. A couple of features identify this. The notched barrel, as well as the 'stylized 'W' on the bottom of the triggerguard. To my understanding, the 'W' (if I'm referring to it correctly) was only seen on LP08s.

At some point in the early 1920s, it was acquired by the government and received the '1920' property stamp. The barrel was replaced and numbered to match. The sear and magazine safeties were added. It also likely received police magazines at this point. Interestingly, the police Haenel/Schmeisser magazine has a Navy wood bottom attached to it that is serial numbered to the pistol by SN and by the inventory number on the grip strap. Further evidence that the police used all available parts when reworking their firearms.

Then the grips strap markings. It appears to have started out in a Berlin unit, and was then transferred to Erfurt where it belonged to more than one unit there.

The finish (other than the replaced barrel) appears to be original to it's 1914 manufacture to me. The really faded white in the safety stamping is still there, and the bluing in no way appears to be redone.

Overall, an interesting pistol that survived the Great War and saw extensive service, likely through the end of WW2.