Commercial?

76 VETTE · 12-18-2008, 04:21 PM

Hi.
A friend of mine bought himself a nice P08.

I have a hard time figuring out what exactely it is he has?
Don't think the grips belong to that gun?

Can anyone shed a light on this pistol? Thanx.

On top of the chamber it says; 1936.

76 VETTE · 12-18-2008, 04:24 PM

Could it be a Commercial Mauser from 1936?

Sorry for the less than perfect pics; its all he has sent me.

Edward Tinker · 12-18-2008, 04:26 PM

No, I would say it was a 1936 that was then commericialized for sale post war.

The grips are DDR grips, as is the magazine....

Ed

Dwight Gruber · 12-18-2008, 04:43 PM

Actually it is a Mauser military Luger which was taken into service by the E. German Deutsches Volkspolizei (DVP or "Vopo"). The eagle and c/U are inspection and proof marks of the state proof house at Suhl 1950-1974. The grips are standard DVP replacement style, and the magazine marked 2/1001 is the standard E. German P08 magazine.

The proofs indicate that some kind of work was done on the pistol's firing train. What are the marks on the barrel? Is there a letter-in-shield surrounded by a starburst stamped anywhere on the pistol?

--Dwight

Edward Tinker · 12-18-2008, 08:11 PM

Dwight, thats kinda what I said

I was meaning it went onto the commericial market much later and was sold in europe.

Ed

Lugerdoc · 12-19-2008, 09:02 AM

As in many of the DDR reworks, many of the parts have been switched (a 1936 should have an S/42 marked center toggle link) are renumbered to match. TH

Vlim · 12-19-2008, 09:06 AM

Yep. Nice example of a DDR VoPo gun. The receiver is usually numbered to the frame (force-matched) and they didn't bother to match up the small parts. It's quite common to find the numbers on small parts being X-ed out.

The crown/N on the toggle is not that common on these DDR reworks.

Edward Tinker · 12-19-2008, 09:07 AM

I have to assume that although force matched, they fitted those parts and function tested them....

Vlim · 12-19-2008, 09:09 AM

Ed, yes, they did. These guns usually function pretty well as they didn't see much action after their refurbishing either. Most are long-time arsenal 'sleepers'.

Lugerdoc · 12-20-2008, 10:49 AM

Ed, If the barrel has been replaced, quite often in addition to a C/N proof, there will be a 3 digit number (eg 853) indicating the August 1953 date of rework. TH

Dwight Gruber · 12-20-2008, 01:54 PM

Gerben,

Good catch on the c/N on the toggle; I didn't manage to make it out.

The replacement of the toggle train is most likely the reason for the re-proofing.

Peet,

If you still have access to the gun, it would be interesting to see all of the marks which are visible.

--Dwight

76 VETTE · 12-23-2008, 06:07 PM

Thanx for your replies.

@Dwight;
I've asked my friend to try to locate all marks on his gun and take (better) pictures of them.

As soon as I recieve them I'll post them here.

12-18-2008, 04:21 PM	#1
76 VETTE User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Commercial? Hi. A friend of mine bought himself a nice P08. I have a hard time figuring out what exactely it is he has? Don't think the grips belong to that gun? Can anyone shed a light on this pistol? Thanx. On top of the chamber it says; 1936. Attached Thumbnails Attached Images __________________ Collector of Legends; '76 Corvette- AK47- Mauser K98k- Colt 1911- Luger P08.

12-18-2008, 04:24 PM	#2
76 VETTE User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Could it be a Commercial Mauser from 1936? Sorry for the less than perfect pics; its all he has sent me. Attached Images __________________ Collector of Legends; '76 Corvette- AK47- Mauser K98k- Colt 1911- Luger P08.

12-18-2008, 08:11 PM	#5
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,909 Thanks: 1,986 Thanked 4,500 Times in 2,076 Posts	Dwight, thats kinda what I said I was meaning it went onto the commericial market much later and was sold in europe. Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

12-19-2008, 09:02 AM	#6
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	As in many of the DDR reworks, many of the parts have been switched (a 1936 should have an S/42 marked center toggle link) are renumbered to match. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

12-20-2008, 10:49 AM	#10
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	Ed, If the barrel has been replaced, quite often in addition to a C/N proof, there will be a 3 digit number (eg 853) indicating the August 1953 date of rework. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

12-18-2008, 04:26 PM	#3
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,909 Thanks: 1,986 Thanked 4,500 Times in 2,076 Posts	No, I would say it was a 1936 that was then commericialized for sale post war. The grips are DDR grips, as is the magazine.... Ed

12-18-2008, 04:43 PM	#4
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,889 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,281 Times in 423 Posts	Actually it is a Mauser military Luger which was taken into service by the E. German Deutsches Volkspolizei (DVP or "Vopo"). The eagle and c/U are inspection and proof marks of the state proof house at Suhl 1950-1974. The grips are standard DVP replacement style, and the magazine marked 2/1001 is the standard E. German P08 magazine. The proofs indicate that some kind of work was done on the pistol's firing train. What are the marks on the barrel? Is there a letter-in-shield surrounded by a starburst stamped anywhere on the pistol? --Dwight

12-19-2008, 09:06 AM	#7
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,032 Thanks: 1,018 Thanked 3,873 Times in 1,184 Posts	Yep. Nice example of a DDR VoPo gun. The receiver is usually numbered to the frame (force-matched) and they didn't bother to match up the small parts. It's quite common to find the numbers on small parts being X-ed out. The crown/N on the toggle is not that common on these DDR reworks.

12-19-2008, 09:07 AM	#8
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,909 Thanks: 1,986 Thanked 4,500 Times in 2,076 Posts	I have to assume that although force matched, they fitted those parts and function tested them....

12-19-2008, 09:09 AM	#9
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,032 Thanks: 1,018 Thanked 3,873 Times in 1,184 Posts	Ed, yes, they did. These guns usually function pretty well as they didn't see much action after their refurbishing either. Most are long-time arsenal 'sleepers'.

12-20-2008, 01:54 PM	#11
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,889 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,281 Times in 423 Posts	Gerben, Good catch on the c/N on the toggle; I didn't manage to make it out. The replacement of the toggle train is most likely the reason for the re-proofing. Peet, If you still have access to the gun, it would be interesting to see all of the marks which are visible. --Dwight

12-23-2008, 06:07 PM	#12
76 VETTE User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanx for your replies. @Dwight; I've asked my friend to try to locate all marks on his gun and take (better) pictures of them. As soon as I recieve them I'll post them here. __________________ Collector of Legends; '76 Corvette- AK47- Mauser K98k- Colt 1911- Luger P08.