WWII Mauser Luger Mystery... Help me solve it!

sl_producer · 03-07-2019, 02:27 PM

Hello,

First-time poster... I'm writing with a mystery.

I'm trying to help a friend track down a Mauser Luger and holster that his grandfather brought back from WWII, and which he sadly pawned when he was in a hard spot back in 2011. His grandfather took it from a German officer who surrendered to the 84th Infantry Division in the spring of 1945-- and although I don't know it, the German officer's name is inscribed on the holster. I have the Bring Back papers for the gun-- the S/N is 459 and I believe the model is a P08 / S42. It was pawned in Denver, Colorado.

Does anyone know anything about this gun? Does anyone have any ideas about how to track it down? An expert I should talk to? Or prominent collector of WWII lugers?

Thanks all!

Vlim · 03-07-2019, 02:30 PM

I deleted your two other posts. No need to start the same thread in multiple subforums.

Patrick Sweeney · 03-07-2019, 03:02 PM

Contact the pawn shop. They may be willing to forward a letter to whomever they sold the Luger to, and you might be able to buy it back.

mrerick · 03-08-2019, 10:14 AM

Hello and welcome to the forum.

We have an FAQ PDF document available free with quite a bit of reference information that you'll probably find helpful. Just follow the FAQ link at the top of the page.

"459" is probably not the complete Luger serial number, as most of them had a suffix letter.

Know that German officers did not normally carry Lugers because they were too big and bulky. Most of them had pocket pistols like the Walther PP/PPK or the Mauser M1914/M1934. That said, almost every GI captured pistol is reputed to come from "an officer".

Luger serial numbers are duplicated over time by the different manufacturers and even from the same manufacturer. Your Luger with a "S/42" toggle would be an earlier one (likely 1934-1938) shipped from Mauser.

About your only path to actually locate it is the one Patrick suggested.

Sieger · 03-08-2019, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrerick

Hello and welcome to the forum.

We have an FAQ PDF document available free with quite a bit of reference information that you'll probably find helpful. Just follow the FAQ link at the top of the page.

"459" is probably not the complete Luger serial number, as most of them had a suffix letter.

Know that German officers did not normally carry Lugers because they were too big and bulky. Most of them had pocket pistols like the Walther PP/PPK or the Mauser M1914/M1934. That said, almost every GI captured pistol is reputed to come from "an officer".

Luger serial numbers are duplicated over time by the different manufacturers and even from the same manufacturer. Your Luger with a "S/42" toggle would be an earlier one (likely 1934-1938) shipped from Mauser.

About your only path to actually locate it is the one Patrick suggested.

mrerick,

I agree that most German senior (non combatant) officers may have chosen pocket pistols for their self protection (just as our senior officers may have chosen Browning 1903s).

For regular combat officers, ammo supply issues would have been a pain in the neck. Also, a 9mm Parabellum cartridge is much more effective combat cartridge than a 7.65acp.

Since Lugers were issued to NCOs at government expense, this may be where so many G.I.s picked up their captures.

Respectfully,

Sieger

03-07-2019, 02:27 PM	#1
sl_producer New User Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	WWII Mauser Luger Mystery... Help me solve it! Hello, First-time poster... I'm writing with a mystery. I'm trying to help a friend track down a Mauser Luger and holster that his grandfather brought back from WWII, and which he sadly pawned when he was in a hard spot back in 2011. His grandfather took it from a German officer who surrendered to the 84th Infantry Division in the spring of 1945-- and although I don't know it, the German officer's name is inscribed on the holster. I have the Bring Back papers for the gun-- the S/N is 459 and I believe the model is a P08 / S42. It was pawned in Denver, Colorado. Does anyone know anything about this gun? Does anyone have any ideas about how to track it down? An expert I should talk to? Or prominent collector of WWII lugers? Thanks all!

03-08-2019, 10:14 AM	#4
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,900 Thanks: 1,370 Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts	Hello and welcome to the forum. We have an FAQ PDF document available free with quite a bit of reference information that you'll probably find helpful. Just follow the FAQ link at the top of the page. "459" is probably not the complete Luger serial number, as most of them had a suffix letter. Know that German officers did not normally carry Lugers because they were too big and bulky. Most of them had pocket pistols like the Walther PP/PPK or the Mauser M1914/M1934. That said, almost every GI captured pistol is reputed to come from "an officer". Luger serial numbers are duplicated over time by the different manufacturers and even from the same manufacturer. Your Luger with a "S/42" toggle would be an earlier one (likely 1934-1938) shipped from Mauser. About your only path to actually locate it is the one Patrick suggested. __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

03-07-2019, 02:30 PM	#2
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,031 Thanks: 1,018 Thanked 3,866 Times in 1,184 Posts	I deleted your two other posts. No need to start the same thread in multiple subforums.

03-07-2019, 03:02 PM	#3
Patrick Sweeney User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 63 Thanks: 0 Thanked 48 Times in 23 Posts	Contact the pawn shop. They may be willing to forward a letter to whomever they sold the Luger to, and you might be able to buy it back.