Trying to id my P08

jlh820 · 10-08-2012, 11:53 AM

Hi, I just joined this forum so that I can try and figure out more about the Luger I bought last year.

I bought it at a gun show from a private dealer for $1,000. I appears to be in excellent condition with good blueing and straw colors all where appropriate. There is a small bit of pitting on the outside right side of the barrel, but the inside looks pristine.

It cleaned up very nicely. When I got it, it was full of dirt, as in earth. Maybe that protected it... dunno.

It's a 9mm with a 6" barrel with the dorsal fin gold or brass looking dot on the front sight and a flat with a V for the rear.

The top of the toggel is marked DWM. It is a new style, locking and has no other marks.

The thumb safety is marked GESICHERT in the upper position. It is engaged (safe) in the down position with GESICHERT showing.

It does not have a grip safety.

The magazine is shiney metal with a wood base.

On the left side of the receiver is the Crown/N mark.

All parts are marked with matching serial numbers. The front of the chamber has the full 4 digit serial number of 7490. Underneath the serial number is what appears to be a cursive capital letter "N". The rest of the parts are marked with just 20 digits "90", including the bottom of the barrel.

The right side of the receiver is marked in blocked capital letters "GERMANY".

The extractor is marked "GELADEN".

There are no other markings on the gun.

My best guess is that it is a 1914 or 1920 Commercial Navy model. But according to the Standard Catalog of Luger, the serial number range is wrong, since they list it as in the 44000 to 71500 range.

Here's a couple of pictures...

Thanks in advance for any information you can give me!

mrerick · 10-08-2012, 12:17 PM

Hi, The Navy model would have a navy rear sight.

This is most likely a DWM commercial that was re-barreled with the longer barrel. The front sight is not factory.

Is it marked "Germany" or "Made in Germany" anywhere?

Post some closeups of all the externally visible markings.

Marc

jlh820 · 10-08-2012, 01:08 PM

It is marked GERMANY on the right side of the receiver. Here are some more pictures of markings.

Crown/N

GERMANY

Serial #

Bottom of barrel

Chamber underside

More serial #

Top rear and rear sight

Toggle marking

Bottom of magazine, serial doesn't match, wooden bottom with a + marked on it.

Thumb safety

Ron Wood · 10-08-2012, 02:15 PM

It is a 1920 "Alphabet" commercial that has been nicely rebarreled (presumably 9mm) with an aftermarket front sight, either King or Marbles. Should be a dandy target shooter.

jlh820 · 10-08-2012, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Wood

It is a 1920 "Alphabet" commercial that has been nicely rebarreled (presumably 9mm) with an aftermarket front sight, either King or Marbles. Should be a dandy target shooter.

Darn! Oh well, I bought it because I wanted it, not because I'm a luger collector. They're just one of the coolest guns ever made, IMO.

And you're right! It is an amazing shooter! I've got 3 other 9mm semi-autos and it keeps right up with the best of them. And they're all new!

How can you tell the front sight is aftermarket? It looks the same to me, except I don't know about the gold or brass insert. Is that the difference?

jlh820 · 10-08-2012, 02:40 PM

Re: Front sight

From what I can find on the Internet, maybe a Marbles front sight. I couldn't find anything from King that looked like it.

Thanks!

DavidJayUden · 10-08-2012, 03:09 PM

Although not as collectable as others, that one looks like an absolutely top-shelf shooter. Pick up a couple of Mec-Gar mags, and have fun!
dju

rhuff · 10-08-2012, 05:17 PM

You purchased a good looking 1920 DWM with a 6in bbl. I think that you did well, and I would have no problem with it if it were in my safe. I enjoy shooting my Lugers, and feel like you have a great shooter. Just stick with normal power ammo....no NATO or +P +P+ stuff.

jlh820 · 10-08-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

Although not as collectable as others, that one looks like an absolutely top-shelf shooter. Pick up a couple of Mec-Gar mags, and have fun!
dju

I does really shoot great. The trigger is amazing. Nice and crisp and hardly any travel. I haven't gauged it yet, but I'm guessing somewhere around a 4# pull. I picked up a couple of new mags the same day I bought it. I doubt the old mag still works, but I want to keep it as good as it still is. It's from the right time period, I think, but it's a Swiss model mag.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhuff

You purchased a good looking 1920 DWM with a 6in bbl. I think that you did well, and I would have no problem with it if it were in my safe. I enjoy shooting my Lugers, and feel like you have a great shooter. Just stick with normal power ammo....no NATO or +P +P+ stuff.

Thanks, when I bought it I knew extremely little about Lugers. It was pretty dirty when I bought it, but cleaned up great. The guy wanted $1,100 for it and I offered him $1,000 cash and the deal was done.

I stopped by a nearby table at the show and purchased a Bristish WWI bayonet as a gift for my SIL. I was talking to the guy there and told him what I'd just bought and he was trying to tell me I got ripped off. He had a Luger 4" for $4,000. I think it had a period correct holster, but there's no way I'm spending that much on a collectable gun without knowing more about it.

The book I bought, Standard Catalog of Luger, was really informative. I'd searched the Internet since I bought it, but could find very little.

Regarding loads, I don't shoot any high powered 9mm's through it, in fact I've only shot it once. But I'm starting to reload 9mm and I'm guessing a minimum powder load would probably make it happy. Though, it worked great with the others. I think they were S&B 115g FMJ.

Thanks, everyone for the info! I think I probaby paid market value for it with the modified barrel. According to the book, I should knock off half for modifications. I don't plan on selling it, but does that sound about right?

mrerick · 10-08-2012, 06:18 PM

You did pay at the higher end of pricing for a shooter, but I expect what you received is a value at that price.

G.T. (Gerald) on this board can repair your magazine. It will cost more than a new MegGar but may be worth doing.

I believe your frame dates to 1924.

Enjoy your Luger!

Marc

Edward Tinker · 10-08-2012, 06:31 PM

If it is a company made longer barrel, such as Pacific Arms etc, then $1000 was reasonable. a 6 inch barrel in 9mm and installation is around $200-$300 / and thats a nice length. See the #90 on the barrel, it matches the serial number, that said, it is not in the normal spot, I just find it interesting that its marked that way, a completely aftermarket likely would not be marked.

See the review of 'Standard Catalog of Lugers" here on the forum - Aaron wrote a good book, but there are errors in it.

jlh820 · 10-08-2012, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrerick

You did pay at the higher end of pricing for a shooter, but I expect what you received is a value at that price.

G.T. (Gerald) on this board can repair your magazine. It will cost more than a new MegGar but may be worth doing.

I believe your frame dates to 1924.

Enjoy your Luger!

Marc

Great! Thanks for the info! I was wondering what year it was. I knew it was pre 1930, but that's about as close as I could come!

Many thanks!

jlh820 · 10-08-2012, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

If it is a company made longer barrel, such as Pacific Arms etc, then $1000 was reasonable. a 6 inch barrel in 9mm and installation is around $200-$300 / and thats a nice length. See the #90 on the barrel, it matches the serial number, that said, it is not in the normal spot, I just find it interesting that its marked that way, a completely aftermarket likely would not be marked.

See the review of 'Standard Catalog of Lugers" here on the forum - Aaron wrote a good book, but there are errors in it.

Thanks, I'll have to look up the review.

Regarding the 90 on the barrel, Aaron made a big deal about whether or not something was stamped then blued, or vice-versa. This looks to me like it was stamped, then blued. The finish on the gun seems to match. But I guess the killers are the sights not matching up to something production.

Does anyone know if Luger ever made a front sight with a gold/brass inlay? It's about 1/4" long and the dot is tiny. I never even noticed it until I got it out in the sun yesterday to take pictures.

Ron Wood · 10-08-2012, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlh820

Does anyone know if Luger ever made a front sight with a gold/brass inlay? It's about 1/4" long and the dot is tiny. I never even noticed it until I got it out in the sun yesterday to take pictures.

If you mean did the original manufacturer (DWM/BKIW) make such a front sight, the answer is no. It is an aftermarket sight.

rhuff · 10-09-2012, 04:04 PM

I also am a reloader. I believe that you will find that minimum powder loads in 9mm will not cycle the toggle. Of course, a lot depends on what mainspring your Luger has installed. I might suggest starting at mid level of powder, then go 0.1gr both up and down, to see which way works the best. Most Luger reloaders strive for a load that is accurate, and the least powder and still have it function 100%. Good luck.

lugerholsterrepair · 10-09-2012, 04:46 PM

Your broken wooden bottom magazine is not Swiss but a standard Army WW1 magazine. The + stamped into it means it was a spare.

10-08-2012, 11:53 AM	#1
jlh820 User Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Trying to id my P08 Hi, I just joined this forum so that I can try and figure out more about the Luger I bought last year. I bought it at a gun show from a private dealer for $1,000. I appears to be in excellent condition with good blueing and straw colors all where appropriate. There is a small bit of pitting on the outside right side of the barrel, but the inside looks pristine. It cleaned up very nicely. When I got it, it was full of dirt, as in earth. Maybe that protected it... dunno. It's a 9mm with a 6" barrel with the dorsal fin gold or brass looking dot on the front sight and a flat with a V for the rear. The top of the toggel is marked DWM. It is a new style, locking and has no other marks. The thumb safety is marked GESICHERT in the upper position. It is engaged (safe) in the down position with GESICHERT showing. It does not have a grip safety. The magazine is shiney metal with a wood base. On the left side of the receiver is the Crown/N mark. All parts are marked with matching serial numbers. The front of the chamber has the full 4 digit serial number of 7490. Underneath the serial number is what appears to be a cursive capital letter "N". The rest of the parts are marked with just 20 digits "90", including the bottom of the barrel. The right side of the receiver is marked in blocked capital letters "GERMANY". The extractor is marked "GELADEN". There are no other markings on the gun. My best guess is that it is a 1914 or 1920 Commercial Navy model. But according to the Standard Catalog of Luger, the serial number range is wrong, since they list it as in the 44000 to 71500 range. Here's a couple of pictures... Thanks in advance for any information you can give me!

10-08-2012, 12:17 PM	#2
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,900 Thanks: 1,372 Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts	Hi, The Navy model would have a navy rear sight. This is most likely a DWM commercial that was re-barreled with the longer barrel. The front sight is not factory. Is it marked "Germany" or "Made in Germany" anywhere? Post some closeups of all the externally visible markings. Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

10-08-2012, 02:15 PM	#4
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 6,988 Thanks: 1,067 Thanked 5,096 Times in 1,676 Posts	It is a 1920 "Alphabet" commercial that has been nicely rebarreled (presumably 9mm) with an aftermarket front sight, either King or Marbles. Should be a dandy target shooter. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

10-08-2012, 06:18 PM	#10
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,900 Thanks: 1,372 Thanked 3,094 Times in 1,503 Posts	You did pay at the higher end of pricing for a shooter, but I expect what you received is a value at that price. G.T. (Gerald) on this board can repair your magazine. It will cost more than a new MegGar but may be worth doing. I believe your frame dates to 1924. Enjoy your Luger! Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

10-08-2012, 06:31 PM	#11
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,912 Thanks: 1,989 Thanked 4,502 Times in 2,077 Posts	If it is a company made longer barrel, such as Pacific Arms etc, then $1000 was reasonable. a 6 inch barrel in 9mm and installation is around $200-$300 / and thats a nice length. See the #90 on the barrel, it matches the serial number, that said, it is not in the normal spot, I just find it interesting that its marked that way, a completely aftermarket likely would not be marked. See the review of 'Standard Catalog of Lugers" here on the forum - Aaron wrote a good book, but there are errors in it. __________________ 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

10-08-2012, 01:08 PM	#3
jlh820 User Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It is marked GERMANY on the right side of the receiver. Here are some more pictures of markings. Crown/N GERMANY Serial # Bottom of barrel Chamber underside More serial # Top rear and rear sight Toggle marking Bottom of magazine, serial doesn't match, wooden bottom with a + marked on it. Thumb safety

10-08-2012, 02:40 PM	#6
jlh820 User Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Front sight From what I can find on the Internet, maybe a Marbles front sight. I couldn't find anything from King that looked like it. Thanks!

10-08-2012, 03:09 PM	#7
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Although not as collectable as others, that one looks like an absolutely top-shelf shooter. Pick up a couple of Mec-Gar mags, and have fun! dju

10-08-2012, 05:17 PM	#8
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,272 Thanks: 2,690 Thanked 959 Times in 705 Posts	You purchased a good looking 1920 DWM with a 6in bbl. I think that you did well, and I would have no problem with it if it were in my safe. I enjoy shooting my Lugers, and feel like you have a great shooter. Just stick with normal power ammo....no NATO or +P +P+ stuff.

10-09-2012, 04:04 PM	#15
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,272 Thanks: 2,690 Thanked 959 Times in 705 Posts	I also am a reloader. I believe that you will find that minimum powder loads in 9mm will not cycle the toggle. Of course, a lot depends on what mainspring your Luger has installed. I might suggest starting at mid level of powder, then go 0.1gr both up and down, to see which way works the best. Most Luger reloaders strive for a load that is accurate, and the least powder and still have it function 100%. Good luck.

10-09-2012, 04:46 PM	#16
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,761 Thanks: 4,857 Thanked 3,101 Times in 1,427 Posts	Your broken wooden bottom magazine is not Swiss but a standard Army WW1 magazine. The + stamped into it means it was a spare. __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."