P-08 with aluminum grips

02-13-2002, 11:28 AM

I was offered recently a P-08 Commercial (1923?) with aluminum grips. Serial number is in the 77,500 range, cal. .30, C/N proof mark, "Germany" under barrel, "Gesichert" under safety lever. Apparently this Luger has retained its original rust blue finish (it is white inside)and straw but unfortunately it has a S/42 toggle with mismatch military style numbers. Grips are identical to DWM wooden style grips except they are aluminum. If I recall well, Walther manufactured PPKs with aluminum grips during WWII. Could this Luger be a WWII rework? I doubt Germans ever used P-08 in 30 cal. as service pistols but who knows? A post war refinished one?

Any information about this variation and more specifically about the aluminum grips origin will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Orv Reichert · 02-13-2002, 01:24 PM

I was told that the badly molded aluminum grips were made by the Russians as replacements?

I have seen some for the P38 and PP, too. They look like they took a standard pair of grips and used them as a pattern for making them.

Orv Reichert

02-13-2002, 02:05 PM

I have a pair for a Luger also. I traded for them at a local Gun Shop where they were on a mixed S/N "X" marked pistol. I was finally given the same info that Orv gave you. I am not sure that they are Aluminum but a form of Pot Metal because of weight. However, they are Aluminum in color, checkering is sort of flattened out and not sharp. Back has some milling done on them to fit frame which they do very well and very shiny where milling has been done. They make an interesting converstion piece which not many people (except those who have exposure too lots of guns) have seen. I have hauled them around to several NAPCA conventions and found only a very few people who have ever seen them.

02-14-2002, 10:47 AM

Gaetan, Bob' Gun Shop in Arkansas used to offer a larger variety of these "aluminum" grips for various pistols. I even have a set of these for the Ideal stock attachment, if any one is interested. Tom h.

02-13-2002, 11:28 AM	#1
GaÃ?Â«tan Guest Posts: n/a	P-08 with aluminum grips I was offered recently a P-08 Commercial (1923?) with aluminum grips. Serial number is in the 77,500 range, cal. .30, C/N proof mark, "Germany" under barrel, "Gesichert" under safety lever. Apparently this Luger has retained its original rust blue finish (it is white inside)and straw but unfortunately it has a S/42 toggle with mismatch military style numbers. Grips are identical to DWM wooden style grips except they are aluminum. If I recall well, Walther manufactured PPKs with aluminum grips during WWII. Could this Luger be a WWII rework? I doubt Germans ever used P-08 in 30 cal. as service pistols but who knows? A post war refinished one? Any information about this variation and more specifically about the aluminum grips origin will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

02-13-2002, 01:24 PM	#2
Orv Reichert RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SW Washington State Posts: 339 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	aluminum grips I was told that the badly molded aluminum grips were made by the Russians as replacements? I have seen some for the P38 and PP, too. They look like they took a standard pair of grips and used them as a pattern for making them. Orv Reichert

02-13-2002, 02:05 PM	#3
Tracy Guest Posts: n/a	Re: P-08 with aluminum grips I have a pair for a Luger also. I traded for them at a local Gun Shop where they were on a mixed S/N "X" marked pistol. I was finally given the same info that Orv gave you. I am not sure that they are Aluminum but a form of Pot Metal because of weight. However, they are Aluminum in color, checkering is sort of flattened out and not sharp. Back has some milling done on them to fit frame which they do very well and very shiny where milling has been done. They make an interesting converstion piece which not many people (except those who have exposure too lots of guns) have seen. I have hauled them around to several NAPCA conventions and found only a very few people who have ever seen them.

02-14-2002, 10:47 AM	#4
tom h Guest Posts: n/a	Re: P-08 with aluminum grips Gaetan, Bob' Gun Shop in Arkansas used to offer a larger variety of these "aluminum" grips for various pistols. I even have a set of these for the Ideal stock attachment, if any one is interested. Tom h.