Help ID and value on P-08

[echo five foxtrot]

Hi. I am brand new on here. My friend as this DWM and has offered to sell it to me. He wants me to make an offer.
What do you think is a fair offer?
Is it a Military or commercial?
Why would the sights be painted?
The more I have read in the past few days, the more confused I have become.
Thanks for any help, opinions, and insights.

[alanint]

Welcome, Tom,

We would love to help, but without extensive photos of the overall pistol, its markings and any other details you can provide I'm afraid a value would be, well, worthless.

[echo five foxtrot]

Please take another look, I think I have the photo's loaded correctly now???
Thank you !

[mrerick]

Hi, and welcome to the forums.

The use of flash washes out the finish, and makes it hard to judge it.

It's a 1911 military proofed and unit marked Luger that appears to be in original finish.

If all the parts numbers match, and the finish is above 80%, it is collectable.

There were fewer Lugers made earlier before WW-I which may make it more desirable, especially for a collector looking to fill out each year.

I can't make out the suffix letter. Is the serial number 6688c ?

It's hard for me to value the earlier Imperial Lugers. I would think at least $1300 and likely more...

Marc

[echo five foxtrot]

It does not have a magazine. It appears to my unknowing eye that the numbers match there is 88 visible on several parts.

[echo five foxtrot]

I think the letter below the serial number 6688 is the letter e

[echo five foxtrot]

I clearly see what you mentioned about the flash, it looks great in person, much better then in the photo's.

[Norme]

Hi Tom, Welcome to the forum! The 1911 DWM you have posted looks to be all original and bears a rather rare unit mark on it's front grip strap. W.R.S.178 stands for Württembergische Reserve Sanitäts-Kompagnie, Waffe Nr. 178, a medical unit. If all numbered parts match you can comfortably offer your friend $1,500, or even more if you are feeling generous.
Regards, Norm

[DavidJayUden]

If the numbers all match and IF you get it landed, I'd avoid shooting it much if at all. The earler guns are probably a bit more prone to breaking, and that would shoot the value all to heck.
It is a nice gun.
Enjoy!
dju

[echo five foxtrot]

any opinions on why the sights would be painted? Is that original military or something some one would have done on their own?

[SteveM]

Originally Posted by echo five foxtrot

any opinions on why the sights would be painted? Is that original military or something some one would have done on their own?

Paint was added, your wife/girlfriend/significant other probably has some fingernail polish remover and that will remove the paint.

Not many 1911's around, without looking it up I think there were 11-12k made. Those with grip strap markings are very desirable.

[alanint]

I agree with the guys. VERY clear halos on the barrel numbers. Generally a good, original finish with small pitting, (such as on the rear toggle link). No magazine is not a big deal. You should be able to find one that closely matches the pistol's era. I'd be happy paying $1,500 for this one.

[echo five foxtrot]

Awesome, you guys have been great. Thank you for taking your time to share this information with me. I knew from my limited experience that Luger collecting is very specialized, but I really had no idea. I am much more comfortable with trying to move forward with this now. It is a big step for me regarding price and quality of a collectible firearms instead of my normal $200 new / used gun to go shoot once a year. Thank you.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by echo five foxtrot

...instead of my normal $200 new / used gun to go shoot once a year. Thank you.

?! With all the hoopla about firearms lately, I've been reading more about guns, in general. I cannot remember where, but encountered a statement among all the recent literature that said the "average" price for a new handgun nowadays was around $500. It sounds about right, even a Phillippino CNC machined 1911 knock-off has risen to around $400, IF you can find one for sale. I'm wondering what can be had for $200, new, other than those .22lr palm-sized revolvers...!

Seriously, though, welcome to the forum, Tom. If you collect the example you've posted, it will be difficult, we all find, to stop at one. The Parabellum is a fascinating pistol, both in the mechanical beauty of its system (not to mention its gorgeous lines) and in its appearances throughout the last 100+ years of history. It is orders of magnitude more compelling, even, than peanuts or potato chips!