German Luger mark

[A. F Medic]

Just got a 1918 New Model luger and I am trying to learn as much as possible. The only thing I have not figured out is the numbers of 8.84 undeneath the barrel. Can't be a caliber.

Any ideas?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

That's the actual bore diameter.

[phil441]

I thought I'd gone over my 1910 DWM pretty well over the 40 years I've owned it and I'd never noticed that stamp before now. It's on the flare and just never jumped out at me......

[A. F Medic]

You may find a strange mark there that I was told was a letter suffice. Letter added after luger manufacturing went from 0 to 10,000. 10,000 on to 20,000 another letter added.

I think I have that right. Try Lugerforum.com

My luger is an Imperial 1918 luger in 9mm. All correct except for WWll P08 magazine. Came with a WWll 1939 holster. Luger must have gone through two wars!

[Johnny Peppers]

I believe 8,81 thru 8,85 was within bore tolerance. Apparently they were pretty anal about their bore markings, as this 1911 dated DWM P.08 was first marked with 8,84 and then the 4 was over struck with a 2.

[A. F Medic]

That really is strange. I guess that if one is interested in Lugers, you have to be prepared to be surprised. Great witness mark on that barrel. Probably has the original barrel.

[A. F Medic]

1918 luger. WWll holster. WWll magazine marked PO8









These came with the sale. Dryse Model 1907 .32 ACO and Haenel Shmeisser Model 1 .25 cal

[Johnny Peppers]

Your P.08 was used as a police pistol following WWI, as it has a sear safety which was installed by the police. When tearing down the Luger the barrel/receiver assembly can be fired off the frame by depressing the sear bar. The sear safety was added to prevent this from happening. No one knows exactly why the police did this, except they must have had a few discharges in this manner to go to the trouble to add them.
Does your pistol have any markings on the front grip strap?

[A. F Medic]

There are no unit markings on the grip strap or anywhere.

With the sear you mentioned, do you mean where the GESICHERT (Safe) is? This is my first one so I am learning. I did read about the luger firing by pressing down on the plate. Never thought it applied to mine for some reason. How do you tell without taking the weapon apart.

Mine does have the loaded German word on the extractor.

I looked at some Lugers at Simpson LTD and the rebuilt lugers for the police seem the norm. Did not appear to affect the value much. But I do not know enough about them yet.

My magazine has the FXO or C.G. Hanel. It also has a black bakelight thumb grip rather then the aluminum, wood, or brown bakelight. No markings there on the thumb grip.

Last question is that this Luger does not have the hold open or maybe I do not know how to cock it back correctly. Maybe that part needs to be replaced or it never had one.

Thanks!!

[bearhunter]

Your pics, are pretty good. From what I can tell of them, the pistol doesn't look like it went through a refurb/refinish. The stamps are all nice and sharp. Nice find. In Canada, those P08s, with four inch barrels have become prohibited. For a while, until people actually read the law, in regards to inheritance, they were selling off very cheap. Many, that had become valued collectors items, were taken to the range and shot. Some, quite extensively. Then, it became known that if the short barreled pistols, had historical significance and were made before 1945, they could be bequeathed to a non eligible person. That is a good thing. The people that were grandfathered are getting long in the tooth and we feared pistols, such as yours, were doomed to the smelter or if lucky a trip across the US border, all legal of course.
Now, as this is not really a problem anymore, the prices have skyrocketed again. A pistol such as yours, would fetch $1000 to $1500+ Canadian.