Greetings one and all.

As I posted in a recent thread in the S&W 1961-1980 section I have a few firearms that had been left to me by my father when he died about 15 years ago. In that thread I showed pics of a S&W Model 27-2, MIB and never fired. You can read that one HERE.

That was a gun he bought from his buddy who was going through hard times to help him out and then just put it away.

His favorite gun was a P08 Luger he brought back from Germany after the war; he got it from a German soldier he had befriended after the war who worked in the medical profession, I think he was a pharmacist, and traded a pack of cigarettes for the gun and the soldiers uniform jacket; I still have both.

When he got on board the troop ship to come home he had had the original holster, tool and various other components to compliment it. However as the ship was coming to port word went out that everyone's bags would be searched for weapons and other things they decided not to let the troops bring ashore so he stuffed the pistol and a spare magazine in his pants and left everything else behind. He was not happy when the shake down never happened.

I don't recall were he acquired the replacement holster but he paid $1 for the loading tool at a antique store in New Hampshire back in the 70's.

Though still in decent shape the blue on the pistol was actually in much better condition until sometime in the late 1970's when he carried it for a year or so as a self defense weapon after people had tried to rob him 3 times in the driveway. He didn't like carrying it because of it's value to him but it was a great intimidator so he did until things quite down & he eventually found a 32 caliber weapon much lighter and less valuable and open carried that on his waistband until the day he died.

It has all matching serial numbers and one matching magazine. Other than the blue being rubbed off in some areas the only real blemish I see is a slight chip on the lower edge of one of the grips.





























I am not sure what the monetary value would be for this piece but its heirloom value to me is priceless; as far back as I can remember this gun has been part of the fabric of my family. If push came to shove I guess I might be convinced to part with the M27, though I have no desire to do so; this one is absolutely not for sale.

K

Wow, that is one nice gun. The fact that it is a vet bring back and has one matching magazine drives the value up considerably. You just never see one with a magazine that matches. Nope, I wouldn't take a M27 for it. Even an early one with cokes.

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Dr. B

I'll say it's nice. Not just a great heirloom but a pistol very sought after by collectors. I notice it has the earlier Weimar style eagle acceptance stamps and would like to know exact year of manufacture. Thanks for showing such a treasured piece.

If I recall correctly when this pistol was manufactured, in 1935, the date was intentionally left off, something about its production violating a treaty, so they instead marked the weapons with the letter "G" where the date would normally be.

Thanks for stopping by!

K

Thanks for providing the date KOBO. I have read where the S/42 is a Mauser production code. Great having a pre-war luger as many of these pistols and rifles have a higher degree of finish and overall appearance.

S/42 G. 1935 Military Contract gun. Matching magazine adds at least $400 to the value. As per the pictures I would value the gun alone at $1600 to $1800. Then add the mag. The takedown tool and the holster look very good. Does the holster have a date? Very nice gun.

When Nazi Germany started to rearm in the 1930s, they were still afraid that Britain and France would come after them. The G is a code date so it would be hard to prove that the pistol was current manufacture. They used 'K' also. This was dropped soon afterwards when Britain and France made disapproving noises but did nothing else. Then numerical dates were stamped on the receiver. S/42 is the first military code assigned to Mauser. Later Mauser (Oberndorf) codes, in order, were: 42, byf, and svw. Your S/42 G date is a very valuable Luger.

Not that I recall seeing off hand; here is the back of the holster.





K

KOBO, what a treasure you have! One of the premier firearms of all time and you own one! The craftsmanship that was required in Luger P-08 manufacture will NEVER be surpassed, EVER! To own a masterpiece, like the P-08, is something special and something few gun owners will ever possess. Thank you for your post and Luger story sir!

David

The Luger is my grail gun.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

G Date, 1935. There are 6 variations of the G Date Luger, this one is the 6th as denoted by the 2 DE63 acceptance stamps on right receiver.

No pistol ever made sits in your hand quite like a Luger. I have one made in 1916.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

Fantastic. A Luger that's very nice but not so perfect that you can't shoot it once in a while.

Numbers matching guns obviously have FAR more value than the parts guns. I offered $700 for a friend's parts gun and he refused, saying he's had better offers. If that tells you anything.

That's a very nice P08. Matching magazine, original finish, tool and holster this puppy is over $3000 easy.

Here I are mine : K date and imperial DWM 1917.

Attached Images

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Many Lugers have passed through my hands. I wish I had kept a few of them.

"However as the ship was coming to port word went out that everyone's bags would be searched for weapons and other things they decided not to let the troops bring ashore so he stuffed the pistol and a spare magazine in his pants and left everything else behind. He was not happy when the shake down never happened."

I once had a good friend (a former Navy Corpsman) who had exactly the same experience. He picked up some nice guns in the Pacific to bring back. While returning to the USA, the word went around the troop ship that everyone and their bags would be searched for guns, etc., and those involved would do some brig time. Everything then went over the side. And no one nor their bags were ever searched when they got off the ship.

KOBO,

that is a very nice gun a great personal history behind it. G date P.08s were made in 1935 and still rust blued for another year. If you check inside the mag well it will be bare metal there. At that time Mauser had already used up the frames from DWM and started using their own frames with better metallurgy.

Great info here. Have not seen one marked with a G and is always know of variations. Good investment as prices seem to be on the rise for Lugers, P-38s, and Kar98s.

nice gun, great story, here's its older sibling that I have the pleasure to own

What a great gun! Lugers are the personification of "they don't make them like they used to"

'G' on receiver denotes a 1935 date of manufacture by Mauser factory for military rearmament by the Nazis. I sold a similar example with 80% straw remaining for $1500 with original holder, all numbers matching except magazine. Also liberated from the battlefield.

Love the Lugers grip angle, really is like pointing your finger at the target. I think I also like it because the good guy never has one-lol