My first German P08 Luger

sigp220.45 · Jan 8, 2017

I finally found one a few years ago for a decent price ($795 OTD).

Its a plain jane 1920 commercial in .30 caliber, but everything matches and it hasn't been through Billy Bobs Bumper Chrome and Downhome Bar-B-Cue Emporium. The 9mms always seemed to be way too pricey.

.30 Luger ammo is still widely available, and I have a stash that will last me a while. This isn't really a daily driver type of gun.

I do shoot it, though. Its a joy.

dave1918a2 · Jan 8, 2017

Nice looking gun. Posted a picture of My shooter. It's a 1916 DWM, number matching except mag, unit marked 174th regiment gun#23. No holster or anything. Pictures of two targets shot at a military pistol match at Our gun club. I only shoot American Eagle 124 gr ball. Cycles perfectly, never jams like some of the other guys who shoot hot 115 gr loads. These targets were shot at 20 meters off hand. First target is 16 shots, second is 17 shots. Lugers are accurate.

jsfricks · Jan 9, 2017

The color under the safety lever is an off white. It might have been white at one time. The wife's uncle said this one was very accurate. When the Toggle bends at the joint, the barrel and receiver doesn't rise (other than from recoil), it slides straight back in groves located on each side of the receiver. Here's a side shot of how it functions.
Pistole Parabellum

garyez said:
Great historical value with this P08 and fine example from WWI. Wonder what the wording under the safety lever looks like and whether it's colored in white lettering. Always amazed at the detail and many parts built into these pistols. Agree that the black magazine dates from WWII.

Seems to me that the Luger's accuracy beyond 7 yards isn't so good due to the toggle action moving the muzzle upward, at least in the shorter barrelled version of these handguns, but the trigger pull is great.

target tech · Jan 9, 2017

The easiest thing you can do to take care of a Luger is keep a snap cap in the magazine that is in the gun. The most delicate and most common part to break on a Luger is the toggle hold open lever. Keeping a snap cap in the mag keeps the pressure of the follower off the lever.

She isn't as sexy as a numbers matching, with finely strawed parts, pre WWII gun, but I shoot it any time I feel like it, and never feel guilty about it.

joeintexas · Jan 9, 2017

Neighbor across the street brought one over last week, says he bought it about 40 years ago and has never taken it apart to clean. Wanted to know if I knew how, well, I told him I never had taken one apart but haven't found one yet I couldn't figure out. Long story short, they are a little tricky to get back together but I can say his is now very clean and together again. Very nice pistols, over built and made to last. Glad he brought it over.

Sportsdad60 · Jan 9, 2017

Congrats!
Beautiful pictures too! Nice work!

H P Bushrod · Jan 9, 2017

Congrats on your find! I've always been a fan of the Luger and always wanted one. The shooter grade ones have climbed up in price, but I'm not giving up. They're like a fine timepiece to me.

TheHobbyist · Jan 9, 2017

Very cool. Congratulations. I enjoy the thought of being in the 1950s and being able to buy these at your local pawn shop. Wow. In many respects, the 1950s, sound to me like one of the best decades. Great cars...practically artwork. Origins of rock'n'roll. Smaller communities (mostly except the larger cities obviously) where folks knew one another. A silver dollar was, in fact, a silver dollar. Enjoy your heirloom.

Hopefully in the next few years I can add a shooter grade one for the collection and to simply enjoy. Best, TH

Stevens · Jan 9, 2017

Interesting that it was found in a pawnshop in Elberton, Ga. My sister has been living there for about 15 years. I'll have to have my Bro-in-law check maybe there are a few more hanging around there!
Lots of Granite quarries there it's billed as the "Granite Capital of the World". It's a pretty, little Southern Town
Steve W

Para4T5 · Jan 9, 2017

My first Luger P08

I have a Luger and a Mauser Broomhandle that I inherited from my brother. Both appear to be pieced together as no matching numbers. It has been years since I shot the Luger but it was a very nice shooting gun and as stated by most it was very accurate even with the marginal sights. Several years ago I was at my local gun shop when a couple came in wanting to know the value on several guns that had been her fathers collection. We all muttered Holy S#*t about the same time when she placed what appeared to be a brand new in the box Luger on the counter for us to look at. It was a teens production, all matching numbers, hard to tell if it had ever been shot thing of beauty. It would have looked so nice in my safe but it was not to be...the one that got away.

jsfricks · Jan 10, 2017

Stevens said:
Interesting that it was found in a pawnshop in Elberton, Ga. My sister has been living there for about 15 years. I'll have to have my Bro-in-law check maybe there are a few more hanging around there!
Lots of Granite quarries there it's billed as the "Granite Capital of the World". It's a pretty, little Southern Town
Steve W

It was found at the pawn shop in 1955.

CptCurl · Jan 10, 2017

I'm a fan of Lugers and have been since childhood. Still have a modest collection.

Several years ago I bought one of the Russian captured Lugers that came on the market. It mostly matches but has one or two small parts that are forced matched. It shoots flawlessly. I have no qualms about shooting it. That's the fun of a 'shooter grade' Luger. Meanwhile, my beauty queens stay in the safe.

I posted several of my Lugers here over the years. Have a look:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...r-variety-dwm-1900-american-eagle-7-65mm.html

http://smith-wessonforum.com/firearms-knives-other-brands/378941-luger-dwm-1906-commercial-9mm.html

http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...er-1941-mauser-banner-police-eagle-l-9mm.html

Curl

DepOne · Jan 11, 2017

very nice

Beautiful gun but I would not load the magazines and put it away. The springs will weaken after a long period of time and have to be replaced.

29aholic · Jan 11, 2017

DepOne said:
Beautiful gun but I would not load the magazines and put it away. The springs will weaken after a long period of time and have to be replaced.

That is not exactly true. It has been discussed over and over and proven it is the compression/decompression of the springs that weaken them. We have seen examples of magazines that have been loaded 50+ years that still work just fine.

OP, Lugers are fairly resilient. Go shoot it and at least be able to say you did. Who knows what will happen to it after you're gone?

jsfricks · Jan 11, 2017

DepOne said:
Beautiful gun but I would not load the magazines and put it away. The springs will weaken after a long period of time and have to be replaced.

This is what my wife's uncle did, not me. When it became mine I unloaded the (corroded) ammo from the mags, cleaned and oiled them. He didn't know any better. He also has a German 7.65 (possibly an Ortgies 7.65) that his dad brought back from WWII and it had a loaded mag and stored in holster. I told him that neither was wise.

Texas Star · Jan 11, 2017

Stirling said:
I've had the pleasure of shooting a German friend's P08 Luger. It was his grandfather's pistol that he had used in WWI. It too was very accurate even though the bore didn't look good. It felt great in the hand, I would certainly like to have one given the opportunity.

Did he maybe fight in SW Africa, or under von Lettow-Vorbeck in German East Africa?

Germans in Germany were required to give up their guns after WWII, but if he stayed in Africa, maybe not. Many still remain in what is now Namibia. A German ship was trapped up the Zambezi in 1914 and the crew abandoned ship, taking what weapons they could. There are probably some Naval Lugers still in what is now Tanzania. And others probably captured by South Africans. Do you see many for sale there? Some may have been captured by your troops in North Africa and Italy, too, in WWII.

Texas Star · Jan 11, 2017

sigp220.45 said:
I finally found one a few years ago for a decent price ($795 OTD).

Its a plain jane 1920 commercial in .30 caliber, but everything matches and it hasn't been through Billy Bobs Bumper Chrome and Downhome Bar-B-Cue Emporium. The 9mms always seemed to be way too pricey.

.30 Luger ammo is still widely available, and I have a stash that will last me a while. This isn't really a daily driver type of gun.

I do shoot it, though. Its a joy.

I loved your witty post!

Have you shot any jackrabbits or coyotes with that? Can you buy JHP .30 Luger ammo? If available, it should be effective on bobcats and coyotes. Prob. okay for raccoons, too. Don't think I'd stretch it further.

MCorps0311 · Jan 12, 2017

Very nice pistol,i've always liked the looks of them but never see them in the gun stores in go too.

Art66 · Jan 14, 2017

What a great looking pistol! Very good condition for a military pistol that old and with holster and accessories too! The real pudding on the cake is your historical knowledge of how it was acquired, etc. I haven't a clue as to its value but it doesn't matter-Keep that one in the family forever!

My first German P08 Luger

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