Do we have any P.08 Luger experts? PICTURES ADDED IN POST 12

[drumz2129]

A friend was given a P.08 luger from his father and I am trying to determine some info on it for him.
First off, it has been nickel plated and has pearl grip panels, which I am sure has killed the value. I am fairly sure that it was nickel plated after the war vs in production due to a couple of fairly large pits in the barrel that have been plated over. It is a 4" model. All numbers match, other than on the mag, which has the correct aluminum base plate. It is labeled ERFURT with the Crown above it. It is also stamped with the crown over N. It has the lanyard loop at the rear of the receiver and shoulder stock slots at the bottom rear of the back strap. Here is the part I am confused on, There is no date on the top front of the receiver like others I have seen and the serial number is only 3 digits with no letter following them. The serial number under the barrel is centered and there is no sign of a number being removed or worn down as the others are still crisp. There is also no apparent wear where the date of manufacture should be. Does anyone have any insight on this?

 

[deafdave3]

PM inbound

 

[drumz2129]

Thanks again Dave.

 

[drumz2129]

Also wanted to add that this gun is part of a 'pair'. The other pistol in the pair is a M1911 with the same nickel plate/pearl over wood grip treatment.

 

[762NATO]

Is the 1911 of World War manufacture?

 

[drumz2129]

I have not handled the 1911 yet. From what I have been told, yes.

 

[762NATO]

That makes for quite a pairing... I imagine somebody on here knows what you seek. Happy hunting.

 

[Sin-ster]

You know, I'd be interested in some info as well-- but I gotta get back to the hometown for Christmas before I can pull anything from the gun.

Where's our guru?

 

[deafdave3]

You know, I'd be interested in some info as well-- but I gotta get back to the hometown for Christmas before I can pull anything from the gun.

Where's our guru?

He went bring his wife to the doctor. I'll send him an email.

 

[drumz2129]

Now that the serial numbers have been checked I will post some pictures of it tomorrow.

 

[Sin-ster]

He went bring his wife to the doctor. I'll send him an email.

I will be sure to record all of the pertinent info when I get my hands on it. Should be sometime next week.

If it's not 100% legit, I'll be genuinely surprised-- knowing its history, and the man who brought it back from the War.

 

[drumz2129]

Here are some crappy pics from my phone. The first number of the sn has been distorted.

 

[762NATO]

Never seen one in nickel......
Did the Kaiser of Germany decide he needed to pimp his gat?

 

[BOSS351]

First pistol I bought was a Luger that was nickle plated. I was naive enough to believe the dude when he said it was a special officers pistol. Thank goodness that dudes shop went out of business about a year later....This was back in 1981 or so. First time I shot it the side plate flew off and I never shot it again. Ended up trading it with some cash on a matching #s P-38 a few years later. I learned a lot in those few years about Walthers and Lugers and what to look for. It looked very similar to this one but still had the checkered grips on it.

 

[Hardballing]

German military weapons of the WW1 and previous era (and Erfurt was THE government arsenal for Lugers not purchased directly from DMW) were ALL marked with date of manufacture. Commercial or military, marked by law, although commercial guns were never made at Erfurt and are marked in different areas (including serial numbered parts) than military models. The markings, which you indicate match, are military. Check the internals. ALL parts on a luger are serial numbered, including internal levers, safeties, and some screws. Additionally, if they were surrendered during the Weimar, they will bear an additional "double stamp" of 1920, on the receiver bridge. Erfurt's were primarily marked on the rear toggle, right below the word "Erfurt". You will also see them with receiver markings, particularly 1917 and 1918 year guns. The baseplate would have originally been wood, not aluminum. Bet you have a WW2 mag and if you look real close at it, you'll find a Nazi chicken somewhere on it. Aluminum baseplates did not come along until after the Weimar era and your Luger is definately predating that period.

Looking at the barrel area, or barrel band, and the amount of erosion there, as well as how the raised portion of the sideplate is nowhere near as crisp as it would be if "new", this gun had LOTS of grinding done to it prior to chroming (and I think it's chrome, not nickel). Chroming of war souveniers is/was a VERY common post WW2 activity. That's where your numbers went I'll bet.

In short, you have what's probably an okay shooter (have it checked by a gunsmith). Recommend that you stay with 124 grain fmj bullets as 115 grn fmj's sometimes don't have the power to reliably cycle the actions. If you're going to shoot it, you might also invest in an aftermarket new magazine as many of the previous war mags tend to lose spring tension over the years (both of what I've cited tend to be the reason, in the USA, that the Luger got the rep as a "jam-o-matic", it's not with proper ammo and a good functioning mag). Value? Any Luger these days will get more than a dollar or two and even ragged out "representative examples" will bring in excess of $750 or so. If it shoots fine, you'll get around $850-900 on Gunbroker, less on collector sites.

Take some better pics if possible, join the site, and post them at: www.lugerforum.com

Those guys (this is a site affiliated with Jan Sills, THE Luger guru in the US imo, and the author of about a gazillion books on the subject, and they have a worldwide member base, and will confirm what I'm telling you above.

Hope this helps. Lugers are the shiznit imo, collected them pretty heavily for quite a few years and one of the few guns that will consistently make you money over time. And I'm talking about beating the S&P type money.

 

[Hardballing]

Dusted off a couple of books last night and I gave you some bad info. Erfurts are ALL marked on the receiver bridge, pre WW1 and later.

Maybe small info difference, but better I correct myself than have others do it for me.

Hope this helps.