WWI German Erfurt P.08 Long Artillery Luger 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1914 C&R

SOLD FOR: $3625

LSB#: 210721TS25

Make: Erfurt

Model: 1914 Long P.08 “Artillery” Luger

Serial Number: 5611a

Year of Manufacture: 1914

Caliber: 9mm Parabellum

Action Type: Striker-Fired Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine

Markings: The top-left of the front sight’s dovetail mount, the rear sight base at the top-left-front, the rear face of the rear sight notch, the right side of the slider, the top-rear of the rear sight arm, the left side of the locking bolt, sear bar, sear bar safety, the top of the bolt stop, the left of the breech-bolt, the top of the front toggle and the back of the rear toggle, the top of the extractor, the left side of the trigger, and the sideplate are marked “11”. The top of the front toggle is also marked with a crown over “ERFURT”. The chamber ring of the barrel extension is marked “1914” and “5611” on the left side. The underside of the round part of the barrel is marked “5611 / 8,82” and the front face of the frame just behind it is marked “5611 / a”. The right side of the chamber is marked with crown script letter and Imperial eagle inspection marks. There is another Eagle on the right of the barrel. The left side of the frame under the safety is marked “Gesichert”. The inside surfaces of both grips are marked “11” and with a crowned script letter. Nearly all parts have a small crowned script letter on them somewhere.

Barrel Length: 8”

Sights / Optics: This pistol is mounted with a “Fine Tuning” front sight that has a blade dovetailed into a serrated and ramped base, with a fine-tuning adjustment for windage on the right side of the sight blade. The “Fine Tuning” tangent artillery rear sight is flat topped with a “V” notch and the elevator has graduated markings from 1-8. The rear sight has a fine adjustment for elevation.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut. The grips show light-moderate handling wear with scattered light nicks, scuffs, scratches and discoloration from age and oil. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. The grips rate in about Very Good overall condition.

Type of Finish: Blue & Strawed

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bore is gray. The rifling is sharp where not interrupted by erosion. There is light-moderate erosion scattered through the bore.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 70% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is scattered finish wear, most notable in the grip areas, on the sideplate and on the sides of the barrel. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is some scattered light oxidation and erosion. The action shows operational wear. The markings are generally clear, some are worn, but legible. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. Overall, this gun rates in Good-Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The barrel extension has barely perceptible play to the frame. We have not fired this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a black leather flap-holster, a cleaning rod and a single 8-round magazine. The magazine is serial-matched, marked “5611 / a” and with two crowned letters on its wood floorplate. The loop for the flap’s strap has come free from its stitching on one side. The strap has a hole for a stud, but no stud is present and we don’t see any provision for a stud on the flap, indicating that it may be a replacement.

Our Assessment: This Artillery version of the Luger pistol is also known as the “Long Barrel P.08”. It was the first Luger to use the 32-shot snail magazine. Many of the Artillery Models were equipped with “Fine Tuning” front and rear sights, which were auto-calibrating for windage drift due to bullet spin, making them second to none in long range accuracy. This pistol is an Erfurt Artillery Luger made in 1914, the only year that they would be produced by the royal armory. For some reason, while DWM produced more than 150,000 of the Long Lugers between 1914 and 1918, Erfurt would only make about 23,000 and only in 1914. This example has matching serial numbers on the pistol, its grips, and its magazine. The pistol still has its original finish and has wear which could be considered light for a pistol which was around for the whole of the Great War. This will make a great addition to a Luger collection, especially given the scarcity of the Erfurt Artillery models. Please see our photos and good luck!

WWI German Erfurt P.08 Long Artillery Luger 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1914 C&R
WWI German Erfurt P.08 Long Artillery Luger 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1914 C&R