WWII Mauser 42 P.08 P08 9mm Luger 4″ Semi-Auto Parabellum Pistole 1940 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1626.04

LSB#: 220426RN003

Make: Mauser

Model: Luger Model P.08, Parabellum-Pistole

Serial#: 5647

Year of Manufacture: 1940, C&R

Caliber: 9mm Luger

Action Type: Toggle-Action Semi-Automatic Striker-Fired Pistol fed by a Detachable Magazine

Markings: The bottom of the barrel is marked “5647” above ‘8,83”. The bottom of the chamber ring has some faded markings. The top of the chamber ring is marked “1940”. The left side of the slide is marked with the serial number “5647”. The trigger bar is marked “47”. The right side of the slide is marked twice with the NSDAP-era Waffenamt featuring an eagle above “655” (used for “42” marked Mauser Lugers which were manufactured from 1939-1941), which indicates the slide was manufactured by Mauser, and a eagle clutching a swastika. The right side of the barrel is marked with an eagle clutching a swastika. The firing pin is marked “47”. The extractor, situated on the top of the breechblock, is marked “47”. The left side of the breechblock is marked “47” and is marked with a faded eagle clutching a swastika. The top of the front toggle is marked “42” (the code for Mauser from 1939-1941) and has the serial number “47”. The rear toggle is marked “47”. The receiver axle is marked “47”. The trigger side-plate is marked “47” and the concealed portion has a faded “57”. The trigger is marked “47” (which is visible when the gun is taken down). The locking bolt is marked “47”. The safety bar is marked “47”. The front of the frame is marked “5647” above what appears to be a stylized “l”. The left grip strap is marked “4” above the mainspring. The grip panels have and eagle above “655” waffenamt indicating they were made by mauser. The bottom of the magazine is marked “8317” above “p”, “+” and an eagle above “63” waffenamt (the magazine is not serial matched to the gun).

Barrel Length: 4”

Sights/ Optics: The front sight is serrated blade fixed to a banded base fixed to the muzzle. The rear sight is a “V”-notch integral to the rear toggle link.

Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grip panels are two-piece checkered wood. The grip panels have some light handling marks, nicks and scuffs. There is light wear surrounding the screw slots and scattered dark discoloration. There is a light chip at the top of the left grip panel (it is visible when the panel is removed from the frame). The checkering remains sharp. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with mostly sharp rifling. There is light erosion concentrated in the grooves.

Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 70% of its metal finish. There are some light-moderate handling marks, nicks and scuffs on the gun’s metal surfaces. Notably, there is finish loss along the leading edges, light wear around the muzzle, some moderate wear in addition to some light pitting on the trigger side-plate and some light pitting on the left side of the barrel and frame. Some of the marks are poorly stamped but most remain clear. The screwheads have only light handling wear and remain serviceable. Overall, the pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is barely palpable play between the barrel assembly and frame. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box Paperwork and Accessories: The pistol comes with a single magazine. The magazine’s markings are described above and it is not serial matched. There is some light-moderate handling wear on the magazine including some light pitting but it remains in Very Good condition.

Our Assessment: The Parabellum-Pistole 1908, commonly referred to as the Luger, was designed by Georg Johann Luger. Luger was an unlikely gun designer, born in 1849 he was the son of a surgeon, Bartholomaeus von Luger, and while attending university he served as a One-Year Volunteer with the 78th Infantry Regiment (Infanterieregiment 78 ein) of the Austro-Hungarian Army. While in the military Luger proved himself a skilled marksman and he began to develop an interest in the small arms technology. Following four years of service Luger worked a number of jobs in Vienna. Finally, in the 1870s Luger met Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher who recruited him as a sales representative for Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabrik AG (DWM). One of the company’s weapons that Luger marketed was the Borchardt C93 (named after its designer Hugo Borchardt) which was criticized for being too heavy and poorly balanced. Luger decided to rework the design and eventually secured a contract for his new pistol with the Swiss Army which dubbed it the model 1900 which was chambered for 7.65mm Parabellum cartridges. After some minor reworking Luger introduced the Pistole 1904, chambered for 9mm cartridges, which was adopted by the Imperial German Navy, the pistol was henceforth referred to as the Luger. A slightly altered version of the pistol with a smaller barrel was adopted for service by the Prussian Army in 1908, hence the designation P08. The P08 would become one of the most iconic weapons of the 20th century. Following the end of WWI Luger was bankrupted, he had invested in War Bonds which had become worthless following Imperial Germany’s defeat and worse yet he was forced out of his job by his employer DWM which sought to appropriate his patents. The ensuing legal dispute between Luger and DWM would be decided in his favor in 1922, but he was financially ruined by that time and passed away the following year at the age of 74. His pistol would continue to serve the German military during WWII (although the P38 was the Wehrmacht’s standard issue sidearm) and saw service in a number military and police forces after the war.

This Luger appears to largely be in its original configuration with only one possibly replaced part. The trigger side-plate has a different serial number on its concealed end, this could be the result of a factory issue or it may have been replaced in the field. The Luger was manufactured in 1940, the most successful year of WWII for the Wehrmacht. The Germans conquered Central Europe before advancing on France which was defeated in a matter of six weeks, the Whermacht repeatedly defeated the British Expeditionary Force over the course of the year (remembered as the BEF, early in the conflict it was derided as the Back Every Friday force in Britain due to its repeated setbacks in the field). This Luger has handling wear associated with a firearm that has seen some action, but the gun retains its unique aesthetic. The gun remains both an ergonomic and mechanically sound handgun, it is one of the best military side-arms ever developed after all. This is a great option for fans of historical firearms. Good luck on your bid!