Pre-WWII German Mauser S/42 P.08 Luger 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1936 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2,575
LSB#: 231113SM004
Make: Mauser
Model: Luger Model P.08, Parabellum-Pistole
Serial#: 839n
Year of Manufacture: 1936. C&R
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Toggle-Action Semi-Automatic Striker-Fired Pistol fed by a Detachable Magazine
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 light handling wear with a few scattered minor marks. The right panel has a more notable scrape behind the magazine catch and the left panel has a repaired chip-loss at the top-rear by the safety lever. The checkering is generally well defined. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition as repaired.
Type of Finish: Blue & Strawed
Finish Originality: Original, numbered parts are matching.
Bore Condition: The bore is light gray with well defined rifling. There is some scattered light erosion and minor pitting in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 6 or 7 out of 10.
Many military and C&R-eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 87% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges, most notable on the sideplate and at the muzzle. The grip areas show handling wear and the strawed controls have muted in some areas. There is infrequent minor surface oxidation, most notable on the frame and covered by the grips when installed. There are a few scattered minor marks. The action shows operational wear. The markings remain clear. The screwheads have light tool-marks but they remain serviceable. Overall, the pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is barely perceptible 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 an Auwaerter und Bubeck 1941 dated flap-holster, Luger tool and a total of two magazines, one wood floorplate and one alloy floorplate (neither numbered).
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 and while attending university he served as a One-Year Volunteer with the 78th Infantry Regiment 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. In the 1870s Luger met Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher who recruited him as a sales representative for Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabrik AG (DWM). Luger reworked the design of Hugo Borchardt’s C93 and eventually secured a contract for his new pistol with the Swiss Army which dubbed it the model 1900. 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 P.08. The Luger would become one of the most iconic weapons of the 20th century. 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 particular Luger was manufactured in 1936, three years after the NSDAP came to power in Germany. That year Germany began to openly flex its military might and trample over the Treaty of Versailles provisions. In March German soldiers reoccupied the Rhineland which was an outright violation of the Versailles agreement. The pistol’s Waffenamts are consistent with army issued small arms, and all of the gun’s numbered parts are serial matched, though the included magazines are not numbered. This is an aesthetically pleasing and ergonomic pistol, and while it has some handling wear it remains nicely preserved. If you are a fan of German military arms and WWII history then this is the handgun for you. Good luck on your bid!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California -Bud
