WWI DWM P.08 Double Date 9mm Luger Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1918/1920 C&R
SOLD FOR; $1,675.00
LSB#: LSB251002RS019
Make: Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM)
Model: P.08 Luger
Serial#: 5081E
Year of Manufacture: 1918, Restamped in 1920 -C&R
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum (9x19mm Luger)
Action Type: Semi-Automatic Short-Recoil Toggle-Locked Pistol fed by Detachable Magazine
Barrel Length: 4”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a base integral to the muzzle. The rear sight is a “V”-notch integral to the rear toggle.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two-piece checkered wood. The grips have light handling wear with no notable damage. There are no chips or cracks. The checkering is well defined. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Strawed
Finish Originality: Original, Serialized parts matching.
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright. The rifling is sharp. There is scattered minor erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 6.5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 94% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows handling and storage wear. There are scratches and oxidation throughout. There are spots of thinning. The strawed parts have muted. The frame has the concentration of oxidation. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are generally clear. Overall, the pistol is in about Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: The gun comes with two non-matching 8-round magazines with wood floorplate, firing pin tool, and a leather holster in about Good condition.
Our Assessment: The Luger (Pistole Parabellum or P-08) is perhaps the most aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing of all autoloading centerfire pistols. It is also one of the strongest, most accurate and most recognizable service pistols ever made. Georg Luger developed his famous pistol in 1898-1899 (starting with the Borchardt/Luger transitional pistol). The Luger is, essentially, a much improved Borchardt type pistol, which was itself based on the toggle action concept used by Sir Hiram Maxim in the world’s first practical machine gun. The Luger was so well liked and reliable that it was still being made and issued to German troops well after the P38 was adopted by the army.
This DWM P.08 was produced in 1918, the final year of the Great War, and later received the 1920 property stamp applied during the Weimar Republic to mark government-held arms retained after the Treaty of Versailles. This example, with matching serialized parts and period holster, retains the visual and mechanical character that defined the Luger throughout its transition from Imperial service into Weimar-period inventory. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid! -N.P
