WWI German DWM P.08 P08 9mm Luger Semi-Automatic Pistol, MFD 1917 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1,000.01

LSB#: LSB251216DH059

Make: DWM

Model: P.08 Luger

Serial Number: 1351b

Year of Manufacture: 1917 / C&R

Caliber: 9mm Luger

Action Type: Toggle Action Striker-Fired Semi-Auto, Removable Magazine.

Markings: The internal marked parts are each marked “51”. The rear toggle is marked with a script “DWM”. The front of the frame under the barrel and the underside of the barrel are marked “1351 / b”. The bottom of the barrel is also marked “8,82”. The top of the barrel extension at the chamber is marked “1917” and the left is marked “1351”. The right side of the barrel extension is marked with three crowned script characters and an eagle. The left side of the frame under the safety is marked “GESICHERT”. The safety lever is marked “51”. The safety indicator is marked “51”. The trigger and takedown lever is marked “51”. The inside of the left panel is marked “55”. The toggle train is marked “51”. The bottom of the wood floorplate magazine is marked “1387 / h”. 

Barrel Length: 4”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated blade dovetailed to a serrated base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch in the top of the rear toggle link.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered wood. The grips have handling wear with some scattered scratches and compression marks. The checkering is well defined and smooth in other places. A few of the peaks have smoothed or chipped off. The left panel just under the safety switch has been chipped off. Overall, the grips are in about Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original.

Bore Condition: The bore is bright. The rifling is defined. There is light erosion in the bore. There is light pitting in the bore. There is evidence of a squib near the muzzle. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates at a 3 out of 10. Please have a certified gunsmith service the barrel before firing.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 45% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows handling and storage wear. There is operational wear. There are scratches, thinning, and corrosion pitting. The barrel has thinned. There is spotted thinning through the rest. The leading edges have thinned. The blue finish has turned to a light patina in some places. The screw heads are sharp. The markings range from clear to worn. Overall, this pistol is in about Poor – Fair condition. (See Bore 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 & Accessories: This pistol comes with one wood floorplate 8rd magazine.

Our Assessment: The Luger P.08 pistol is one of the most recognizable military handguns of the twentieth century, designed by Georg Luger and adopted by the German military in the early 1900s. Manufactured by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM), these pistols were widely issued to German forces during the First World War and became closely associated with Imperial German military service. Chambered in 9mm Luger, the cartridge introduced alongside the pistol, the P.08 utilized a distinctive toggle locked action that contributed to its excellent balance and accuracy. Many wartime Lugers were later rebuilt or reworked during their long service life, often resulting in mixed components and replacement parts.

This example is a 1917 dated DWM P.08 that shows evidence of later service. The pistol retains about 45 percent of its original blue finish with extensive thinning, scratches, and areas of corrosion pitting along with portions of the finish that have developed a light patina. Many internal parts retain the “51” serial suffix consistent with the pistol’s original numbering, while the included wood floorplate magazine is numbered differently. The checkered wood grip panels show handling wear with scattered scratches and compression marks along with a chip beneath the safety lever. The bore is bright with defined rifling but shows light erosion, pitting, and evidence of a squib near the muzzle, rating 3 out of 10 in this writer’s opinion and requiring inspection by a qualified gunsmith before firing. The action functions correctly and the pistol includes one wood floorplate eight round magazine. Please see our high definition photos and good luck on your bids! -N.P