Mauser S/42 Luger P.08 9x19mm Parabellum 4″ Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1937 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2,625
LSB#: 240325TW008
Make: Mauser (S/42)
Model: Parabellum-Pistole, Luger Model P.08
Serial#: 6713r
Year of Manufacture: 1937, C&R
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Toggle-Action Semi-Automatic Striker-Fired Pistol fed by a Detachable Magazine
Markings: The chamber ring is marked “1937” and the front toggle is marked “S/42”. There are waffenamts and inspection marks on the barrel, barrel extension, and bolt. The serial number or a portion of the serial number is marked on the frame, bolt-stop, barrel extension, barrel, trigger, takedown lever, sideplate, safety bar, sear bar, toggle pin, sideplate, each toggle, bolt, extractor and striker.
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 grips have some light scuffs, nicks, and smooth rubs. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Strawed
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with sharp rifling. There is fouling and light erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 6.5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 83% of its metal finish. The finish loss at the edges. There is some wear and minor surface oxidation on the sideplate. The action shows operational wear. There is erosion on the grip straps. There are infrequent minor nicks and scratches. The markings remain clear. The screw-heads are sharp. Overall, the pistol is in about 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 in a brown leather holster with both a non-matching and matching magazine.
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 particular Luger was manufactured 1937 by Mauser. Mauser took over production of the Luger P.08 for the German military in 1934 and first year production P.08s were marked with a “K” rather than a formal date code to conceal Germany’s rearmament which was in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Germany had never fully conformed to the provisions of the treaty, but following the NSDAP assumption of power it began to accelerate its military development. This was initially done in secret, but by 1935 the charade was no longer needed as the country began to openly accelerate its remilitarization. This Luger was made in 1937 after date codes were instituted, Germany no longer feared an Allied invasion as British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain pursued a policy of appeasement, and it was clear the Western powers were militarily ill-prepared for a conflict themselves. The pistol shows minor wear considering its age and retains serial-matching parts, though the grips have been replaced and the magazine is not original to the pistol. This is a great example of a 1937 S/42 Luger, if you are a fan of German military arms and WWII history then this is the handgun for you. Please see our photos and good luck!
-Greenfield
