WWI German DWM P08 Long Artillery Luger 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1917 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2,000.00
LSB#: WY240914DR015
Make: Deutsche Waffen-und Munitionsfabriken (DWM)
Model: Lange Pistole 08, “Artillery Luger”
Serial#: 5962e
Year of Manufacture: 1917
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol fed by a Detachable Magazine
Barrel Length: Approximately 7.9” (200mm)
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a serrated blade dovetailed to a serrated base. The rear sight is a fine-adjustable tangent leaf “V”-notch. The rear sight is marked 1-8, inclusive.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two-piece checkered wood, each with “11” stamped on the interior. The grips have even handling wear. There is some discoloration, most notable at the top of the left panel. There are some nicks and scuffing. The checkering shows wear, but is generally well defined. There is a very small loss at the top-rear of the left panel below the safety lever. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in Good-plus condition as not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blue and Straw
Finish Originality: Original. Apart from the grips, the serialized parts are matching.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light-moderate erosion and light pitting in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 5 or 6 out of 10.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There are scattered patches of surface erosion and light pitting. There are some light nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings remain clear. Overall, the pistol is in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: The gun comes with a reproduction leather holster, reproduction magazine pouch, Luger tool, cleaning rod and a total of two Mec-Gar 8-round magazines.
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.
In 1913 Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German Emperor, allowed for the adoption of the Lange Pistole 08 colloquially known as the “Artillery Luger”. The gun featured a longer barrel, 8-position tangent rear sight and a provision for a shoulder stock (no shoulder stock is included with this gun). Although originally intended as a defensive armament for artillery and machine gun crews, the Lange Pistole was used throughout the German military, including as a carbine with a drum magazine (no drum magazine is included with the gun) by the famous Stoßtruppen (storm troopers) during WWI. Some surplus Lange Pistoles survived WWI and were eventually pressed into service during WWII, but not to the same extent as the gun had been used in the First World War.
This particular specimen is from 1917 and was produced shortly after the “fine-tuning” feature had been removed from the front sight but before it was removed from rear sights. The pistol looks good for its age, retaining much of its original finish and strong mechanics. The grips are replacements, but the serial numbered metal parts all match, and this will make a handsome addition to any collection. Good luck on your bid!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
