WWII German Mauser byf P.08 9MM Luger 4” Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1941 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,175.00
LSB#: LSB251028TC010
Make: Mauser (byf code)
Model: P.08
Serial Number: 3187a
Year of Manufacture: 1941
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic Pistol fed by Detachable Magazine.
Markings: Serialized parts are not matching. On the left side of the frame is marked “P.08”. The left side of the receiver is marked “3187”. The front of the frame under the barrel is marked “3187 / a”. The safety marking is visible. The right side of the receiver is marked with two WaA135 Waffenamts and an eagle clutching a sw@stika. The top of the front toggle is marked “byf”, the top of the chamber ring is marked “41”. The underside of the barrel is marked “3187 / 8.82”. The right side of the barrel is marked with an angry bird. The left side of a barrel is marked with a waffenamt135. The underside of the safety switch is marked “GESICHERT”. The side plate is marked “48”. The trigger is marked “95”. The firing pin is marked “79”. The rest of the serialized parts are matching “87”.
Barrel Length: 4”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a V-Notch integral to the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth synthetic white panels. There is little to no handling wear. There are a couple of light scratches on each panel. The frame has a lanyard bar and a lug at the bottom for a stock attachment. The grips rate in about Fine overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blued & Strawed
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is semi bright and the rifling is well defined. There is no erosion in the bore. There is stubborn fouling in the grooves. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 7 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 98% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows a very little amount of operational wear. The blue finish is strong throughout and the straw is bright. There are a couple of light spots of oxidization under the blue finish on the frame and barrel. There are some spots of light thinning on the right side of the frame. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol rates in about Fine 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 requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with two 8-round magazines with wooden floorplates. There is moderate oxidization present on the magazine’s surface. Overall these magazines rate in about Good condition.
Our Assessment: This 1941 byf-coded P.08 represents Mauser’s wartime production of the Luger during the height of Germany’s rearmament effort, a period when the toggle-link design—though already being supplanted by the P.38—remained in frontline service. The “byf / 41” chamber and toggle markings, paired with dual WaA135 acceptance stamps, place this pistol firmly within Mauser’s mid-war output, when machining shortcuts and external simplifications began to appear but overall fit and finish remained high. Although the serialized parts do not match and the pistol has been refinished, the core wartime identity is still reflected in its military proofs, receiver code, and frame configuration.
Chambered in 9mm Luger, a cartridge introduced at the dawn of the 20th century and standard across German service pistols of both world wars, the byf-41 P.08 retains the crisp recoil impulse and precision lockwork that defined the Luger’s mechanical character. The clean bore, strong blue, bright strawed components, and modern synthetic grips point to refurbishment for civilian ownership rather than as-issued preservation, but the pistol still carries the distinctive silhouette and operational feel of a WWII-era Luger. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid! -N.P
