WWII Nazi German Mauser byf P.08 P08 Luger 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1941 C&R
SOLD FOR: $3475
Make: Mauser
Model: Luger Model P.08 byf Code
Serial Number: 4774
Year of Manufacture: 1941
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Toggle Type Striker-Fired Semi-Auto, Removable Magazine
Markings: The barrel extension is marked “41” on the chamber ring, the left is marked “4774”, the right has eagle over “655” waffenamts and an eagle clutching swastika mark. The bottom of the barrel is marked “4774 / 8,81”, the right of the barrel has an eagle clutching swastika mark, the left has eagle over “655”. The left of the breech-bolt has an eagle clutching swastika mark. The sear is marked “74”, found again on the toggle pin, the top of the extractor, left of the breech-block, top-rear of the front toggle, back of the rear toggle, left of the firing pin, takedown lever, trigger, sideplate, top of the bolt stop and safety. The left of the frame is marked “P.08”. The top of the front toggle is marked “byf”. The left of the extractor is marked “GELADEN”.
Barrel Length: 4”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated ramp blade dovetailed to a serrated base at the muzzle. The rear sight is a “V”-notch integral to the rear toggle link.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two piece checkered black plastic panels. The interior of each panel is threaded to hold the grip screw when the grip is removed. The grips have minor handling wear with some light nicks and scuffs, mostly in the smooth borders. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent minor erosion and stubborn fouling in the bore, most just in front of the chamber.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The barrel has some wear on the sides at the muzzle with infrequent other light wear. There is wear at the leading edges of the frame, barrel extension and the raised portion of the sideplate. The grip areas show handling wear with minor surface oxidation. There is some other scattered light finish wear with some light nicks and scratches. There is scattered minor erosion under the finish, most notable in the relieved area on the right of the frame at the top-rear. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. Most markings are clear, some are worn, but legible. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is no 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 standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a black leather holster, takedown/magazine loading tool and a total of two 8-round magazines. The magazines are each marked with eagle over “37” and “fxo” (code for Haenel) as well as “P.08” on the left at the bottom. The magazines have some scattered minor surface oxidation, light operational wear, intact feed lips and strong springs. The holster is marked “eqr / 42” and with a faded waffenamt on the back. The holster has scattered wear with some areas gone to a brown color, the front belt loop has broken stitches at the top but the stitching is otherwise intact.
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 reliable and well liked that it was still being made and issued to German troops well after the P38 was adopted by the army. The largest percentage of Lugers were made by DWM, which became Mauser in 1930. During the war, the Germans used codes to disguise the manufacturer of their weapons, and the toggle links changed from DWM to S/42, 42 and finally byf. The byf marked Lugers were the last made by Mauser before they were forced to abandon the Luger in favor of the P38. This is a Mauser Model P.08 byf-code Luger pistol manufactured in 1941. The pistol is in Very Good condition as refinished, with about 85% of its current finish remaining. The bore is nice and the mechanics are strong. With its black grips and black magazine floorplates, this variant is frequently known as the “Black Widow” by collectors. This pistol will be great for those wanting a piece of German history and for those collectors with an interest in German weaponry. The byf Lugers represent the last of the WWII Mauser-made Lugers and are a must-have for any Luger collector. Please see our photos and good luck!