Good day everyone,
Here is a Luger P08 that was used in service for about 28 years. It started its long life in 1917, at the Deutsche Waffen Und Munitionsfabriken plant as an artillery Luger destined for use on the Western front by the Imperial German Army, after a year of battle the Great War ended and it was retained in service by the Germans. It received its 1920 property mark after the Treaty of Versailles, and stayed in use during the Weimar Republic by the Reichswehr.
In the Early 1930s it was reworked in Ingolstatdt ("E/ZaJt" stamp on the right side of the proofs) and sent back to be issued out once again. It fought through the begining of the Second World War, and around 1943 or 1944 it was sent back to Ingolstatdt for its second (possibly third) rework (as indicated by the "E/HZaJt3" stamp on the left side of the proof marks). During this rework, the barrel was replaced with a Mauser produced barrel bearing the "42" and "E/655" stamps and matched to the pistol. Both magazines were also replaced and matched to the pistol. One being an earlier chromed body magazine with the aluminum base and the second being a Wartime produced Haenel magazine, bearing the "fxo" and "E/37" marks. This magazine was also matched to the pistol at this time.
After this second rework it was sent back into service and issued out to a German soldier who went on to fight the Canadians, a Sergeant from the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion liberated it from its previous owner and he held onto it until the 1970s until he personally donated it to a museum where it has since been enjoying retirement.
Now time for the bad news, at some point before it was donated the breech and toggle mechanism was lost, so if anyone has the matching breech and would like to reunite it with its original pistol that would be great! I know the chances are slim though.
Here are some pictures for you to enjoy
Here is a Luger P08 that was used in service for about 28 years. It started its long life in 1917, at the Deutsche Waffen Und Munitionsfabriken plant as an artillery Luger destined for use on the Western front by the Imperial German Army, after a year of battle the Great War ended and it was retained in service by the Germans. It received its 1920 property mark after the Treaty of Versailles, and stayed in use during the Weimar Republic by the Reichswehr.
In the Early 1930s it was reworked in Ingolstatdt ("E/ZaJt" stamp on the right side of the proofs) and sent back to be issued out once again. It fought through the begining of the Second World War, and around 1943 or 1944 it was sent back to Ingolstatdt for its second (possibly third) rework (as indicated by the "E/HZaJt3" stamp on the left side of the proof marks). During this rework, the barrel was replaced with a Mauser produced barrel bearing the "42" and "E/655" stamps and matched to the pistol. Both magazines were also replaced and matched to the pistol. One being an earlier chromed body magazine with the aluminum base and the second being a Wartime produced Haenel magazine, bearing the "fxo" and "E/37" marks. This magazine was also matched to the pistol at this time.
After this second rework it was sent back into service and issued out to a German soldier who went on to fight the Canadians, a Sergeant from the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion liberated it from its previous owner and he held onto it until the 1970s until he personally donated it to a museum where it has since been enjoying retirement.
Now time for the bad news, at some point before it was donated the breech and toggle mechanism was lost, so if anyone has the matching breech and would like to reunite it with its original pistol that would be great! I know the chances are slim though.
Here are some pictures for you to enjoy
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