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Title:	PISTOL, SEMI-AUTOMATIC -  GERMAN PISTOL LUGER MODEL 1908 (P.08) 9MM SN# 7433
Maker/Manufacturer:	LUGER, GEORG
Date of Manufacture:	1918
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 1999
Measurements:	OL: 22.8C 9" BL: 10.1C 4" 1.87 lbs.

Object Description:

GERMAN PISTOL LUGER MODEL 1908 (P.08) 9MM SN# 7433
Manufactured by Erfurt Arsenal, Erfurt, Germany in 1918 - Standard German semi-automatic short-barreled Luger by Erfurt Arsenal. Recoil-operated; toggle-joint locked breech; internal striker firing system. Blued finish, checkered wood grips. Inverted V-blade front, fixed V-notch rear sight. Muzzle velocity 1,250 fps. Effective range of 50-75 yards. Has unmarked wooden-bottomed 8-round magazine. Weapon weighs approximately 1.87 lbs. Cartridge: 9mm Parabellum.

Markings:
Toggle: Crown/ERFURT and a small crown/RC. RC means that part did not meet specifications on initial inspection but was passed for use at a later stage of inspection.
Receiver: 1918.
Serial number 7433 on all parts.

Exhibit label: "Luger P-08 9 millimeter Parabellum. The Luger, one of the best known pistols in the world, was invented by the American Hugo Borchardt. The Swiss adopted the pistol in 1900, and in 1904 the German Navy began issuing the pistol, followed by the German Arm four years later. It remained in production until the eve of World War II."

Notes: "Developed by Georg Luger from an earlier pistols designed by Hugo Borchardt, the Parabellum-Pistole Model 1908 or P08, was the standard handgun of the German army during the First World War. One of the best-known weapons of the period, this self-loading pistol was intended to replace a variety of earlier revolvers used by the Germans. The earliest Luger design appeared in 1900 and was adopted by the Swiss army, but it was not until 1904 that Parabellum - in long-barrelled form - was first adopted in Germany, when the Imperial Navy acquired the Marine Modell 1904.
The principal Luger-designed military pistol was first adopted by the German army in 1908 and was not superseded until the late 1930s, after a long production life, it was still in service during the Second World War.
Recoil-operated, with a toggle-joint breech lock, it fired 9mm cartridges, was 8.75 inches in length and weighed 30 oz. The magazine, which held seven rounds, was inserted in the butt and held there by a spring catch. The P08 was well balanced and easy to use and maintain; it was popular with German troops and as many as 1.6 million may have been produced by the end of the war. It was originally made solely by Deutsche Waffen und Munitions-fabriken, but in 1914 the government arsenal at Erfurt also started manufacturing Lugers to meet wartime demand." - Anthony Bruce

"The German military, in adopting the Luger pistol, was well aware of potential future supply problems inherent in sole source weapons acquisition - as the Swiss were to find themselves vis-a-vis Luger pistol deliveries from D.W.M. 1914-1918 - and took steps to assure future military deliveries by way of a license agreement with D.W.M. for manufacturer of Luger pistol by the state owned Erfurt Arsenal. By January 1909 funds had been allocate and Erfurt Arsenal was instructed to begin placing the machinery for manufacture. Again, considering standard practice in the industry it is almost a certainty that D.W.M. would have supplied a toleranced set of master prints as part of the license agreement along with additional technical support.....
By November 1918 and the end of WWI, Erfurt Arsenal had produced approximately 500,000 Lugers. Still 'Imperial Lugers' note 496,000 based on the serial spread of some 400 examples 1911-1918 reported a data base of less than one tenth of one percent, but I believe quite accurate.
After WWI the Allies closed the Erfurt Arsenal and dismantled all production but this was not the end of the Erfurt Luger production line.
In approximately 1922 the Erfurt Luger production line was sold to Simson & Co., Suhl, Germany and moved to that city.
Soon after this approximate point in time Simson was granted approval to produce Lugers, using the Erfurt line, for the German military. The Simson firm developed its own logo marking placed on the front toggle link. Simson apparently reworked existing confiscated WWI Lugers and also manufactured new examples....
In 1935 Noted Krieghoff authority Randall Gibson reports that the old Erfurt line was so worn that it was merely used as a guide to fabricate new equipment at the Krieghoff firm - probably so - but examination of several 'S' code Simson Lugers indicates that the equipment, in 1934, was able to produce a properly toleranced product and that probably - in your editor's opinion - the Krieghoff firm would have at least attempted a trial run - say a hundred or so - then phase out the old line bringing in newer more modern equipment and manufacturing techniques.
Considering that it took Erfurt nearly two years to set up a line and begin manufacture of the Luger it stretches credibility that Krieghoff was able to do it in a matter of months and then produce at least 100 Lugers, the 'G' code 1935 Krieghoff variation, by the end of 1935.
More likely - in your editor's opinion the old Erfurt line was 'cranked up' one last time producing in part at least these very first Kreighoff Lugers." - Charles Kenyon, THE GUN REPORT, January, 1998

References:
Bruce, Anthony. AN ILLUSTRATED COMPANION TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR. Michael Joseph LTD. London, England. 1989.
Davis, Aaron. THE LUGER HANDBOOK. Krause Publications. Iola, Wi. 1997.
Kenyon, Charles. LUGERS AT RANDOM. Handgun Press. Glenview, Il. 1990.
Walter, John. THE LUGER STORY: THE STANDARD HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS HANDGUN. Stackpole Books. Mechanicsburg, Pa. 2001.