Police Luger Questions

[DeCeCo]

What were years the magazine safety was installed on Police Lugers and when did they start being removed due to their issues? Also, did the cut modification on the take down side plate (lower rear edge) automatically require rebluing of the entire plate? It’s hard to imagine the cut out area remaining in the white. The 1916 DMW I own has what appears to be evidence of the slot on the left frame panel (just above grip) being filled. What was the typical amount of rebluing done on Lugers following the removal of the magazine safety? Final questions.....is the frosting or “halo” appearance that exists around numbers and proofs always to be expected on original finished Lugers? Can original finished pistols have no halos whatsoever? Were all stamped impressions done following bluing? That’s it! All knowledge on this subject will be appreciated.

[Johnny Peppers]

There were several variations of the magazine safety, and all date to the 1932 time period. They were probably removed as the pistols came back in for service or reissue.

The "halo" that shows up on some Lugers appears to be markings applied after the pistol was finished. Looking at a 1900 American Eagle Luger, the only marking showing a halo is the GERMANY stamp under the serial number on the frame. Looking at a 1911 date P.08 the serial number and bore gage on the barrel are the only markings showing a halo. The proof marks on the receiver, barrel, and breechblock show no halo, nor do the acceptance marks on the receiver.

[phild]

Agree with above comments and will add that I believe the order to remove or disable mag safeties was issued in or about 1937. Removal would have occurred that year or later. How these were removed and what if any restoration was done to the pistol varies greatly from virtually no trace remaining on plugged side panel to bare slot to part of safety remaining to fill slot

[JoeW]

The sear and magazine safeties were ordered for installation on pistols of the Prussian Schutzpolizei and Gendarmerie on Aug 30 1933, Commanding local police authorities were to report the required number of safeties to Berlin by Oct 1, 1933, after which the required numbers would be distributed to respective police repair depots around Prussia for installation. The following year, P08s were introduced for service with small local police departments and included the two safeties. In June of 1936, the central national police command in Berlin requested information on the continued installation of the safeties for weapons in all nationalized police forces.

The removal of the Walther magazine safety is presumed to have occurred beginning in the summer of 1937, though the direct order was by local communication and not officially published. In Sept 1937, a published decree requested notification by April 1, 1938 from all police authorities in the Reich regarding the implementation of that earlier unpublished 1937 order that requested two changes in police P08s. We know that by 1940, the new police weapons training manual included reference only to the sear safety.