P-08 Magazines

[Chris_Werner]

Quick question for all:
Should a WW I P-08 magazine be blued, or silver? How about a WW II. Both have the wood base, and are unmarked.
Thanks for your help.
Chris Werner

[fordgpw]

PO8 Magazines

Hi Chriss, I never claim to be a Luger expert, but I have learned a lot from collecting 30 or so years. I have six Lugers and five of them are very early ones 1906 up to 1920. The Germans used wood unblued mags early on. Some even had metal bottoms.I think it was in the thirties they went to a blue mag, both with metal and a sorta plastic bottom. Almost all of them were numbered to the gun except the commercial version. Some of these had Germany stamped onto them , while others had the cal of the weapon.I,d say you have two pre WW1 and maybe WW1 magazines. Just my thoughts Later Danny

[Chris_Werner]

Thanks Danny. Both mags have wood bases, one blued, and one unblued. Neither are marked.
Best regards,
Chris werner

[leondes]

Hi Chris,

Generally speaking, WWI military mags should have a wooden bottom and the tubes will be nickel plated. WWII military mags will have aluminum bottoms until about 1941 when the black plastic bottoms started being issued with the Lugers. 1941 and 1942 Lugers can have aluminum bottom mags as the change was not totally inclusive. For WWII, the tubes will be nickel plated until 1936 when they changed over to blued tubes. The tubes will be rolled tin until late 1939 when they changed over to extruded tubes.

I didn't go into a lot of detail with this. These are only general rules of thumb. There can be exceptions, overlap, etc.

Hope this info helps.

Regards, Leon

[Edelweiss]

A very good summary of the general headlines. I agree totally, WWI magazines were nickel plated ; the blueing is a later job, not matching the wooden base of this specific magazine. Or maybe is it a WWII magazine restaured with a WWI wooden bottom ?

[Chris_Werner]

Thanks guys. Very interesting stuff. My nickle plated wood bottom tube came with my 1917 DWM. I bought the other mag with the blued tube and wooden base. The base looks original to the mag. However, it won't keep the toggle up when empty. The nickle one will. Interesting. My 1917 was a reissue with Imperial stamps and a Mauser Inspection Waffnant. All matching numbers except the mag.
By the way, I'm looking for an Imperial marked take down tool. Anyone got an extra for sale or trade?
Best regards,
Chris Werner

[Tom M]

I have an alluminium base mag (waffenampt) with my byf 41 luger. Is this correct? Cheers,

[Edelweiss]

Absolutely.

Military mags usually have the same matching number as the pistol's.

[Tom M]

Absolutely.

Military mags usually have the same matching number as the pistol's.

Thank you.

[leondes]

Chris,

To expand a bit, from my experience the aluminum bottom mags will be numbered until 1942. The black plastic bottom mags were never numbered. Breakage was a problem. By 1942 numbering of the mags had stopped and both black plastic bottom and unmarked aluminum bottoms would be considered correct for the military. Not so for the police.

Unfortunately, most unnumbered aluminum bottom mags have been numbered post-war by the enhancers.

Regards, Leon

[Chris_Werner]

Mine aren't numbered to the gun. Wish they were. I wanted to have a WWI and WWII mag for this gun. Both are actually correct in light of the 1917 Chamber date, and the reissue stamps. Boy, if this one could talk, it would have some interesting stories, being a veteran of both wars. It's a shooter, too, although I don't shoot it often. My 9 year old is pretty proficient with it too.
Thanks all for all your help and input. I appreciate you sharing your time and knowledge.
Chris