Kü P.08's
About November, 1942, the firm of Mauser at Oberndorf shut down their P.08 production line and begain using that equipment and the personnel to produce the P.38 pistol. Parts still on hand were procured by the Luftwaffe and assembled at a Luftwaffe depot into complete pistols. The inspection mark on the left side of the receiver is "ZA" for Zeugamt or Ordnance Office. The Kü is most likely identification of the depot of assembly, which is probably Küstrin (to the east of Berlin).
Th ordnance office (Zeugamt) was concerned with maintenance, repair and modification of arms. The acceptance offices (Abnahmeämter) were concerned with new production, and were numbered. Some inspected just one large plant while others inspected items made in a specific area by smaller producers.
The LZA or eagle with ZA inside was used at all Luftwaffe depots, and it indicates major work was done on an item, or in a very few cases that the item was assembled there. It will be found on leather goods, rifles, etc.
Because of the size of the run of P.08's (several thousand) and that they were newly assembled, the depot identification was applied. This was not standard procedure for repairs or modifications; they usually just are marked with the eagle ZA.
The labor shortages in Germany would have precluded Mauser diverting resources to assemble these pistols.
About November, 1942, the firm of Mauser at Oberndorf shut down their P.08 production line and begain using that equipment and the personnel to produce the P.38 pistol. Parts still on hand were procured by the Luftwaffe and assembled at a Luftwaffe depot into complete pistols. The inspection mark on the left side of the receiver is "ZA" for Zeugamt or Ordnance Office. The Kü is most likely identification of the depot of assembly, which is probably Küstrin (to the east of Berlin).
Th ordnance office (Zeugamt) was concerned with maintenance, repair and modification of arms. The acceptance offices (Abnahmeämter) were concerned with new production, and were numbered. Some inspected just one large plant while others inspected items made in a specific area by smaller producers.
The LZA or eagle with ZA inside was used at all Luftwaffe depots, and it indicates major work was done on an item, or in a very few cases that the item was assembled there. It will be found on leather goods, rifles, etc.
Because of the size of the run of P.08's (several thousand) and that they were newly assembled, the depot identification was applied. This was not standard procedure for repairs or modifications; they usually just are marked with the eagle ZA.
The labor shortages in Germany would have precluded Mauser diverting resources to assemble these pistols.
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