Double date P.08

[Rescue190]

I am looking for some help trying to figure out the double dated P.08. Any info would be helpful. Any ideas on value would be great as well.

Here is a link to some pics.

[Douglas Jr.]

This pistol started its life as a LP.08 (an Artillery Luger) as it has the notch for the 800 meters sight. It was made and issued to the German Imperial Army in 1917.

In 1920/21 this gun was in Reichswehr inventory, when the "1920" property stamp was apllied and probaly its barrel changed to the current one. On this date or after this gun was issued to a Police unit, where the mag safety was installed around 1934 (if I remember correctly). This gun once ahd a sear safety but this device was removed and the side plate replaced (it seems to be force matched).

If confirmed tha the side plate or any other part is non matching, then the value will be decreased to the shooter level.

Let's see what the others have to say.

Good luck,
Douglas.

[Rescue190]

Great information. Thanks.

[Geof]

He has it right. Although the 1920 isn't really a date as much as a program number for the refurbishment/restart of production. There's good detail about these double date C96's and P08's here.

[Rescue190]

Thanks for the info; very helpful. Any ideas on current value?

[Geof]

A shooter rework with a mismatched sideplate would be between 750 and 800 from what I have seen.

[Johnny Peppers]

Douglas has it right. The 1920 is the year that the Reichswehr issued the directive that all small arms be marked with the property mark, 1920, representing the year it was initiated . The Germans were never one to stop doing something unless ordered to do so, and Jan Still has a photo of a G Date P.08 with the 1920 property stamp.