Luger on Gunbroker Unit Stamp?

[Pistol]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=213139445



Does this Luger DWM P08 P-08 1918 1920 look legit? Is that a unit mark S.P. 3. 100? What does the stamp mean?

[sheepherder]

Edges look sharp; finish is worn but patina looks good; halos on "x" 's look good; sear safety = police Luger, which is OK...

Nice looking 1918 Luger.

[Pistol]

I thought those were police marks. Thanks.

[mrerick]

The mark indicates assignment to the German Weimar republic era Schutzpolizei in Potsdam. I'm not sure where unit "3" was located, but this is weapon number 100.

"1920" is a Weimar era property mark (not a year in this case) and this DWM Luger was made in 1918.

You would expect to see areas around the barrel serial number stamping that are lighter than the surrounding bluing. These "halos" occur because the serial numbers were stamped after the barrel was finished, and when the barrel was fitted to the Luger. It may be the light in the photography, but this Luger doesn't appear to have halos. That generally indicates that the finish was re-blued sometime after it left the factory. Therefore it cannot be the original finish.

If you're bidding on it, I'd limit things to a nice shooter's value.

Marc

[Don M]

Originally Posted by Pistol

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=213139445What does the stamp mean?

It is Luger #100 of the 5th Bereitschaft (Company) of the Schutzpolizei in the city of Potsdam. See HWIS pp.150-2.

[Pistol]

Thanks for the replies.

It is hard to tell about the halos. I don't think I see halos either. But if you look at the finish it does not look re-finished (at least recently). Seems to have moderate wear, oxidation, and patina present that would indicate original finish. Could it have been re-blued years ago? I'm still a newbile, but does anyone else think it has been re-blued?

[sheepherder]

I don't think it has been reblued; but the police may well have rebarreled it. (Or it may have been transferred back to the army and they may have rebarreled it). It does have halos around the X's on the frontstrap, lending credence to the transfer theory.

It could also have been arsenal refinished at some time. Might even be a Russian capture/VOPO refurb. The fonts on the barrel look like original German mfg's stamps, not aftermarket markings.

I don't believe that an arsenal refinish or even a VOPO refurb lowers any value a Luger/P38 might have. I look for pitting. I don't see any real pitting on this Luger, just normal decades-of-use wear. Having a replacement barrel doesn't bother me either. Lots of Lugers were rebuilt by the Army or the designated repair depots. they could have replaced all kinds of parts.

I wouldn't say it was a collectible; nor would I say it is a beater. It's just a nice all-around Luger at what is right now a reasonable price (to my way of thinking) = $820 with 11 hours to go...

I wouldn't go any higher...but this is all just one dummie's $.02 worth...

[Don M]

I realize it has been sold but, for what it's worth, if it had been transferred to the Wehrmacht, the sear safety would have probably been removed and if it had ended up in VoPo hands, the sear safety would certainly have been removed. It was not at all uncommon (although apparently not required) for police units to cancel their markings after unit marking was terminated for the police in 1937.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Don M

It was not at all uncommon (although apparently not required) for police units to cancel their markings after unit marking was terminated for the police in 1937.

So would you say this was a police Luger throughout it's service life???

[Don M]

According to Still's Central Power Pistols, the k block was produced near the middle of 1918 production so it may have seen brief military service. It was reissued to the police shortly after WWI (1920 government property stamp) and very probably remained in police service through WWII.