1942 P.08 Reblued?
- Thread starter Oldnrth
- Start date
Oldnrth
Well-known member
That was my hope too but he did say the mag was a post war plastic bottom but he has an FXO black bake light that he’d sell for a few more shekels...
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mauser1908
Senior Member
Blue is original, if I was you, those photos would be take on my kitchen table. The mag isn't an issue either, by 1942 it would have been issued with a type 4 fxo magazine. Almost all byf 42s were issued with black bakelite mags.
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Oldnrth
Well-known member
Yeah I told him I would take it... unfortunately can’t meet for two weeks so I’m like a kid at Christmas time waiting for it. Said he has a few others too 37-40, but I think this 42 looks pretty nice knowing the bluing is correct.
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Which letter block? 42 was the last of the Obendorf P08s with the transition to P38 production.
The later blocks were contract exports to Portugal and Romania, not to the German army (heer).
From Published production docs and Datig book it looks like the following for the Army with the last ones accepted in the L block. Last order was K block. And I do see many on the Jan
still Luger Forum in the 9000 serials in the K block.
M and N (1943?) were exported.
Dec 42 M 4000 port
Nov 42 L 1000 heer accepted, not ordered
Oct 42 K 3218 heer
I can't make out the serials with the low res pics.
The later blocks were contract exports to Portugal and Romania, not to the German army (heer).
From Published production docs and Datig book it looks like the following for the Army with the last ones accepted in the L block. Last order was K block. And I do see many on the Jan
still Luger Forum in the 9000 serials in the K block.
M and N (1943?) were exported.
Dec 42 M 4000 port
Nov 42 L 1000 heer accepted, not ordered
Oct 42 K 3218 heer
I can't make out the serials with the low res pics.
Oldnrth
Well-known member
I can’t make out the date from the pictures either, I know they match outside of that, all I have right now. When I pick it up I will upload some better pictures of the gun, it is allegedly waffenampt (can’t tell from the pictures).
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I have a 5300 range "k"-bloc 42 byf. Came with black plastic grips and a "fxo" extruded mag w/black plastic base. Condition is pretty close to the pistol pictured. Back in the latter 1980s, I was in attendance at the largest collector show in California (and never missed the bi-annual event in the 27 years I went). It was mid-morning on Saturday when I decided to go fishing in proximity to the public entry gate, when a young man of Japanese decent came walking by with a weighted paper bag. I inquired if he had anything for sale. He responded by stopping, pulling a P.08 byf 42 "back widow" from the sack and handing it to me. Nice pistol...94% blue, matching, with Vg+ bore. When I asked what he wanted for it, his response was "My Uncle gave it to me and I want $450.00". After I accepted his offer and was handing him the money, figured I was onto something. I then asked if his Uncle had been in the U.S. Army during WW2 and served with the 442nd Division in Italy. He stared at me, shook his head in the affirmative, pocketed the cash, turned around and walked back through the parking lot to his car. He had only come to the show to off the pistol. I later traded it to a longtime friend whom still has it to this day.
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That they were. I recall Thursday mid-morning before dealer set-up. Hundreds of vehicles were queued up around the inside perimeter of the public parking area in a serpentine line...waiting to cross White Avenue and enter the Fairgrounds to load in. During the hours before the gate swung wide, car doors, trunks and tailgates were opened or dropped and collectibles put on display or laid out. I would work the line...checking in with close friends, fellow collectors and acquaintances whom I knew often brought items of interest to me. Just about everyone was walking around with something in their hands. Beverages (of all types) were proffered as well. Finally, the word came down, and like the prelude to the Indy 500, drivers ran back to their vehicles, stowed their wares, started them up and waited with anticipation for the caravan to move out...
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