P.08 Plastic Grips - Original?

[fishermankw]

Looking at this pistol, black plastic grips on a 1940 P.08, apologize as these are the only pics I have, requesting more. Anything that jumps out that they are bad from the surface? Outside of my realm of knowledge.

 

[DWM1915]

A 1940 Luger wouldn't have these grips, 1940 was still walnut, the BW grips only show up in the later blocks of the BYF 41 and 42. The inside usually has more of the tells on these being good or bad but I would lean towards bad since they wouldn't have been issued with this pistol.

FWIW
Thanks, Nick

 

[bmwr12]

1940 42 code luger grip variations, walnut, brown...

www.lugerforums.com

 

[fishermankw]

A 1940 Luger wouldn't have these grips, 1940 was still walnut, the BW grips only show up in the later blocks of the BYF 41 and 42. The inside usually has more of the tells on these being good or bad but I would lean towards bad since they wouldn't have been issued with this pistol.

FWIW
Thanks, Nick

I know they could come standard on the 41/42, but were authorized replacements for later years if the walnut ones broke. Asked for additional pictures and the seller essentially said take it or leave it, so anyway… moving on more than likely.

 

[Philip]

Brown composition “Krieghoff” grips certainly were factory installed on some 1940 Mauser 42 code Lugers. Particularly around the g-i blocks seemingly at random and limited. A fair number of 1940 Lugers have for decades also been reported with the black grips in that general range as well. It is likely that the Army was evaluating, via instruction to Mauser to install those, various composition grips about a year before deciding on the black type and authorizing them in mid 1941. This was a common approach to most every change the German army implemented. All an educated guess on my part but i think if they are original period they may well be original to the gun.

 

[fishermankw]

Brown composition “Krieghoff” grips certainly were factory installed on some 1940 Mauser 42 code Lugers. Particularly around the g-i blocks seemingly at random and limited. A fair number of 1940 Lugers have for decades also been reported with the black grips in that general range as well. It is likely that the Army was evaluating, via instruction to Mauser to install those, various composition grips about a year before deciding on the black type and authorizing them in mid 1941. This was a common approach to most every change the German army implemented. All an educated guess on my part but i think if they are original period they may well be original to the gun.

This one is in the “i” block somewhere around late 900’s.

 

[fishermankw]

Brown composition “Krieghoff” grips certainly were factory installed on some 1940 Mauser 42 code Lugers. Particularly around the g-i blocks seemingly at random and limited. A fair number of 1940 Lugers have for decades also been reported with the black grips in that general range as well. It is likely that the Army was evaluating, via instruction to Mauser to install those, various composition grips about a year before deciding on the black type and authorizing them in mid 1941. This was a common approach to most every change the German army implemented. All an educated guess on my part but i think if they are original period they may well be original to the gun.

Luger came in, initially I thought it was i block but is actually L block. They are type 1 grips and I have vetted them with multiple individuals and a consensus that they are original. Do you think they are too far outside the range to be original to the gun?

 

[Philip]

Luger came in, initially I thought it was i block but is actually L block. They are type 1 grips and I have vetted them with multiple individuals and a consensus that they are original. Do you think they are too far outside the range to be original to the gun?

The composition grips have been reported for some years in many if not most every block of 1940 42 code Mausers from h onwards. Its always difficult to say for certain if composition grips have always been on Luger but sometimes wear patterns and really solid vet chain of custody, particularly on guns found 30-50 years are about as rock solid as anything on any gun can be. After all even numbers can be now perfectly faked. As I thought initially the grips are almost certainly original. The gun with grips is very credible IMO.

 

[fishermankw]

The composition grips have been reported for some years in many if not most every block of 1940 42 code Mausers from h onwards. Its always difficult to say for certain if composition grips have always been on Luger but sometimes wear patterns and really solid vet chain of custody, particularly on guns found 30-50 years are about as rock solid as anything on any gun can be. After all even numbers can be now perfectly faked. As I thought initially the grips are almost certainly original. The gun with grips is very credible IMO.

Appreciate the insight and feedback - came out of PA and the individual I bought it from was not overly excited nor tried to brag up the grips. I’ve bought a few from him as he seemingly gets them out of the woodwork and sells at a reasonable price. He didn’t have any extra info on this one so I guess most is lost to history now.

 

[Philip]

It’s a big plus that the grip condition is completely consistent with the finish condition on the metal. When the grips have been added more often than not the two are not consistent if one examines the piece carefully. Getting it right becomes more difficult if the the finish is towards the “minty”‘side like this one and therefore demands mint grips or the other extreme of being extremely worn and needing beater grips. The middle has more wiggle room. The other things in its favor is that the seller was not pushing the variation and the fact that there is support that this variation did exist….for a Luger of this timeframe.