Luger P08 (Pistole Parabellum 1908 / Parabellum-Pistole)

History

The German P08 pistol (or "Pistole 1928" or "P'08" or "Luger") was one of the most famous German pistol designs of World War II. Their origins are actually much earlier than this, before the First World War, and they were originally made by Hugo Borchardt.

It wasn't until later in the gun's life, when the design was pushed by a certain Geroge Luger, that the "Luger" designation remained consistent with the pistol design. In this sense, the term Luger may be misleading, but it is still true to an extent.

The original P08 production model, chambered for the 7.65mm bullet, was adopted by the Swiss Army as early as 1900. The better known version of the Luger became the Pistole 1928 as it was the production model inherited from the 1908.

The model itself is an improved version of the previous generation 9mm pistol, dubbed the "new style".

In 1914, P08 products began to appear in other lines, such as the Koniglich Rifle Factory Erfurt series, around this time the optional shoulder rest entered the design.

Despite the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles on Germany's defeat, production of the pistol continued, both within Germany and on production lines elsewhere in Europe - at the time for the more familiar 9mm Parabellum cartridge. The British even produced P08 series pistols through Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, with parts supplied by Germany.

These versions were eventually shipped via the Netherlands to the Dutch East Indies troops abroad.

Considering the complex design of the locking mechanism, the P08 series proved to be an extremely reliable and robust pistol. This fact also proved that it was extremely complicated to produce the required quantities of P08 during the war.

However, reviews of the system's launch action are positive, allowing for easy use in the point-and-shoot department.

The Luger was in production until the early days of World War II, when its eventual successor, the Walther P38, was introduced. Official production of the P 08 Luger continued until 1942, with around 2 million units produced in total, including variants and sub-variants.

The Luger later became a favorite pistol for collectors, some of whom were prize collectors themselves Allied troops - they confiscated the pistol as a trophy for their exploits in and during the war. Although expected to be replaced in large numbers by the upcoming Walther P 38, this pistol was never produced in numbers as expected, making the Luger available in most frontline and back-up situations.

Ultimately, the pistol proved to be durable and occasionally reappeared in the production of any company around the world. A special variant of the P 08 series is the P17 gun model, which has a barrel that is 8 inches longer than the standard P 08.

However, this variant was rated for a full 32 rounds (in drum magazines) and was not produced during WWII.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes