WWII Mauser Model 1934 byf P08 P-08 Black Widow Luger, Blue 4” SA Semi-Automatic Pistol & Holster, MFD 1942 C&R

Sold For: $1,904.00
LSB#: 160826SR01

Make: Mauser

Model: Model 1934 byf “Black Widow” Luger

Serial Number: 4593c

Year of Manufacture: 1942

Caliber: 9mm Luger

Action Type: Toggle Type Single Action Semi-Auto, Removable Magazine.

Markings: The locking bolt, left side plate , the left side of the trigger, sear bar, sear bar safety, extractor, front toggle, the back of the rear toggle and the left side of the pin holding the rear toggle to the receiver are all marked “93”.The inside surface of the sideplate is marked “46”. The front toggle is also marked “byf”, the code for Mauser. The left side of the breechblock is marked with a winged eagle holding a globe with Swastika. The left side of the frame under the safety is marked “GESICHERT” and in front of the safety with “P.08”. The left side of the receiver at the chamber is marked “4593”. The top of the chamber is marked “42”. The right side of the receiver is marked with two winged eagles over “135” and a winged eagle holding a globe with Swastika, as shown on line 29, pg. 236 of “Luger Variations” by H.E. Jones for an early Mauser military pistol. The left side of the barrel is marked with an “Eagle / 135”, and the right side with an eagle holding a globe with Swastika and an asterisk. The asterisk has a tiny circle in its center and seven points that we can see clearly. The underside of the barrel is marked “4594 / 8,81” and the front of the frame under the barrel is marked “4594 / c”. The left side of the extractor is marked “GELADEN”.

Barrel Length: 4”

Sights / Optics: This pistol is mounted with a “V” notch in the back of the toggle and a blade front sight dovetailed into a banded base on the barrel. The rear ramped face of the front sight blade is serrated.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered black plastic. The smooth borders show only a few tiny marks. The checkering in the right grip shows light wear with a few tiny mars in the center rear of the grip. The checkering in the left grip shows light to moderate wear, with a larger marred area in the center of the grip. The grips are tight on the frame. The grips rate in about Fine overall condition.

Type of Finish: The pistol is blued.

Finish Originality: The finish is original.

Bore Condition: The bore is mottled bright and gray with sharp rifling. There is extremely light erosion scattered throughout the bore.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 94% of its current metal finish. There is extremely light pinprick surface erosion sprinkled over the front strap and backstrap. There is surface loss from holster wear on the front barrel band, the front corners of the frame rails and the left sideplate. There is thinning at the bottom of the backstrap and on the edges of the trigger guard. There is a small spot of thinning on the left side of the receiver in front of the sideplate, on the front right lower corner of the frame and on the tops of each of the toggle knobs. The serrations on the toggle knobs and the knurling on the locking bolt are sharp, while the knurling on the toggle knobs and magazine release and the serrations on the safety show light wear. The grip screws are sharp and the markings are clear, although the proof marks on the right side of the receiver are shallow, we believe to be a normal occurrence with war time production. Overall, this pistol rates in about Fine condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a total of two magazines, a black leather top flap holster and a tool. Bolt magazines are blued with aluminum bottom pieces and are marked in the lower left front corner with an “Eagle / 37” Waffenamt, which identify the magazines as having been made by Haenel of Suhl. The magazine in the pistol is marked “fxo” above the Waffenamt and at the rear with “P.08”. The bottom piece is marked “477 / r / +”. The body of the magazine shows thinning and the bottom piece shows a few dings and several tiny dings in its edges. The magazine is in about Very Good condition. The spare magazine is marked “122” over the Waffenamt and its bottom piece is marked “2095 / d / +”. The body shows thinning with a small dent in the left side above the bottom piece. There is a large ding in the left front edge of the bottom piece, the top of the right side is badly abraded, and the remainder shows several small dings. The magazine is in about Good to Very Good condition. The holster is formed from two pieces of leather, one which is molded to fit this pistol which is sewn around its periphery to a flat piece, which forms its back side. The back of the holster sticks up past the top of the outside of the holster and forms the hinge to the top flap which is sewn to its upper edge. The top flap has a short strap sewn to it for securing to a buckle sewn to the rear edge of the holster. There is a magazine pouch sewn to the front of the holster, a tool pouch sewn to the inside of the top flap and a pull strap inserted through a slot in the outside of the holster for ease in removing the pistol. There are two belt loops sewn to the back of the holster. The back of the holster is marked “bla/41” and “P.08” in large letters. The former mark identifies the holster as having been made by E.G. Leuner of Bautzen in 1941. The holster shows thinning of its finish at the muzzle and at the front and rear corners of the top flap. The magazine pouch shows several scuff marks in the leather and a few lighter marks. There are several light marks in the outside of the holster and light surface cracks in the top flap. The stitching is all intact and the hinge shows no cracks. This holster is in about Fine condition and would clean-up very nicely with a light coat of shoe polish. The tool pouch on the inside of the top flap contains a blued steel screwdriver tool. The tool is marked with an “Eagle / 63” Waffenamt, indicating it was made by Mauser between 1935 and 1939. The tool shows thinning on its edges and is in about Fine condition.

Our Assessment: The Luger (Pistole Parabellum or P-08) is perhaps the most aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing of all autoloading centerfire pistols. It is also one of the strongest, most accurate and most recognizable service pistols ever made. Georg Luger developed his famous pistol in 1898-1899 (starting with the Borchardt/Luger transitional pistol). The Luger is, essentially, a much-improved Borchardt type pistol, which was itself based on the toggle action concept used by Sir Hiram Maxim in the world’s first practical machine gun. The Maxim shot its way to bloody fame in World War 1, which also became the combat proving ground for the Luger Pistol. Even though the Luger had been technically replaced as the main service sidearm by the P38, they were still manufactured by the Germans up to and including 1942 and continued to be used in the services throughout WWII. This is a Mauser Model 1934 byf Luger pistol manufactured in 1942 and has the correct proof marks on the right side of the receiver and barrel for that model. All of the serial numbers match except for the magazines. The pistol is in about Fine condition with 94% of its ‘all black’ (blued) finish remaining. The bore is mottled bright/gray with sharp rifling and light erosion scattered throughout the bore. This pistol will be great for those wanting a piece of German history. Collectors are always looking for pistols with matching serial numbers and the correct markings. The bore is definitely shootable, and if this pistol gets past the collectors, which isn’t likely, it will make a good pistol for home defense or informal target practice. Though we do not have any documentation, our consignor said that this was a bring back from the war, which can be backed up by the lack of import marks. Please see our pictures and good luck.