DWM Model 1914 Military P.08 Luger, Export Marked, Blue 4” WWI Semi-Automatic Pistol & Holster, MFD 1916 C&R

Sold For: $1,502.00

LSB#: 170201SW02

Make: DWM

Model: 1914 Military Luger

Serial Number: 7681c

Year of Manufacture: 1916

Caliber: 9mm Luger

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

Markings: The left sideplate, the left side of the trigger, sear bar, sear bar safety, takedown lever, extractor, back of the rear toggle link and the top of the front toggle link are marked “81”. The rear toggle is marked with a script “DWM”. The front of the frame under the barrel and the underside of the barrel are marked “7681 / c” and the barrel is also marked “8,83”. The left side of the frame behind the trigger is marked “I” and with an inspection mark. The top of the receiver at the chamber is marked “1916” and the left side of the chamber is marked “7681”. The right side of the receiver is marked with three crowned scripted characters and an eagle as resembling the first four characters shown on line 10, pg. 234 of “Luger Variations” by H.E. Jones, for DWM military pistols, and the top of the barrel is marked with the 5th character, a sideways Eagle. The left side of the breechblock is marked with an Eagle. The left front frame rail is marked “GERMANY” twice (indicates the pistol was sold for export ). The left side of the frame in front of the safety is marked “GESICHERT”. The underside of the grip panels are both marked “81” and “W”. The bottom face of the lug on the underside of the barrel chamber is marked “N” and the chamber in front of the lug is marked “N”, “V”, “R” and “C”. The well at the front of the frame is marked “N”, “W”, “K” and “Z”.

Barrel Length: 4”

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

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut with both grips dark from oil staining. The checkering shows moderate to heavy somewhat uneven wear, with the bottom edges of the checkering worn smooth. There are a few tiny mars in the checkering. The grips rate in about Very Good overall condition.

Type of Finish: The finish is blued. The ejector, trigger, takedown lever and the right side of the magazine release have a straw color. The pins holding the rear toggle and the sear bar spring have a fire blue finish.

Finish Originality: The finish is original.

Bore Condition: The bore is bright, tending to gray at the muzzle. The rifling is sharp. There is a tiny spot of erosion in one of the grooves near the muzzle.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 88% of its metal finish. There is extremely light pinprick surface erosion sprinkled over the left side of the barrel and the front strap. There is surface loss at the front edge of the barrel band, the front corners of the frame rails and the edges of the left sideplate. There are several light handling marks scattered over the barrel and frame. There is thinning at the bottom of the backstrap and marks through the finish in the back of the frame below the rear toggle. The serrations and knurling on the toggle knobs shows extremely light wear. The safety serrations show light wear and the takedown lever and magazine release knurling is sharp. The right grip screw is sharp but the left shows light marks from a screwdriver. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol rates in about Fine condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The receiver is tight to the frame. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a total of two magazines and a black leather top flap holster. The magazine in the pistol has a tin finish with a wooden bottom piece. The bottom piece is marked “4495 / d” and “+”. The magazine shows spots of surface loss with erosion. The bottom piece shows a few dings on its side edges. The magazine is in about Very Good condition. The spare magazine is blued with a metal bottom piece. The left bottom side of the magazine is marked with “122” and “Eagle /37”, the secret factory code and Waffenamt for Haenel of Suhl during WWII. The bottom piece is marked with an “Eagle / 37”, “577” and “+”. The magazine shows minimal wear with several tiny dings in the edges of the bottom piece and a large bruise on its bottom surface. The magazine is in about Fine condition. The back side of the holster is made from a thick flat piece of leather with a two belt loops sewn to it, and a leather hinge sewn along its top edge. The front part of the holster is formed to fit the pistol and sewn along the edges of the back piece, with a magazine pouch sewn to its front surface. The top flap is sewn to the leather hinge and secured via a strap sewn to its outside surface to a buckle sewn to the back edge of the holster. The rear face is marked “E G. LEUNER GmbH / BAUTZEN / 1941” and with an “Eagle / WaA140” Waffenamt. There is a pull strap sewn to the inside of the holster to make removing the pistol from the holster easier, and there is a tool pouch sewn to the inside surface of the top strap. The leather is sewn with white thread which is all intact and the hinge is without cracks. There are a few light marks in the back face of the holster. Overall, the holster is in about Excellent 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 One, which also became the combat proving ground for the Luger Pistol. The Luger was so well liked and reliable that it was still being made and issued to German troops well after the P38 was adopted by the army. This DWM Military M1914 is in about Fine condition with about 88% of its original metal finish remaining. The bore is bright, tending to gray at the muzzle, with sharp rifling and a tiny spot of erosion in one of the grooves near the muzzle. The pistol is correctly marked for a 1914 Military Model, but also has “GERMANY” stamped on the left side of the frame, indicating it was sold for export following WWI without having to be refurbished as were so many of the 1920 Commercial models. The serial numbers on the pistol and grips all match, but one magazine is from a different gun, and the spare magazine and top flap leather holster are from WWII. This is a nice find for Luger collectors and those with an interest in German military arms as used in WWI and WWII. Most of the M1914 Military pistols that survived WWI and/or WWII have been arsenal reworked, have unmatched numbers or have been refinished, making pistols like this one a rare find.

DWM Model 1914 Military P.08 Luger, Export Marked, Blue 4” WWI Semi-Automatic Pistol & Holster, MFD 1916 C&R
DWM Model 1914 Military P.08 Luger, Export Marked, Blue 4” WWI Semi-Automatic Pistol & Holster, MFD 1916 C&R