WWI 1914 DWM P.08 Luger 9mm German Empire Imperial Proofed P08

Description:

MANUFACTURER: DWM (DEUTSCHE WAFFEN- UND MUNITIONSFABRIKEN)
MODEL: P.08 LUGER
ISSUE DATE: 1914
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: GERMAN EMPIRE
SERIAL NUMBER: 2194a
MANUFACTURER CODE: DWM INTERTWINED MONOGRAM
WAFFENAMT / PROOFS: ORIGINAL IMPERIAL GERMAN CROWN/X, CROWN/Q, AND CROWN/E INSPECTION ACCEPTANCE MARKS
ISSUED BRANCH: IMPERIAL GERMAN ARMY (DEUTSCHES HEER)
CONFLICT DEPLOYMENT: WORLD WAR I
PROVENANCE/RECORDS: ALL MATCHING COMPONENTS EXCEPT MAGAZINE
ARMORY/INSPECTION MARKS: FACTORY ASSEMBLY MARKING, IMPERIAL CROWN/X, CROWN/Q, CROWN/E INSPECTION MARKS, IMPERIAL FINAL ACCEPTANCE STAMP, MATCHING TOGGLE ASSEMBLY NUMBER "94"
CALIBER: 9MM LUGER 
CAPACITY: 8+1 ROUNDS
BARREL LENGTH: 4.00"
BARREL FEATURES: FIXED BARREL
RIFLING: RIGHT-HAND RIFLING
OPERATING SYSTEM: SHORT-RECOIL, TOGGLE-LOCKED
ACTION: SEMI-AUTOMATIC
TRIGGER: SINGLE-ACTION
IRON SIGHTS: RAMP FRONT, V-NOTCH REAR
FRAME: ALL-STEEL FRAME WITH STOCK LUG
GRIP: FACTORY CHECKERED WALNUT WOOD GRIPS
FIREARM FINISH: ORIGINAL MILITARY BLUED FINISH WITH NITRE BLACK SMALL PARTS
CONDITION: VERY GOOD ORIGINAL MILITARY CONDITION - STRONG BORE 
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: 1914 CHAMBER DATE, DWM INTERTWINED MONOGRAM WITH FACTORY ASSEMBLY MARKING, CRISP IMPERIAL ACCEPTANCE MARKS, NITRE BLACK SMALL PARTS, STOCK LUG, LANYARD LOOP
WHAT’S INCLUDED: PISTOL, ONE NON-MATCHING MAGAZINE

Manufactured by Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) in 1914, this Imperial P.08 Luger was produced during the opening year of the First World War as Germany mobilized for what would become one of history's defining conflicts. Among Imperial Lugers, the 1914 chamber date is widely regarded as one of the most desirable, representing the transition from peacetime manufacture to wartime service. Produced before Germany's wartime production economy transformed arms manufacture, these early DWM pistols exhibit the painstaking machining, polishing, and hand-fitting that established the Luger as the benchmark of military pistol craftsmanship. Issued to officers, NCOs, artillery units, machine gun detachments, and specialized troops throughout the
Great War, the 1914 DWM remains one of the most historically significant and sought-after military Lugers in existence.

Designed by Georg Luger, the P.08 employs its legendary short-recoil, toggle-locked operating system, delivering exceptional mechanical precision, remarkable balance, and a level of natural pointability that has rarely been equaled by any military handgun before or since. Chambered in the revolutionary 9mm Luger cartridge, this pistol helped establish the world's most widely adopted military handgun caliber. More than a century later, its silky toggle action, outstanding accuracy, and unmistakable profile continue to define the standard by which classic military sidearms are judged. Few service pistols combine mechanical elegance and battlefield effectiveness as successfully as the P.08, cementing its place as one of the most recognizable and influential military handguns ever produced.

This example bears the highly desirable DWM intertwined toggle monogram and retains its original Imperial German military inspection and acceptance marks. The receiver is correctly stamped with the original Crown/X, Crown/Q, and Crown/E inspection acceptance marks, followed by the Imperial German final military acceptance stamp, confirming inspection and acceptance into Imperial Army service. Among the pistol's most attractive surviving details is the sharply struck DWM intertwined factory monogram accompanied by its original factory assembly marking beneath it—a subtle manufacturing characteristic often overlooked by casual buyers but immediately appreciated by experienced Luger collectors. These surviving factory markings are tangible evidence of DWM's meticulous hand-fitting and inspection process, underscoring the pistol's authenticity while preserving the manufacturing characteristics that advanced collectors value more than a century after it left the factory. Serial number 2194a, bearing the "a" suffix consistent with DWM's 1914 serial numbering sequence, retains matching visible numbered components with the sole exception of the magazine—a common and widely accepted characteristic among authentic service-used Imperial Lugers.

Finding an original 1914 DWM with crisp Imperial acceptance marks, matching visible numbered components, honest military wear, and untouched factory inspection details has become increasingly difficult as collector demand continues to grow. Many surviving P.08 pistols were rebuilt, refinished, force-matched, or otherwise altered during two World Wars and decades of military service, permanently reducing the number of authentic Imperial examples available today. Every honest Imperial Luger carries its own story, but examples retaining this combination of correct inspection marks, matching visible numbered components, documented wartime production, and surviving factory manufacturing details are becoming increasingly difficult to acquire as they disappear into long-term collections. This is the kind of pistol collectors search for—not because it is perfect, but because it remains authentic.

Few military handguns command the respect and admiration of an original Imperial P.08 Luger. The unmistakable silhouette, beautifully executed nitre black controls, precision-machined steel construction, iconic toggle mechanism, and crisp Imperial acceptance marks showcase the extraordinary craftsmanship that established Germany's worldwide reputation for precision arms manufacture. Collectors know that the finest Lugers tell their story through their markings as much as their mechanics, and this example's sharp Imperial inspection stamps, DWM intertwined monogram, surviving factory assembly marking, matching numbered components, and desirable 1914 chamber date combine to create a pistol every bit as compelling as its battlefield history. Whether displayed beside an Imperial Pickelhaube or occupying the centerpiece of an advanced Luger collection, this 1914 DWM represents the kind of honest World War I sidearm that becomes the cornerstone of a collection rather than a placeholder within it.
 
***Please see pictures for condition and wear***

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Handgun Caliber: 9x19mm Parabellum (9mm Luger, 9x19mm NATO)
Manufacturer: DWM (DEUTSCHE WAFFEN- UND MUNITIONSFABRIKEN)
Model: P.08 LUGER
Serial Number: 2194a
Barrel Length: 3.94
Bore Info: Strong
Condition: Good
Metal Condition: Good
Wood Condition: Good
Bore Condition: Good

Price: $1,649.99
Shipping: $34.99