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Luger P08 pistol

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 14:12 Written by Administrator Thursday, 02 July 2009 12:44

The Luger P08 is a German semiautomatic pistol that was designed by Georg J. Luger and manufactured by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM). The pistol was widely use by Germany during the First and Second World Wars.

The initial versions of the Luger P08 were chambered for 7.65x22mm Parabellum. However, variants of the pistol were also designed to use the larger 9x19mm Parabellum round.

The design of the Luger P08 is based on the earlier Borchardt C-93. The C-93 was the first semiautomatic pistol to be ever manufactured in large numbers. The P08, however, features several modifications and enhancements that its predecessor.

During the First World War, submachine guns came into widespread use and proved to be very effective in trench warfare. The German Army began to conduct experiments to create machine pistols that were capable of firing bullets continuously similar to submachine guns. The Luger P08 and the Mauser C96 were converted into machine pistols. However unlike the C96, the P08 had excessive rates of fire and so only a small number were converted to machine pistols.

The Mauser P08 was the standard sidearm of the German Army during both the World Wars. The Swiss Army also adopted the pistol in 1900. The United States also considered using the P08 and conducted military trials in limited numbers. However, DWM withdrew supply after sometime for unknown reasons and thus the trials had to be stopped.

Today, the Luger P08 is a sought-after collector’s gun because of its design and association with Imperial Germany and the Nazis. During the First and Second World Wars, it was highly prized by the Allies. Thousands of these pistols were captured and taken home. Many of these are still in circulation today and many are available as collector’s items.