The Luger P08 pistol
This weapon, also known as the Luger Parabellum, has the particularity of being one of the very first models of semi-automatic pistols. As a reminder, a semi-automatic fires a single cartridge each time the trigger is pulled, but recharges itself as long as there are cartridges available. Created in 1898 by Georg Luger, produced from 1900 to 1942 by the Deutsche Waffen und Munitionfabriken brand, its manufacture was then taken over by the Mauser factories.
A very present weapon during and after two world conflicts
The effective and practical side of the weapon having been widely approved, after the end of the war, the Allied countries, and first and foremost France, did not fail to recover it for their benefit. Indeed, after 1945, the Mauser factories were in the zone occupied by France. The French state thus took advantage of the situation to manufacture weapons that equipped the gendarmerie and the army between 1945 and 1955.
The specifications of the Luger P08
« Si vis pacem, para bellum ». In other words, "if you want peace, prepare for war". It is from this Latin quotation that the name Parabellum comes from. The pistol was only really called Luger after it was imported into the United States by the Stoeger firm, which registered the name Luger, the custom in America being to give weapons the name of their creator.
Initially produced in 7.65 mm calibre, the Luger has been produced in several versions. The most important modification, and the most popular, was the transformation of the barrel from 7.65 mm to 9 mm (= the most popular calibre at the time).
The Luger P08 is the standard model of the German army, designed in 1908. It is a 9 mm calibre weapon, with a barrel length of 10.2 cm. 8 shots model, the Luger P08 has not undergone any real modifications since this period. It is a handgun considered to be easy to handle, relatively accurate, in that, like any handgun, it does not benefit from an adjustable sighting system, with a range of 50 metres and rather reliable.
Nevertheless, over time, the Luger P08 has proven to be less safe than other models developed later, such as the P38. The 9 mm Parabellum cartridges, on the other hand, have evolved considerably. As a result, while they were originally designed for the Luger P08, over time they became heavier and a little too powerful for the P08, with the toggle loading system too light for such ammunition. Gradually, the Luger P08 was abandoned and mainly started to become a collector's item during the 1950s.
Replicas available at the armoury
At Jean Pierre Fusil, we only offer weapons for defence and leisure. The Luger P08 is offered in the form of a CO2 pistol for adults.
