G09952 P08 LUGER HOLSTER. (Pistolentaschen P08) 

BACKGROUND: The P08 ("Pistole" model 1908), more commonly referred to after the surname of its designer, Georg "Luger," saw service throughout the first world war, during the Reichswehr era, and was adopted as the official pistol of the Wehrmacht prior to WWII. Although popular, its toggle breech was prone to dirt entry, which affected its performance. In 1938 the weapons firm of Carl Walther developed the P38 pistol as its successor. Although the P08 was never fully replaced by the P38, manufacture of the earlier pistol was discontinued in 1943. 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A brown leather, hard shell holster for the standard, 4" barrel P08. Its molded, top fold-over flap is sewn along its reverse to the back of the holster body by a leather hinge, and has a 3/4" wide, 4 1/2" long strap with three buckling holes sewn diagonally to its forward edge. This strap mates with a single-pronged metal buckle, on a short leather tab with a retaining loop, sewn to the lower left of the holster’s molded body. A 5 1/2" tall, 1 1/4" wide, open-topped, molded pocket for a magazine is sewn along the right side of the holster. To the reverse, immediately beneath the aforementioned hinge, are sewn two vertical leather belt loops, each 3/4" wide and approximately 2 3/8" tall. The interior of the fold-over flap features a small, horizontal pocket with its own fold-over flap and stud hole, which mates with a brass stud to its front. This would originally have held the Luger’s take-down tool. Impressed to the larger flap’s interior, immediately above the small pocket, is what appears to be "J.F.G. Luger, " "Berlin," and "1913." Rivetted to the interior rear wall of the holster’s body, and exiting through a small, horizontal slot to the body’s front, is an approximately 6" long, 3/8" wide leather strap, whose free end is knotted. This acted as a quick release pull, as it would have rested just forward of the pistol’s trigger guard when it was seated in the holster. Light surface spotting may be seen to the holster’s metal buckle, and verdigris to the brass stud on its small, internal pocket. It appears that one belt loop has been re-stitched, although all of the remaining stitching is original. All of its smooth leather exhibits the expected surface scratching and chafe wear, with heavier chafe wear and cracking evident along its hinge, one of its belt loops, the base of its magazine pouch, and to its closure strap, but it is otherwise supple and intact.

GRADE ***1/4                             PRICE $165.00

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