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P-08 1940 Code 42 Question

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agentcq

Senior Member
I saw a P-08 1940 Code 42 at a gun show on the weekend. However, it had a black fxo magazine and black bakelite grips and appeared to be a "Black Widow Luger". From the little knowledge and experience I have, most of these so-called "Black Widow Lugers" are byf coded and dated 1941-42.

So my question is, do any legit 1940's exist or was this rifle simply 'pimped out'? I have seen pictures of others on the internet, but perhaps these are farb as well.

Is there a good website for a dating a WWII P-08 to month of production?

Thank you
 
In my opinon, It did not leave the factory that way. Only walnut and brown bakelite. The brown grips are kreighoff grips that mauser used during a few distinct letter blocks.

They could have been replaced by an armourer but no way to tell.

Reading a little more on the topic it appears thay black grips show up on some 1940s, but no one can say factory or not.

If it was a later letter block, I would be more inclined tp believe the possibility.

In this case however, the fact they added the black bottom FXO mag leads me to believe they made it up.
 
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I think it’s pretty well accepted that black plastic grips saw some use late in 1940. I have heard of some that are numbered to guns.
 
What muddies the water on these is that I've come across earlier Lugers with black bakelite grips that had to be period replacements, probably from armorer's kits.
 
We are all assuming the grips are real in the first place. I would pull them off and see what variation they are.
 
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