[Jan C Still]

1917 LP08, SERIAL NUMBER 1096a, DETAILS AND WAR HISTORY.

1917 DWM LP08 Lugers (often called artillery) are reported in the 248 to 4884w serial range. P08 models are interspersed in the same serial range as LP08's during 1917. About 90,000 1917 dated LP08's were manufactured. The front and rear sight were initially fine tuned. Later in production the fine tuned feature was discontinued on the front sight and then on the rear sight. Less than 1 percent were unit marked.
A directive dated August 11, 1917 ordered each infantry company on the Western Front to be armed with 10 Long P08's for attack purposes (Gortz, 1994). A similar directive ordered the arming of the Sturmbattilone with Long P08's with 6 extra magazines each (Schad, 1993). This special arming for assault troops would require most of the 1917 Long P08 production (Imperial Lugers, page xxv).
Of 800 reported unit marked Imperial Lugers 92 are LP08's and 68 of these are dated 1917. Of these 68, 53 are marked to infantry regiments, 5 to infantry regiment machine gun companies, 6 to infantry regiment minenwerfer companies and 4 to various other units.


Download Attachment: 1917LP08MW721.jpg
23.2KB
Figure 1. Left slant view of 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a. The serial number placement is exposed (military style).


Download Attachment: 1917LP08MW722.jpg
26.36KB
Figure 2. Right side 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a. These all have a stock lug and hold open.


Download Attachment: 1917LP08MW723.jpg
13.02KB
Figure 3. Top of 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a..

Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator

 

[Jan C Still]

Download Attachment: GFSabcd.jpg
56.29KBFigure 4. Right receiver and barrel 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a. The receiver proofs and acceptance stamps are under the blue and often tend to be washed out when compared to the sharp delicate barrel proof. The barrel proof is of the style usually seen on Erfurt Lugers and it has often been theorized that the LP 08 barrels were all manufactured at the Erfurt plant. However, the inspectors and their stamps were beholding to an acceptance commission not the Erfurt plant. Manufacture of artillery barrels by DWM and their acceptance with a stamp similar to the Erfurt stamp or by an inspector assigned from the Erfurt plant is a more probable theory, in my opinion.


GFSa2.jpg
Figure 5. 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a. Details of the tangent rear sight. It is fine tuned and graduated to 800 meters in100 meter increments. As the sight is raised it increasingly shifts to the left to compensate for bullet drift. All the parts are numbered with the last two digits of the Lugers serial number.

GFSa4.jpg
Figure 6. Front sight of 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a. It is also fine tuned.


Download Attachment: GFSa5.jpg
53.92KB
Figure 7. Front of frame and bottom of barrel of 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a. Note: the halo around the digits of the barrel serial number, letter suffix and gauge; and the lack of halo on the frame serial number. The barrel serial number is through the blue and the frame serial is under the blue.

Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator

 

[Jan C Still]

Download Attachment: gfsa6.jpg
60.01 KB
Figure 8. Grips of 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a. They are stamped with a 96.


GFSa9.jpg

Figure 9. Front of 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a.


Download Attachment: GFSa10.jpg
54.47 KB
Figure 10. Details of 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a, unit markings. R.J.R.72.M.W.5. which signifies Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 72, Minenwerfer-Kompagnie, Waffe Nr.5
During World War I the Reserve Infanterie Regiment 72 was part of the 7th Reserve Division. It fought in some of the biggest battles of World War I: at the Marne, Verdun, Somme, Aisne, Champagne, Picardy, Soissons and Meuse-Argone.

On Sept 26, 1918 the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 72 battled the Americans at the Meuse-Argone and was swamped by the American attack with losses of 3500. Lugers unit marked to the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 72 are more common in American collections than those unit marked to other units. The probable reason is because Americans soldiers collected these lugers from the battlefield and from captured & dead Germans. They then returned home to the United States with their war trophies.


Download Attachment: GFSa11.jpg
49.4KB
Figure 11. 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a, complete with holster, stock cleaning rod and tool.


Download Attachment: GFSa12.jpg
32.43KB
Figure 12. Stock for 1917 DWM LP08, serial number 1096a.. Note: the crack following the grain of the wood from left to right.


Download Attachment: GFSa13.jpg
38.67KB
Figure 13. Ersatz or field repair of crack in stock with tacks. It still holds.



Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator

 

[Jan C Still]

Download Attachment: GFSa14.jpg
55.53 KB
Figure 14. Holster manufacturer with 1917 date.


Download Attachment: GFSa15.jpg
61.35 KB
Figure 15. Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 72 Luger with its World War I battle history.


Download Attachment: GFSa16.jpg
94.63 KB
Figure 16. Minenwerfer crew armed with the LP08. There are 8 Minenwerfer marked Imperial Lugers reported. All are LP08 and six are dated 1917.


GFSa17.jpg

Figure 17. Details of LP08 holsters in use from Figure 16.


Download Attachment: GFSa18.jpg
34.84KB
Figure 18. More details of LP08 holsters in use from Figure 16.


Download Attachment: GFSa19.jpg
109.96KB
Figure 19. A Minenwerfer crew crosses no mans land as part of a sturmbataillion attack on the Western Front. Minenwerfer Lugers such as that shown here in were used in such attacks.

 

[Ronald Welch]

I hope it ok to ask a question: I have a dwm1917 arty. luger ser.#847a and it has a small screw on the side of the sight is thisto fine tune the sight?
ronald welch

 

[Ronald Welch]

I hope its ok to ask a question,I have a DWM 1917 arty ser#847a and it has a small screw on front sight, is this to fine tune the sight?

ronald welch


Ronald Welch

 

[Jan C Still]

Ron
This forum is so people can ask questions. Look at Figure 7 above. Is the "screw" like this?
Jan

Jan C Still
Site Owner - Operator

 

[Ronald Welch]

quote:Originally posted by Jan C Still

Ron
This forum is so people can ask questions. Look at Figure 7 above. Is the "screw" like this?
Jan

NO it not its on the side of the rear sight and it seems to lock the rear sight at any distant
Ron----PS.I hope you'll have time to answer my simson question
thanks much



Ronald Welch

 

[Jerry]

My 1917 sn# 7127 (E OR L LETTER)has no front sight adjustment.Just info

 

[Jan C Still]

Ron
Is like Figure 6 or Figure 7 above? If it is not please supply a photograph. Jan

 

[Jan C Still]

For more photographs and information on the Reserve Infantry Regiment 72 and its Lugers see:
Under the section1900-1918: P.08-Army Lugers see: "1908 DWM, COMMERCIAL ARMY, R.I.R.72.M.G." and "1908 DWM, SN 6747, R.I.R.72.M.G.34." and "BATTLE HISTORY OF THE R.I.R.72."

Under the section 1900-1918: Luger Unit Markings see “FOUR R.J.R.72. LUGERS”.
Jan