Artillery Parabellum - what is it? Legendary pistols: from Colt's grandfather to the Soviet TT History of creation and production

Luger, P.08 or Parabellum, whatever you want to call it - it can be safely called the most important pistol in history. Yes, before Georg Johann Luger presented his beautiful creation, there were other pistols, but none of them had such a serious impact. The Luger, more than any other handgun, legitimized the concept of a reliable handgun.

Standard imperial pistol Parabellum Luger P.08 from the First World War - classic forms of a classic pistol. Perhaps this is the most recognizable pistol silhouette in the world.

Produced in large numbers in various variants, the Luger was the first semi-automatic pistol to be taken seriously by the military and found its way into the hands of soldiers around the world. Over more than half a century of history, millions of pistols have been manufactured by several companies.

Was it the best pistol ever made? For a while, yes, but when the first Brownings came on the market, Luger began to quickly fade into the shadows, lagging behind technically. But, despite the exotic design, it was still quite good as the main and secondary weapon of the German army during two world wars and many conflicts after 1945. For US Army soldiers returning from the front, there was perhaps no better trophy than the Luger. It also sold well and was popular with the police, and is now a tidbit for military weapon collectors.

Stamps on the hinge and chamber indicate that this Luger P.08 was manufactured by Erfeur Arsenal in 1917. Erfurt produced 150,000 Parabellums that year.

And before Luger was Borchard. German-born inventor Hugo Borchardt, who became an American as a teenager, returned to his homeland and in 1893, together with industrialist Ludwig Loewe, introduced his revolutionary, but unprepossessing, 7.6 mm semi-automatic pistol. The pistol had an unusual design, but was quite reliable and had several promising features, among which the hinged design of the bolt can be highlighted.

The photo shows a typical Luger P.08 pistol safety. Gesichert means "to make safe". When the lever is down, the gun will not fire.

The Austrian Georg Luger saw a perspective in Borchardt's creation, borrowed the hinge mechanism from him and turned the clumsy pistol into an elegant, reliable and compact product. A prototype of his closed-bolt pistol was introduced in 1898. Originally chambered in 7.65x21mm, in 1901 Luger modified his 7.65mm cartridge into the new 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge, which without a doubt became one of the best handgun cartridges of all time, still the NATO standard.

Interestingly, the pistol, so associated with Germany and originally manufactured at the Berlin factory Deutche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken, took time to gain recognition in its homeland. The first tests were carried out by Switzerland, which became the first country to adopt the Luger in 1900, thereby becoming the first major power to adopt a semi-automatic pistol as a main weapon in the weapon system.

Sights at standard model Lugers with a 4-inch barrel were fairly simple - a rear sight cut into the top of the bolt and a front sight with a dovetail mount and notches to prevent glare.

In 1904, a number of 9 mm Luger pistols were adopted by the German navy, and four years later by the army, under the official designation Pistole 08 or P.08. In the end, this charismatic pistol found its way into the arsenals of many countries, including Brazil, Chile, China, Holland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Persia (now Iran), Portugal, Romania, Russia and Turkey.

Among other semi-automatic pistols, he was also tested government commission USA, for this even a version of the caliber .45 ACP was made. The pistol also gained popularity among ordinary Americans, who were offered a limited edition with the image of the American eagle.

Lugers were made with different barrel lengths, various sights and accessories - up to the butt and drum magazine for 32 rounds. Some of them were made in the form of a carbine - this option fell in love with the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was comfortable shooting it with one hand, resting the butt on his shoulder, since his left hand was crippled and didn't work well.

Loading the Parabellum magazine can be tricky due to the stiff spring and the small, knurled feeder button. But using a special tool greatly simplifies the process.

The standard service model with a 4-inch barrel was made in the most large quantities and it is her forms that are most recognizable to this day. Although more exotic versions of the Parabellum have been produced (in most places the name, originally used by the American importer A.F. Steuger, has become more popular than the Luger), sometimes sold for quite a large price. Some samples, preserved in good condition, are still used by shooters. And if you had to choose only one model worthy of being called "classic", it would be the model of the Luger pistol.

Luger pistol("Luger", "Parabellum", German P08, Parabellum, Borchardt-Luger ) is a 9 mm pistol developed in 1898 by the Austrian Georg Luger based on the design of the Hugo Borchardt pistol.

Difficult and expensive to manufacture "Parabellum" nevertheless, it was distinguished by a fairly high reliability, and for its time, was an advanced weapon system.

The main advantage of the "Parabellum" was the very high accuracy of shooting, achieved due to the convenient "anatomical" handle and easy (almost sporty) descent.

PERFORMANCE AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Model:	M.1900	M.1908	LP.08	P.08
Manufacturer:	Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM), etc.			Mauser-Werke A.G.
Cartridge:	7.65x21mm Parabellum	9x19mm Parabellum
Caliber:	7.65 mm	9 mm
Weight without cartridges:	0.835 kg	0.88 kg	1.1 kg	0.87 kg
Weight with cartridges:	n/a			1 kg
Length:	237 mm	223 mm	327 mm	217 mm
Barrel length:	122 mm	102 mm	200 mm	98 mm
Number of grooves in the barrel:	4 right hand	6 right hand
Height:	135 mm
Trigger mechanism (USM):	Impact type
Operating principle:	Recoil of the barrel with its short stroke
Fuse:	Flag, automatic	Flag
Aim:			Front sight and sector sight	Front sight and permanent rear sight with aiming slot
Effective range:	50 m		100 m	50 m
Muzzle velocity:	370 m/s	320 m/s
Type of ammunition:	Detachable magazine
Number of rounds:	8		8,32	8
Years of production:	1900–1902	1908–1932	1913–1918	1933–1942

History of creation and production

The Luger pistol was a talented design alteration borchardt pistol, because of which until 1904 in European countries he called Borchardt-Luger pistol. Hugo Borchardt and Georg Luger were colleagues at a German arms firm Ludwig Loewe & Co. in Karlsruhe, where Georg Luger was fine-tuning a self-loading pistol.

They were: 7.65 mm pistol Borchardt C-93, 7.65 mm pistol Borchardt-Luger M.1900, 7.63 mm pistol Mannlicher M.1900, 9mm pistol "Mars", 7.63 mm pistol Schwarzlose M.1893 "Standard", 9mm FN Browning M1903 pistol, and 7.63mm Mauser C-96 pistol.

The tests were carried out for quite a long time: only by 1904 was the winner announced - a modified pistol Borchardt-Luger M.1900.

In 1903, during the tests, the caliber of the weapon was changed, since in 1902 a more powerful 9 × 19 mm cylindrical pistol cartridge with smokeless powder was developed, converted from a “bottle” 7.65 mm.

December 12, 1904 9mm Luger pistol Marine model 1904 of the Borchardt-Luger system was accepted by the German naval headquarters into service with the German fleet.

August 22, 1908 9-mm Luger pistol called P.08 (Pistole 08) was adopted by the Kaiser's army as a regular short-barreled weapon.

At first series production in 1908 and until the end of the First World War, most commercial, contract and military pistols Luger were produced by the company DWM.

DWM Factory Workshop

Director of company DWM named the gun Parabellum- from the famous Latin proverb "If you want peace, prepare for war"(from lat. - Si vis pacem, para bellum), which served as the motto of the DWM company. This name was also given to its cartridge - 9 × 19 mm Parabellum.

It is worth saying that DWM, after adopting a pistol in Germany, used the name "Parabellum" for commercial pistols only.

In 1910, the royal arsenal in Erfurt joined the production of Luger pistols, producing pistols only for the German army. In total, about 520,000 units of this type of weapon were produced in Erfurt.

After the defeat in the First World War, under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, a number of restrictions were imposed on Germany in the military sphere. In particular, the produced weapons were significantly limited in terms of performance characteristics. So, pistols could not have a barrel length of more than 100 mm and a caliber of more than 8 mm.

Thus, the production of weapons was difficult. However, already in 1920, employees of the arms company Simson in the city of Suhl, work was again continued on the manufacture of Luger pistols in limited quantities for the needs of the police and Reichswehr officers. In 1925, the company joined the manufacture of these weapons. Krieghoff.

In the 20s - 30s, with the help of specialists from Mauser-Werke A.G. production of Lugers was resumed in Switzerland and assembly was organized in Finland.

In 1922, the DWM was reorganized and became known as Berlin-Karlsruher Industrie-Werke(BKIW) and again began to produce Lugers, but now most of the pistols they produced were exported to the United States, where they became known as Luger. In addition to the United States, these weapons are DWM/BKIW bought by Finland. Over a ten-year period from 1920 to 1930, all German companies in total produced over 35,000 units of Luger pistols.

In 1930, the management of the affairs of the DWM / BKIW company came under the control of the company Mauser-Werke A.G., and the production center was transferred to the city of Oberndorf am Neckar. On May 1, 1930, about 800 machine tools and technological equipment were transported there from Karlsruhe. For the next five years, Lugers manufactured by Mauser still bore the stigma DWM.

Models produced for export were engraved with the coat of arms of the customer's country. Many models are engraved with the manufacturer's coat of arms.

An example of engraving on a Luger pistol

Since 1934, the names of manufacturers were not indicated on German small arms - only the codes of weapons manufacturing plants according to the classification of the Armaments Office of the Ground Forces were indicated. Mauser company code S/42.

Since 1930 Mauser-Werke A.G. continued to manufacture Luger pistols for export to the US Army. Persia ordered 3,000 R.08 and 1,000 LP.08.

All Lugers had fairly high quality finishes and accurate fitting of moving parts. The metal surfaces were blued, some samples of these weapons were decorated with engraving. Cheeks - de-tal of the fire-not-shooting-but-weapon, pre-signed to increase the friction of the hand of the shooter on the weapon (usually -but pi-hundred-years) and prevent-slip-slip (especially ben-but when shooting), dis-la-ha-yu-scha-i-sya on pi -hundred-year-old ru-ko-i-ti. Like pra-vi-lo, cheeks made from de-re-va or po-li-me-ra. "> Cheeks grips were made mainly of walnut wood, with a neat fine notch, however, pistols made during the Second World War may have Cheeks - de-tal of the fire-not-shooting-but-weapon, pre-signed to increase the friction of the hand of the shooter on the weapon (usually -but pi-hundred-years) and prevent-slip-slip (especially ben-but when shooting), dis-la-ha-yu-scha-i-sya on pi -hundred-year-old ru-ko-i-ty. Like pra-vi-lo, cheeks made from de-re-va or po-li-me-ra. "> cheeks made of plastic.

In the production of Luger pistols, alloy steel was used, which has increased strength and corrosion resistance. The main parts of the weapon, such as the frame, barrel, bolt, and others, were subjected to conventional heat treatment by hardening to the desired hardness. At the same time, various parts were hardened to the strength they needed. The details of the trigger mechanism and the connecting axles were heat treated by carburizing (carburizing), that is, diffusion saturation of the surface layer of steel with carbon when heated in a carburizing medium. Parts treated in this way acquire their final properties after hardening and low tempering. The purpose of this treatment is to impart high hardness and wear resistance to the surface layer, to increase the contact endurance limit and the bending endurance limit while maintaining a sufficiently viscous core - the main body of the part. The thickness of the carburized layer did not exceed one millimeter. As a result, these parts had both strength and the necessary ductility, which allowed them to constantly withstand the most severe loads.

During World War I, Parabellums were protected from corrosion by acid oxidation (so-called "rusty lacquer" or "rusty bluing"), in which the steel is protected by a rust-like oxide film with a deep black color. Further, in the period between the two world wars and during the Second World War, a more progressive method of applying a protective coating was used - oxidation, which significantly saved time and money. Another type of coating used to protect the surfaces of Luger steel parts is the hot phosphate coating used in the 1920s.

Variants and modifications

M.1900- the first pistol model Borchardt Luger. This model inherited one feature inherent in Borchard's pistols- a small bracket on the right side of the bolt hinge. Her task was to prevent the shutter from rebounding after it was closed. In reality, it turned out to be redundant, because when the lever bolt hinge is closed, it is slightly below the line along which the recoil force acts, and therefore any action aimed at opening the bolt only pressed the hinge more against the receiver.
The important elements of the M.1900 were the safety lever blocking the receiver, which was on the left in the rear of the frame, and the spring ejector, which was located on the flat top surface of the bolt.

M.1902- further development M.1900. This model was chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge, as a result of which the barrel had to be made somewhat thicker and shorter than the previous model. Barrel length 102 mm. The slide and magazine were also slightly modified. The number of rifling in the barrel has been increased from four to six, and the frame and receiver dimensions have become the same. In the final version of the M.1902, the frame, receiver and threaded barrel sleeve were shortened by about 2 mm.

M.1904- became the first mass model pistol "Luger". The first purchase of this weapon occurred after the German fleet was adopted "Self-loading pistol model 1904" (German Selbstlade-Pistole Mod.1904 ) with a barrel length of 147 mm, later known as "Marine Model".

The Model 1904 saw innovations that would then become standard on all subsequent Luger pistols. The conventional spring ejector has been replaced by a new type of ejector with a vertical tooth. The ejector is combined with an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber. The cartridge in the chamber lifts the ejector up. This model has a flip-over sight at a distance of 100 and 200 m. At the bottom of the back of the handle there is a groove for attaching a holster-butt. Caliber 9 mm, length 262 mm, barrel length 147 mm, weight 915 grams, starting speed bullets 350 m/s.

From 1905 to 1918 the firm DWM 81,250 M.1904 pistols were manufactured for the German Navy.

M.1906- in 1906 the gun was modernized. The lamellar return spring in the handle was replaced with a twisted, cylindrical one. The design of the fuse was also changed; he himself was moved down and began to lock the sear. The top of the breech was now semi-circular, the hinge grips were diamond-shaped knurled flat surfaces, and the anti-bounce brace was removed. M.1906 was produced in two versions - chambered for 7.65 mm and 9 mm.

M.1908- this model is different from M.1906 no automatic fuse. M.1908 was most often called simply Pistole 08, or P.08. Like the Model 1906 pistol, it has a coiled cylindrical recoil spring and an extractor, which is combined with a cartridge indicator in the chamber. New with all changes "Marine model 1904» issued with the original name. Total until 1918 by the arms company DWM 908,275 P.08s were produced for the army and 1,500 pistols for civilian use. In Erfurt, 663,600 units were produced from 1911 to 1918.

LP.08- so-called "Artillery Model" adopted June 3, 1913 for service. The pistol is intended for arming field artillery gun crews and non-commissioned officers of machine-gun teams. Designed for shooting up to 800 m with an attached wooden holster-butt. In 1917, an engineer Leer, a 32-round drum magazine was developed for it ( German Trommelmagazin 08 ). Subsequently, this magazine was used in the MP 18.I submachine gun. During the First World War for German army About 198,000 Artillery Model pistols were produced.

In addition to the standard version P.08, in the early 1930s. Mauser-Werke A.G. started production of a special version with an expansion silencer. These weapons began to receive special services, such as the SD, the Gestapo and military intelligence - the Abwehr.

Design and principle of operation

According to the principle of automation Pistol "Parabellum" refers to models of automatic weapons using barrel recoil (short stroke).

The barrel bore is locked using a system of hinged levers that are in the usual position and when firing a shot in the “dead center” position. In this state, folding of the levers under the influence of the rectilinear pressure of the shutter during firing is excluded.

The percussion mechanism of the striker type is located in the gate. It consists of a drummer with a striker, which has Combat platoon - the top of the chicken, blow-no-ka, for-you-ra or for-the-art-ra-we of the arrows-of-the-th-weapon of some-paradise hold -va-et them in a platoon with a hundred-i-nii. "\u003e combat platoon, and mainspring. The trigger mechanism is located in the receiver and the frame of the pistol, it allows only single fire. It consists of a trigger lever with a sear and Uncoupler - de-tal descent-to-in-go me-ha-niz-ma, arrow-to-go weapon, ki-ne-ma-ti-che-ski un-ed-nya-yu- descent-to-vuyu de-tal and whisper-ta-lo after you-str-la. "> uncoupler, transmission (crank) lever and trigger with a spring. The transmission (crank) lever is located in the trigger cover; the lower knee of the lever is connected to the trigger, and the upper knee - Uncoupler - de-tal descent-to-in-go me-ha-niz-ma, arrow-to-go weapon, ki-ne-ma-ti-che-ski un-ed-nya-yu- descent-to-vuyu de-tal and whisper-ta-lo after you-str-la. "> with a disconnector.

The trigger lever is located on the left wall of the receiver; when fired, it moves back along with the receiver. When the trigger lever is released Uncoupler - de-tal descent-to-in-go me-ha-niz-ma, arrow-to-go weapon, ki-ne-ma-ti-che-ski un-ed-nya-yu- descent-to-vuyu de-tal and whisper-ta-lo after you-str-la. "> uncoupler comes out from under the upper knee of the transmission lever. In this case, the connection between the trigger and the trigger lever is broken, so the drummer is held on after each shot. Combat platoon - the top of the chicken, blow-no-ka, for-you-ra or for-the-art-ra-we of the arrows-of-the-th-weapon of some-paradise hold -va-et them in a cocked with-hundred-i-nii. "\u003e combat platoon.

In the event of a misfire, the drummer can be cocked without reloading. To do this, pull the lever rollers before the barrel moves and release. When fired, the barrel moves first, then the bolt. If you take hold of the rollers and pull, then the levers will come out of the dead center position and the shutter will open first. At the same time, the mainspring is compressed and the drummer rises Combat platoon - the top of the chicken, blow-no-ka, for-you-ra or for-the-art-ra-we of the arrows-of-the-th-weapon of some-paradise hold -va-et them in a platoon with a hundred-i-nii. "> combat platoon on

P.08 pistol issued in 1910

To equip the German Imperial Army, which needed modern and effective personal weapons, new tests of the Parabellum model 1906 pistol were launched in 1906. New sample for the armed forces, compared with the model of 1906, had several differences. According to the requirements of the military, the automatic grip safety was excluded from the design of the weapon in order to increase the safety of handling weapons in the troops. The barrel length was 100 mm. Tests showed a small number of delays in firing, mainly caused by the use of low-quality cartridges and the careless handling of weapons by inexperienced soldiers.

On August 22, 1908, the pistol was put into service as a standard short-barreled weapon of the Kaiser army under the name "Pistole Parabellum P.08". The needs of the army in personal weapons were so great that since 1911 the factories of the Erfurt Arsenal were connected to the manufacture of the P.08. Then the state arsenal in Spandau began the production of parts and components. Shooting was most effective at a distance of up to 50 meters. When hit from 10 meters at an angle of 90 °, the bullet pierced a German steel helmet, from 25 meters - a pine tree 150 mm thick. The accuracy of the battle at a distance of 50 meters was 50 mm. The pistol demonstrated a high rate of fire - 48 unaimed shots in 28 seconds.

Along with military models, commercial models with a barrel length from 100 to 150 mm, chambered for 7.65 × 22 and 9 × 19, continued to be produced. At the beginning of the First World War, several changes were made to the design of the pistol. Since 1914, on the back of the P.08 handle, as in the "Naval Model" of 1904, a ledge appeared with grooves for attaching a holster-butt. The weapon was equipped with a slide delay that kept it in its rearmost position after all the cartridges were used up from the magazine. There were also models of 7.65-mm caliber, equipped with silencers designed by Maxim, both with rubber seals, and with a multi-chamber design without seals.

Commercial Parabellum with automatic grip safety made by DWM in 1913

Army P.08 issue of 1916 already without an automatic grip safety and with a holster-butt mount

The start of the war and big losses during the fighting, they became the reason for even greater need for large deliveries of small arms to the troops. However, even the involvement of other factories in the production of Parabellums did not correct the situation with the lack of personal weapons. As a result, the army began to use non-standard models adopted as weapons of a limited standard, such as the Mauser C-96, Walther mod. 6 and Dreyse mod. 1910, firing standard 9 × 19 cartridges, as well as other models of the same companies, but in 7.65 mm caliber. Until 1918, DWM produced 908,275 P.08 pistols for the army and about 1,500 for the civilian arms market. Until 1918, the Erfurt arsenal produced about 663,600 pieces. In total, more than one and a half million P.08 pistols were produced from 1908 to 1918.

After the end of the First World War, the restrictions imposed on the military industry and the German army did not allow the production of pistols with a caliber of more than 8 mm and with a barrel length of more than 100 mm. Only one firm, Simson und Co, in Suhl, which has a permit for the production of small arms, was able to establish the production of Luger pistols after receiving machine tools, tools and documentation from the Erfurt Arsenal. The Zimson firm produced pistols in small batches, mainly assembling weapons from large stocks of parts left in warehouses and repairing old P.08s.

DWM, which until the end of the First World War was the largest manufacturer of P.08, as a result of the cessation of the production of weapons and the export of machine tools and tools by the victorious countries as trophies, switched to the manufacture of civilian goods. However, at one of the Berlin factories, she secretly managed to establish a small production of Luger pistols for the civilian arms market. Various variants were sold both in Europe and in the USA. Parabellums at that time were also supplied to the armies of European states - the Netherlands and Finland.

P.08 pistol manufactured by the Erfurt Arsenal in 1917

P.08 with detached magazine and open bolt on slide stop

Since 1925, the production of Parabellums has been started by Heinrich Krieghoff, which has been producing high-quality hunting rifles since 1886. Production was started after obtaining a license for the production of Luger pistols. Until 1935, the number of pistols produced was small, and the Parabellums themselves came mainly to the civilian arms market in various countries of the world. However, after receiving an order for 10,000 Parabellums for the Luftwaffe, production increased dramatically. The fact that the contract was received by Heinrich Krieghoff, and not Mauser-Werke A.G., at a slightly lower cost and more high quality products of the Suhl gunsmiths is explained by the personal interest of the Luftwaffe chief Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering.

However, only about 9,200 pistols were delivered to the Third Reich air force, as production facilities were largely occupied with large orders for automatic weapons, for example, MG.131 machine guns and automatic rifles FG 42. Approximately 1300 Parabellums made by Krieghoff entered the commercial sale in 1936-1937. P.08 pistols from Heinrich Krieghoff can be easily distinguished by the use of brown or black plastic grip plates with a smooth border for the most part. It should be noted that DWM / BKIW produced, between 1928 and 1934, Lugers with magazine fuses. These pistols, intended for the police, were stamped "S.M." or "Schultzpolizizei Münster".

In the 1930s, the famous German arms firm Mauser-Werke A.G. was involved in the manufacture of Luger pistols. based in Oberndorf am Neckar, formerly DWM's biggest competitor on the German arms market. Mauser-Werke A.G. receives the rights to production, machine equipment, necessary tools and documentation. On May 1, 1930, the Mauser factories began mass production of the P.08. At first, pistols were made mainly for the civilian market and export deliveries to countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, Latvia and Iran. Only a small part was intended for the army. After the victory of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, all restrictions of the Versailles Peace Treaty were de facto lifted from German arms manufacturers. As a result, mass production of the P.08 for the armed forces was launched at the Mauser factories. The pistols used 9x19 cartridges and had 98mm barrels.

Parabellum pistol made by Mauser-Werke A.G. in 1934

Cartridges 9mm Parabellum manufactured by Hugo Schneider A.G., issued in 1944

In addition to the standard version P.08, in the early 1930s Mauser-Werke A.G. began production of a special version for the secret police of the Weimar Republic - a pistol with an expansion-type silencer. These weapons began to receive special services, such as the SD, the Gestapo and military intelligence - the Abwehr. Especially for training shooting from the P.08, ERMA developed a kit that made it possible to shoot cheap small-caliber 5.6-mm rimfire cartridges instead of the standard 9 × 19. The P.08 design was introduced shutter lag, which excludes the movement of the bolt forward when removing the magazine, which increased the rate of fire and safety in handling when disassembling the weapon.

Since the mid-1930s, in order to maintain secrecy in the context of rearming the army and preparing for a new military conflict, Mauser-Werke A.G. introduced new rules for marking weapons and began putting new stamps on pistols, such as "S / 42" and "byf". Mauser P.08, produced from 1941 to 1942, with the brand "byf", equipped with black Bakelite grips are known by the unofficial name "Black Widow", translated " Black Widow". The biggest problem with mass production of the P.08, which also existed in the First world war became labor intensive and high cost. So, the manufacture of one pistol took 12.5 man-hours, 778 separate operations, of which 136 were performed manually, and 6.1 kg of metal was also needed, while the mass of the weapon itself was 890 grams.

It is noteworthy that with the cost of one P.08 with two stores amounting to 17.8 Reichsmarks, Mauser supplied it to the state at a price of 32 Reichsmarks. This situation with purchase prices brought huge profits to the owners and shareholders of the P.08 manufacturer, but at the same time caused constant criticism from the weapons department. It was the high purchase price, the high investment of time and a significant share of manual labor in production that became the main reasons for the start of work on the design of a new pistol for the German army and, subsequently, its adoption to replace the P.08. As a result, Walther created the P.38 pistol, which entered service in 1939. However, it never completely replaced the P.08 until 1942. And after the cessation of serial production, Parabellums were assembled from stocks of parts and, continuing to be in service with the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, were used by officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers of various military specialties, SS troops, special services and police until the end of World War II.

Waffen SS soldier with Parabellum, Kursk region, 1943

P.08 "Black Widow" produced by Mauser-Werke A.G. from 1941 to 1942

In total, about 2,818,000 pistols of the Georg Luger system were produced in Germany. Manufacturers: DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munitionfabrik) - Karlsruhe, Germany; Erfurt Arsenal - Erfurt, Germany (produced P.08 from 1911 to 1918); Spandau - Spandau, Germany; Simpson & Co - Suhl, Germany (produced until 1934, when the plants were confiscated due to the Jewish origin of the owners and transferred to the Krieghoff firm); Mauser - Oberndorf, Germany; Krieghoff (H.Krieghoff waffenfabrik) - Suhl, Germany (produced from 1935 to 1945); In addition, several foreign companies had licenses to manufacture Lugers: Vickers (Vickers-Armstrong Limited) - Great Britain, as well as Waffenfabrik Bern - Switzerland. Luger pistols various options and calibers were in service with Switzerland, Portugal, Finland, Bulgaria, Greece, Latvia, Afghanistan and other countries of the world, everywhere enjoying a well-deserved reputation as an excellent defense and attack weapon.

Since 1970, Mauser has resumed the production of Luger pistols thanks to a complete set of technical documentation for the P.08, rescued from the occupation authorities in 1945 by an employee of the company, August Weiss. Initially mass production was carried out, which eventually gave way to the production of limited edition pistols in an elite version with excellent surface finish and intricate engraving. Stainless steel copies of Parabellum were made in the USA by Mitchell Arms. Individual gunsmiths such as John Martz, Mike Krause and Herbert Werle have been involved in the manufacture and improvement of various versions of the Luger pistol and continue to work with these weapons.

Specifications Parabellum model 1906

Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Weapon length: 217 mm
Barrel length: 100 mm
Weapon height: 135 mm
Weapon Width: 40mm
Weight without cartridges: 890 g
Magazine capacity: 8 rounds

The Luger pistol (Luger, Parabellum; German P08, Parabellum, Borchardt-Luger) is a 9 mm pistol developed in 1900 by the Austrian Georg Luger based on the design of the Hugo Borchardt pistol.

Luger R.08 Parabellum - video

The introduction of smokeless powders gave rise to rapid development automatic weapons, including self-loading pistols. In 1893, the Berlin plant "Ludwig Lewe" began production self-loading pistol Hugo Borchard. Although various systems of "automatic" pistols had been proposed before, Borchard was the first to achieve commercial success, which encouraged the continuation of work. In 1898, Georg Johann Luger, who served at the DWM plant (Deutsche Waffen und Munishnfabriken, successor to Lewe), significantly improved Borchard's system. The gun has become more compact and lighter, improved ergonomics. Modified Luger and 7.65-mm Borchard cartridge with a bottle sleeve, a central primer and a shell bullet.

In 1900, the Swiss army adopted the pistol. Only after this did DWM begin bringing the 7.65 mm Luger-Borchardt pistol (or simply "Luger") to the market. The gun became better known as the "Parabellum". The combination "Parabellum" - the second part of the famous Latin phrase "Si vis pacem, parabellum" ("Who wants peace, prepare for war") - was the DWM telegraph code, was perceived as a trademark and as such became the designation of the newly introduced pistol. In 1902, Luger created a 9-mm cartridge for a military-style pistol based on 7.65 mm. It is believed that the requirement for an increase in the caliber of a military pistol was put forward based on the experience of close combat during the suppression of the Yihetuan uprising ("Boxer Rebellion") in China in 1900, which revealed insufficient stopping power of a 7.65-mm cartridge bullet. With an increase in caliber to 9 mm, the sleeve of the base cartridge was turned from a bottle into a cylindrical one by expanding the muzzle. The 9 mm bullet originally had a cylindrical-conical shape with a flat platform on top, but since 1915 the cartridge was equipped with a cylindrical-ogive bullet, this option became the main one.

During the modernization of 1902-1906. A number of changes were made to the system of the pistol itself. This is how the system of the so-called "New Luger" was formed. In 1904, the German Navy adopted a 9 mm pistol model with a flip-over whole and a barrel length of 150 mm. In August 1908, the Reichswehr adopted a 9 mm model with fixed sights and a 102 mm barrel under the designation P.08. Since DWM could not provide large deliveries while maintaining proper quality, an arsenal in Erfurt was involved in the execution of the order. There was also a "naval" model of 1908 with the same elongated barrel and a fully reversible one.

The automation of the pistol worked according to the recoil scheme of the barrel with a short stroke. The locking of the barrel bore with a bolt was provided by a system of two hinged levers located in the " dead center". When the barrel with the bolt moved back, the rollers of the hinge of the levers ran into the copier protrusions of the frame, the levers folded, unlocking the bore and moving the bolt away from the barrel. This compressed the return spring, located in the handle and connected to the crank lever with the rear locking lever. The ejector located on top also served as an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber.

The trigger mechanism of the striker type provided a shot only with the preliminary cocking of the drummer. Some parts of the trigger mechanism are installed on the left side of the frame, in combination with the "buttons" of the hinge, this increased the transverse dimension of the pistol. The safety lever in the lower position blocked the trigger lever and the movable automation system. A number of models, including the "commercial" versions of the P.08, were equipped with an automatic fuse in the form of a key behind the handle - this fuse was automatically turned off when the handle was completely covered with a palm.

A single-row magazine was inserted into the handle. When the cartridges were used up, the magazine feeder actuated the slide delay (introduced in 1913). Comfortable inclination and dimensions of the handle, good balance contribute to the accuracy of shooting. Together with the power of the cartridge, the convenient location of the magazine latch, this determined the success of the pistol. The Parabellum system turned out to be very sensitive, required complex machining and high precision manufacturing of parts, included many small parts, and yet remained popular for many years and in many countries due to the quality of workmanship. Pistols "Parabellum" of different models and calibers in different time were in service in three dozen countries, including Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Brazil, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Israel, Iran, China, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Turkey, Finland, France, Chad, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia. Pistols were also assembled in Switzerland, Great Britain, and Belgium. In Russia, Borchard-Luger pistols were not accepted into service, but back in 1907, the 9-mm Parabellum was recommended to officers for purchase at their own expense.

The finest hour of "Parabellum" can be called the First World War. By August 1914, the German armed forces had 250,000 R.08. In total, from the beginning of production to 1918, about 1,572,000 pieces of P.08 pistols alone were produced. The Reichswehr was also supplied with the LP.08 model with a barrel length of 200 mm, a sector sight up to 800 m (the capabilities of the weapon were significantly overestimated), and an attached butt holster. This model was adopted in 1913 for the calculations of field artillery and fortress troops and is often referred to as "artillery". In 1917, a 32-round drum magazine was adopted for the LP.08.

Having stopped production in 1920, DWM resumed it in 1923 under the name "Berlin Karlsruhe Industri Werke". In accordance with the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles, only the 7.65 mm model was produced with a barrel length up to 100 mm. Since 1930, the production of pistols, along with the rights, passed to Mauser Werke AG. For the Reichswehr and the police, the R.08 was produced in reduced quantities and only by Simson und Co. But in 1934, already in Nazi Germany, mass production of R.08 resumed. It continued by Mauser and Heinrich Krieghof until 1942. In total, 2,810,000 P.08 pistols have been produced since adoption, not counting other models.

Pistol Luger R.08 Parabellum with underbarrel lantern. Such pistols were in service with the Imperial Security Service (RSD).

Models and their differences

M.1900

The Model 1900 was the earliest version of the Luger pistol. It was adopted by the Swiss army in 1900. This model inherited one feature inherent in Borchard's pistols - a small bracket on the right side of the bolt hinge. Her task was to prevent the shutter from rebounding after it was closed. In reality, it turned out to be redundant, because when the lever bolt hinge is closed, it is slightly below the line along which the recoil force acts, and therefore any action aimed at opening the bolt only pressed the hinge more against the receiver. Important elements of the M.1900 were the safety catch blocking the receiver, which was on the left in the rear of the frame and the spring ejector, which was located on the flat top surface of the bolt. The M.1900 was chambered for 7.65×21 mm. Barrel length 122 mm.

M.1902

M.1902 is a further development of the M.1900 variant. This model was chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, as a result of which the barrel had to be made somewhat thicker and shorter than the previous model. Barrel length 102 mm. The shutter and magazine were also slightly changed. The number of rifling in the barrel has been increased from four to six, and the frame and receiver dimensions have become the same. In the final version of the M.1902, the frame, receiver and threaded barrel sleeve were shortened by about 2 mm.

M.1904

The M.1904 variant became the first mass-produced version of the Luger pistol. The first purchase of this weapon occurred after the German Navy adopted the "9-mm Selbstladepistole 1904" with a barrel length of 147.32 mm, later known as the "sea model". Certain innovations were made to the M.1904 variant, which then became standard for all Luger pistols. The conventional spring ejector has been replaced by a new type of ejector with a vertical tooth. The ejector is combined with an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber. The cartridge in the chamber lifts the ejector up. This model has a flip-over sight at a distance of 100 and 200 m. At the bottom of the back of the handle there is a groove for attaching a holster-butt. Caliber 9 mm, length 262 mm, barrel length 147 mm, weight 915 g, muzzle velocity 350 m/s. From 1905 to 1918, DWM manufactured 81,250 Model 1904 pistols for naval forces Germany.

M.1906

Serious changes were made to the M.1906 variant for the first time. The lamellar return spring in the handle was replaced with a twisted, cylindrical one. The design of the fuse was also changed; he himself was moved down and began to lock the sear. The top of the bolt was now semi-circular, the hinge grips were made with a flat, diamond-shaped grooved surface, and the anti-bounce brace was removed. M.1906 (or, as it came to be called, the "Parabellum of the new model") was produced in two versions - chambered for 7.65 mm cartridge with a barrel length of 122 mm and chambered for 9 mm cartridge with a thicker barrel length of 102 mm.

M.1908

The 1908 model Luger pistol differs from the M.1906 in that the automatic safety was removed and only the flag was left. M.1908 was most often called simply "Pistol 08", or P08. Like the Model 1906 pistol, it has a coiled cylindrical recoil spring and an extractor, which is combined with a cartridge indicator in the chamber. With all the changes, the new "sea model" of 1904 was produced with the same name. In total, until 1918, the DWM arms company produced 908,275 P08s for arming the army and 1,500 pistols for civilian purposes. In Erfurt, 663,600 units were produced from 1911 to 1918.

9mm Parabellum pistol P.08 Lange

Artillery model

The so-called "Artillery model" - a version of the 9 mm Luger pistol, called the Lange P08 (LP 08), was adopted on June 3, 1913 by parts of Prussia, Saxony and Württemberg. This pistol-carbine is designed for shooting up to 800 m with an attached wooden holster-butt. The pistol is intended for arming field artillery gun crews and non-commissioned officers of machine-gun teams.

LP 08 with "drum" and stock

Advantages

A fairly perfect design of a military pistol at the time of creation.
- Generally reliable operation in difficult operating conditions.
- Comfortable handle shape.
- Excellent controllability when shooting.
- Very low toss and recoil when fired.
- Exceptional accuracy and accuracy of fire, both aimed and offhand.
- Robust and reliable construction.
- High rate of fire.

Flaws

Lots of details complex shape. Even the trigger has an intricate crescent shape. Its second end is a limiter, which should have a different place. When descending from above, the other end of the crescent descends, preventing shooting with gloves.
- The design does not close the locking levers, protecting them from getting into the mechanism of dirt or sand, which can cause a delay if a lot of dirt gets into the mechanism.
- Delays when using ammo with non-animal shaped bullets.
- It is impossible to use for shooting cartridges with an increased charge of gunpowder in order to avoid damage to the weapon.
- When shooting "from the stomach" shells often fly in the face of the shooter.

Like other weapons of the early 20th century, the Luger was not very technologically advanced. Mauser-Werke A. G. spent 12.5 man-hours on the manufacture of one Luger during the period of greatest production intensity; its production was quite labor intensive. With a mass of 0.87 kg of the pistol itself, 6.1 kg of metal was required for its production. During the manufacture, 778 separate operations were performed: 642 operations on machine tools and 136 manually.

In 1939, the cost of producing one Luger pistol by Mauser-Werke A. G. was 11.5 Reichsmarks, and the magazine for it was 3.15 Reichsmarks. The cost of a complete Luger pistol with two magazines was 17.8 Reichsmarks, the Mauser sold the Wehrmacht more expensively - for 32 Reichsmarks, while the Mauser 98k rifle cost 70 Reichsmarks, and the MG-34 machine gun (itself expensive and replaced for this reason on MG-42) cost the Wehrmacht 300 Reichsmarks.

The performance characteristics of Parabellum

Designer: Georg Luger
- Designed: 1898
- Manufacturer: DWM
- Years of production: 1900-1942
- Total issued: 2,818,000 (P08); 282 000 (mod.1900)

Weight Parabellum

Parabellum sizes

Length, mm: 217
- Barrel length, mm: 102
- Width, mm: 40
- Height, mm: 135

Cartridge Parabellum

9×19 mm Parabellum

Caliber Parabellum

In the last article, we talked about the development of the pistol and the emergence of a new manufacturer of Luger pistols - Simson & Co. The history of the P.08 Parabellum pistol after 1930 is also characterized by the emergence of new manufacturers: the Mauser factory (Mauser-Werke A. G.) and the Krieghoff company (HEINRICH KRIEGHOFF WAFFENFABRIK).

The Mauser firm by the beginning of the 20th century was a very famous manufacturer of firearms. We have already talked about her most famous pistol, and the lesser known Mauser Zig Zag revolvers, pistols, as well as the almost unknown single-shot pistol.

After the end of World War I, both DWM and Mauser were subsidiaries of the Berlin-Karlsruhe Industrial Works (BKIW) concern. In May 1930, the management of the concern decided to move the production of Luger pistols from the Berlin DWM factories to the Mauser factory in Oberndorf. For this purpose, DWM handed over to the Mauser factories all the technical documentation, special equipment and technological equipment. Mauser also received work-in-progress parts from DWM. Starting in August 1930, the Mauser factories began producing Parabellum pistols for both commercial purposes and military orders. Initially, pistols were assembled from parts received from DWM, and when they ran out, completely independent production began. Mauser is considered one of the largest manufacturers of Parabellum pistols. Only for military orders, she produced more than 919 thousand pistols.

With the beginning of the production of Parabellums at the Mauser enterprise, a change in the designs of the pistol striker coincided. If earlier its front part was cylindrical, then starting from 1930, three longitudinal rounded grooves began to be made on it. Their task was to bleed powder gases, in case of their breakthrough from the barrel or when the primer ruptured, as well as to facilitate the movement of the drummer in its channel when it was contaminated. Shortly after 1930, all P.08 Parabellum pistols began to be reworked by strikers, supplying them with grooves.

All military order pistols manufactured by Mauser can be divided into six main types. The first type should include pistols made in 1934. The upper part of the chambers of these pistols is marked in the form of the letter "K". On the surface of the front shutter lever there is a marking in the form of the text "S / 42". Researchers indicate that about 10,930 pistols were made. Luger-Mauser series "K - S / 42" with serial numbers ranging from 1 to 930a.

Pistols Mauser Luger series "K", collectors are usually divided into four varieties. The first variety (Pistol 08, Mauser, code "K - S / 42", 1st variant) includes pistols in which the Gothic letter "S" is applied to all parts of the weapon.

The second variety (Pistol 08, Mauser, code "K - S / 42", 2nd variant) includes pistols that have the letter "S" on all the details of the weapon, made both in the Gothic and in the usual style.

The third variety (Pistol 08, Mauser, code "K - S / 42", 3rd variant) includes pistols that have the letter “S” on most, but not all, parts of the weapon, made in the usual style.

The fourth variety of Luger Mauser pistols marked K - S / 42 (Pistol 08, Mauser, code "K - S / 42", 4th variant) is characterized by the presence of the letter "S", made in the usual style only on the surface of the contactor and its absence on others weapon details.

The second type of Mauser Luger pistols include pistols made in 1935. These pistols are stamped with the letter "G" on the top of the chambers. On the surface of the front bolt lever is still marked "S / 42". Researchers indicate that about 54,070 pistols were made Luger-Mauser series "G - S / 42" with serial numbers ranging from 930a to 5000f.

Pistols Luger-Mauser series "G - S / 42", depending on the marking, can also be divided into two main varieties. The first variety (Pistol 08, Mauser, code "G - S / 42", 1st variant) includes weapons that have alphanumeric marks on the right side of the bolt box. The pistol shown in this photo is marked "W/154" and "S/92" on the right side of the action.

The second variety of Luger-Mauser pistols of the G - S / 42 series (Pistol 08, Mauser, code "G - S / 42", 2nd variant) includes pistols in which, on the right side of the bolt box, in addition to alphanumeric stamps, there is a stamp in the form of an eagle. The pistol shown in this photo is marked with an eagle and the number "211" below it, as well as the stamp "S / 92".

Starting from 1936, instead of the letter code on the surface of the chambers of the Parabellum pistols, manufactured at the Mauser enterprise, they began to apply the year of manufacture of the weapon. Pistols Luger-Mauser series "S / 42" were made from 1936 to 1939. In 1936, 89,500 pistols with serial numbers 5000f - 4500p were produced, in 1937 126,000 pistols with serial numbers 4500p - 400b, in 1938 - 113,800 pistols with numbers 400b - 4500n and in 1939 - 38,500 military order Lugers with numbers 4000n - 6000r.

In the second half of 1939, the marking of Mauser Luger pistols changed again. Now on the front shutter lever, instead of marking "S / 42", they simply began to apply the number "42". At the same time, the year of manufacture of the pistol was still applied in the upper part of the chamber. Pistols Luger-Mauser series "42" were made from 1939 to 1941. In 1939, 85,500 Mauser Luger pistols of this type were manufactured with serial numbers in the range 200r - 8250z, in 1940 - 135,700 pistols with serial numbers 7700z - 7000n, in 1941 - 7000 Mauser Parabellum pistols with numbers 2500n - 6700r.

In 1941, the labeling was amended twice. First, in the upper part of the chamber, the year of manufacture of the weapon began to be indicated not with a four-digit number, but with a two-digit one - “41”. Pistols Luger-Mauser series "41-42" (Mauser Lugers 41-42 Military contractr) 7000 pieces were made with serial numbers 2500n - 6700r.

Later, on the surface of the front bolt lever, instead of marking "42", they began to mark "byf". Pistols Luger-Mauser series "byf" (Mauser Lugers Code byf - 2 Digit Date Military contract) were made in 1941-1942. In 1941, 126,000 pistols of this variety were produced with serial numbers 3300n - 9950a. In 1942, 132,000 P.08 Mauser Parabellum pistols were manufactured, with serial numbers ranging from 1000 to 3061n.

Between 1934 and 1936, Mauser began producing P.08 Parabellum pistols with a 130mm frame, about 1mm longer than the earlier DWM or Erfurt. In order to prevent the threat of displacement of the rear axis of the bolt levers to the side and to prevent jamming of the weapon, Mauser engineers decided to make a ledge in the rear of the frame. In order not to unnecessarily increase the weight of the weapon, the protrusion was made only in the upper part of the frame. The result is the so-called "hump" pistol P.08 Luger-Mauser (P.08 Luger-Mauser hump).

In the early 1930s, Hugo Schmeisser began developing a more modern and reliable magazine for the Parabellum pistol. In 1935, the first modernization of the store was made. Now its body was formed not from two bent halves, but from a single sheet, bent and soldered at the back. The final formation of the appearance was achieved by milling, grinding and polishing the contours of the store. As a result, the longitudinal ribs of the store, the jaws and the upper stop of the store button were reinforced.

In 1939 Hugo Schmeisser proposed new design shop. Now, instead of a cylindrical feeder spring, it was decided to use a zigzag spring. The use of such a spring provided a more reliable supply of cartridges and made it possible to remove the feeder guide rod from the magazine. The lower part of the store when using such a spring was not parallel to the lips of the store, as before, but perpendicular to the front and rear walls of the store.

As a result, when using new stores, their front lower corner protruded somewhat beyond the pistol grip. The new modernized store was adopted by the German army on February 22, 1939, the air force on May 15, 1939 and the navy on July 25, 1939.

About pistols Simson Lugers, made before 1933, the site has already talked about the site in the article. In the period from late 1933 to early 1934, Simson & Co produced another batch of Luger military order pistols. These pistols do not have any markings on the top of the chamber, and instead of the text "SIMSON & CO / SUHL" on the surface of the front bolt lever, simply the letter "S" is applied. In total, approximately 12,000 pistols were made. Simson-Luger - series "S" (Simson Luger - S code Military contract). In 1934, Simson & Co was dismantled by the Nazis, and its equipment was transferred to other manufacturers.

Arms factory Heinrich Krieghoff (Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik) was located in the city of Suhl and was engaged in the production of firearms parts, repair and manufacture of sports weapons. After 1933, Germany, openly violating the Treaty of Versailles, began to build up weapons. Krieghoff, like many other arms companies at this time, tried to get a military order from the government. The largest military contract went to Mauser, and Krieghoff managed to get a small order from the German Air Force in 1934. The researchers note that one of the major officials of the Ministry of Defense, who was a passionate hunter and considered the Krieghoff weapons of very high quality, provided the company with important assistance in concluding the contract. The first serial production of Parabellum pistols at the Heinrich Krieghof enterprise began in 1935.

Pistols, P.08 Parabellum - Krieghof, made in 1935 are marked in the upper part of the chamber in the form of the letter "G", made in 1936 - the letters "S". Both of them on the front lever of the shutter have the brand of the manufacturer in the form of an anchor, on the left and right of which are the letters "H" and "K" (Heinrich Krieghoff), as well as the text "SUHL" (Suhl) under it. Pistols Krieghoff-Luger with "G" markings (Krieghoff Luger "G" codes German Luftwaffe contract) approximately 50 pieces were made with serial numbers from 1 to 100. Pistols Krieghoff-Luger with "S" markings (Krieghoff Luger "S" codes German Luftwaffe contract) manufactured: at the beginning of 1936 - 1800 pieces with serial numbers 1-2500; in the middle of 1936 - 50 pieces with numbers 2000-3000, 1-4200; in the second half of 1936 - 1700 pieces with numbers 2100-4000.

At the end of 1936, changes were made to the marking of Krieghoff Luger pistols. Instead of an alphabetic code, the last two digits of the year of manufacture of the pistol - "36" - were applied to the upper part of the chamber. The markings on the front bolt lever are now a picture of an anchor with the letters "H K" and two lines of text "KRIEGHOFF/SUHL" below it. Pistols Krieghoff-Luger marked "36" (Krieghoff Luger Date 36 German Luftwaffe contract) about 500 pieces were made with serial numbers 3900-4700.

At the end of 1936, markings in the upper part of the chamber began to be applied in the form of a four-digit number indicating the year of manufacture of the weapon. With this label pistols Krieghoff-Luger (Krieghoff Luger Chamber Date Luftwaffe contract) made until the end of World War II. In 1936, 2900 Krieghoff Luger pistols with serial numbers 4400-7500 were manufactured, in 1937 - 2500 pieces with numbers 7300-10000, in 1938 - 50 pieces with numbers 9500-10000. Under a new contract from 1940, the following were manufactured: 1,100 pieces of Krieghoff-Parabellum pistols in 1940, which had serial numbers 10000-11000, 11000-11350, 11850-12000; 100 pieces in 1941 with numbers 11600-12000; about 300 pieces in 1942 with numbers 11100-11300, 11500-12000; 300 pieces in 1943 with numbers 11300-11800; 275 built in 1944 with serial numbers 11200-11400, 11600-12000, 13000-13075; 125 pieces in 1945 with numbers 13075-13200.

Probably due to the lack of quality wood or simply because of the economy, starting in 1936 at the Krieghoff factory, and then from 1939 at the Mauser factories, they began to manufacture individual Parabellum pistols with plastic grip cheeks. Wherein appearance cheeks Krieghoff and Mauser differed from each other, which is explained by the use of different dies for casting.

The total number of pistols manufactured by Krieghoff is 13825 pieces. Except serial pistols ordinary performance Krieghoff released several gift Lugers. Precious metals and ivory were used for their decoration. The metal surfaces of such weapons are engraved.

After the end of the Second World War, the production of a small number of Luger pistols was organized at the captured factories, which were then taken out as trophies to the United States and other countries. Researchers indicate a rather low quality of these weapons. Such pistols often do not have the usual markings and are slightly different from mass-produced Parabellum pistols. The photo shows a pistol made after the end of the war at the Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik. In addition to the lack of markings, this pistol does not have a protrusion on the handle with grooves for attaching a removable stock.

The collection value of Mauser-made Parabellum pistols varies depending on the rarity of a particular variety, configuration and condition. For this reason, auction prices for these pistols can start at $1,500 and end in the region of $7,000.

The presence of the original holster and a spare magazine always increases the collection value of the weapon.

Krieghoff Luger pistols on antique market are highly valued. This is due to the fact that they are released quite a bit. The price of these pistols usually starts at $3,000 and not infrequently reaches $15,000. At one of the American auctions for 50 thousand dollars, a P.08 Parabellum pistol - Krieghoff with a marking in the upper part of the chamber - "1945" was put up. This is one of the rare Luger-Krieghoff pistols produced in the last months of the war.

Andrey Pasyuta