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Shown above are cover pages from two of the 1st commercial owner’s manual published for the PARABELLUM pistol. The one pictured on the left is formally of the John Pearson collection. This particular owner’s manual is featured in various publications on the Luger pistol including the Gun Collector’s Digest by J. Schroeder and The Luger Book by John Walter. | ||
Six original 1902 DWM PARABELLUM owner's manuals.
German manual
German manual
English manual
French manual
Spanish manual
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Six pre-WWI DWM PARABELLUM commercial owner's manuals.
German manual (variation 1)
German manual (variation 2)
English manual
English manual
French manual
Spanish manual
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The earliest known H. Tauscher published commercial | ||
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The earliest known Hans Tauscher commercial Luger manual published for the Luger automatic repeating pistol. It is noted on the cover (a sales promotion) that the Luger was awarded the Grand Prize at the Universal Exposition in St. Louis in 1904. The manual on the right was sold out of Los Angeles as indicated by the retailer stamp on the cover. Both manuals feature the new model Luger dating the manuals to at least 1906 to World War 1. | ||
H.Tauscher commercial 1906 New Model | ||
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1906 Hans Tauscher commercial New Model Luger manuals published for the Luger automatic repeating pistol. The manual on the left was sold through a retailer/dealer as indicated by the retailer stamp on the cover. | ||
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| Pictured above is a 4 May 1909 first official issue P.08 Luger instruction manual, D.V.E. Nr. 255., with a pale bluish-green, hard bound front and rear cover and a dark blue fabric binder. The manual is completely intact and in excellent condition. The manual measures 6" x 4-¼" and has eighty one pages of text and illustrations relating to the Parabellum Pistole 08. This is one of the rarest of all manuals pertaining to this pistol. Click here for more details on this manual. |
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This is an original LP08 instruction manual, including fold-out illustrations. Apparently, this manual is the only such version published, no other versions have surfaced. Ironically the manual is dated 1917, three years after the LP08 was introduced in the field. For further pictures and information concerning this manual, click here. | ||
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The rarest Dutch Luger accessory, by far is the Dutch Navy Parabellum instruction manual, appropriately titled AUTOMATISCH PISTOLE Nº. 1. shown in Luger Holsters and Their Accessories by E. Bender on page 405 with caption text stating: Printed and issued in 1928, this first addition manual of instructions for the Dutch Naval Parabellum is extremely rare. Cover of the manual is red, and very few now exists. Nico Van Gijn further states: I think it is the rarest manual in Holland so far as I have never found any other one. For further pictures and information concerning this manual,
click here. |
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This is an original 1928 M.11 Dutch Army Luger manual. For further pictures and information concerning this manual,
click here. |
| 1929 manual | 1939 manual | ||
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| Close-up of the inside cover of the 1929 manual. | Click on picture above to see article describing the 1939 manual. |
| Orange manual | Blue manual | ||
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1936 P.08 manual, H.Dv. (Heer-army) and L.Dv. (Luftwaffe-Air Force), 3 examples.
Manual 1
Manual 2
Manual 3
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1939 Mauser manual. | ||
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1941 Wa16 Ammunition Booklet | ||
| Run the mouse over the booklet to view enlargements of each section. | ||
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1941 Mauser manual. | ||
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1942 Wa 2 Die Pistole 08 booklet. | ||
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1949 and 1955 Norwegian Army M/08 Luger manual.
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| 1949 manual fold-out 1955 manual fold-out | ||
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The entire Norwegian Army, which was initially a Home Defense Force, rather like the British Home Guard or the National Guard in the US, was re-equipped on its reformation immediately after WWII with surplus German equipment, much of it left behind by the Germans in 1945 when they surrendered and withdrew from occupation. This included many P.08s, since they were a second line weapon in German terms then, fitted for occupation troops, and the German MG34 and 42, the K98k, plus artillery etc. The Norwegian Army accordingly printed its own Norwegian translations of the German manuals for its own consumption, even into the 1950s for some equipments, and set up domestic production of ammo in the relevant calibers also. The adoption was informal, in as much as no trials were conducted of any weapons used, they simply inspected what was left by the Germans for serviceability and used it. These German weapons were phased out in the mid 50's, initially for US surplus (ex-Korean War) and later for modern new made weapons through the 60's. Nonetheless, the manual is a nice piece, and outside Norway fairly rare. Information generously provided by world reknown Luger collector, Dr. G. L. Sturgess.
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