POTD: Flashlights on 1940s Pistols – The Night Pistol Luger P08
Sam.S 09.17.21
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This is something I had no idea existed. Apparently there are only two known in existence. This is a Nazi Night Pistol. These were particularly issued to specialty guards that guarded Hitler’s bunker. The same bunker in which the famous assassination attempt took place in which Hitler was saved from an explosion completely by chance and a heavy table. They have flashlights under the barrel! That is crazy because this is a thing that we all take for granted nowadays. These would be carried with special 30 Luger tracer ammunition.
“This is an excellent example of an extremely rare Hitler Guard Luger pistol with 4 inch barrel, DWM scroll on front toggle link and crown “N” proof on left side of receiver and bottom of barrel. It has the rare grip safety with “T” serial number range and correct wood base magazine with full checkered walnut grips. …this flashlight has its lens directly below and aligned with the axis of the bore with a battery pack in a rectangular base at rear with a clip attachment for a wire to plug into a brass socket that is connected to a brass plate at top front of right grip. There is another brass plate riveted in place at bottom of right grip, all of which are connected with brass plates fitted into milled recesses inside the grip so that when a person grips the pistol the skin conductivity makes a connection and illuminates the flashlight. It is believed that the flashlight and battery pack were carried separate from the pistol, probably in its own leather pouch.”
Lot 1589: Dwm 06/34 Pistol 30 Luger. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved September 16, 2021, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/55/1589/dwm-0634-pistol-30-luger.
