KWC Mauser ‘Luger’ P08 BB CO2 Air pistol.
This is my first ever review of an airgun or any gun to that matter so apologies if it is a bit rough and ready. The opinions stated in this review are mine alone. In the history of pistols one of the most famous and sort after in the terms of trophies of war is the Mauser P08 more commonly called the Lugar after its designer Georg Luger.
The pistol was designed in 1898 and is a toggle locked semi-automatic pistol. It was introduced into service with the Imperial German Army in 1904. Originally it was chambered for 7.65 mm cartridge but later a 9mm version was introduced. It was meant to be replaced by the Walther P38 in 1942 but was never fully phased out and some limited production still continues today. Many allied soldiers during sort these pistols out as war trophy’s and eventually the Germans left Luger’s lying about but bobby trapped with explosives rigged to explode when the pistol was picked up.
Onto this particular pistol. When I bought this pistol I went out with the sole intention of buying a tin of wad cutter pellets for my Umarex Colt 1911 I use in IPAS competition but I saw this pistol on display and as a fan of WW2 pistols (I also do 1940’s Living History portraying a SOE Agent working in Occupied France and this would have been one of the pistols used by agents) I was immediately interested. I could see by looking at it that is a full size replica and looked solidly built. On handling the pistol it also felt like the correct weight (in fact at 834 grams is only a couple of ounces or so different to the actual firearm). It was also well priced at £99.99. It comes in a cardboard box with poly inner to protect the pistol in transit and also comes with 250 steel BBs and an allen key for tightening the 12g CO2 powerlet. The magazine which is for both the CO2 and the BBs is housed in the pistol grip. The sights are traditional iron sights which are not adjustable at all with the rear sight on the toggle action.
in box
Stripped
This CO2 pistol mimics the action of its live fire cousin being a toggle lock blowback pistol and the action stays in the locked back position when the magazine is empty. When I got home I had the chance to examine the pistol more closely was surprised and delighted to discover that the pistol can be field stripped for cleaning and maintenance and this process is delightfully simple of removing the combined bb and CO2 powerlet magazine moving one lever, removing the trigger plate and then the barrel and action comes off in one piece. It goes together just as easily. The handgrips are a modern plastic instead of the original bakelight (I will try and get some bakelight grips in the future). Once you have the pistol in your hand it feels like a pistol rather than a toy which some of the polymer air pistols made by Umarex feel like (I hasten to add they are not toys but just feel too light to me but that is just my opinion).
This CO2 pistol mimics the action of its live fire cousin being a toggle lock blowback pistol and the action stays in the locked back position when the magazine is empty. When I got home I had the chance to examine the pistol more closely was surprised and delighted to discover that the pistol can be field stripped for cleaning and maintenance and this process is delightfully simple of removing the combined bb and CO2 powerlet magazine moving one lever, removing the trigger plate and then the barrel and action comes off in one piece. It goes together just as easily. The handgrips are a modern plastic instead of the original bakelight (I will try and get some bakelight grips in the future). Once you have the pistol in your hand it feels like a pistol rather than a toy which some of the polymer air pistols made by Umarex feel like (I hasten to add they are not toys but just feel too light to me but that is just my opinion).
On too shooting this beautiful looking pistol. Loading both the CO2 powerlet and the bbs in straight forward. The powerlet fits into the magazine and is tightened a pierced using the supplied allen key. Loading the bbs is fiddley but straight forward. You hold down the magazine spring loaded clip and feed in the bbs one by one. I feel here is the time for a small word of warning. You must only use steel or copper coated lead bbs. Straight lead bbs won’t feed properly and cause stoppages. After inserting the magazine into the butt of the pistol you pull back the toggle action to cock the pistol. I shot the pistol initially using the two handed combat grip and even then I felt the recoil of the action which makes this pistol very realistic to shoot. It is not the most accurate of pistols to start with but when I came off the range after only to brief a time with the Luger I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat that nicked all the cream and come back for a second helping nicked that and got away with it. On my initial shoot I only had time to shoot two magazines worth on rapid fire but the pistol felt really good and stable and once gotten use to the recoil I am sure I will be hitting where I aim. It will take time to get used to the fact that the rear sight moves when fired because of where it is located. On the whole my first impression of this pistol is as a fun plinking gun and that has a grin factor of 200 out 100. I have yet to try it out on metal plates against the clock so I have no idea how it will be for speed shooting but I feel that the toggle action will make the pistol too slow where wins are decided by 1/100ths of a second.
