Found a nice shooter!!

[RShaw]

Hi All,

Found a great shooter ... through one of this forum's experts- who gave me a call and said "I might be able to help you out with a shooter and holsters." Took an hour and a half and 100 km to get there... what a collection!! Was very impressive! Spent most of the day "talking shop" - the details are fascinating!

So I can't wait to get the paperwork done and try her out! A matching 1918 DWM whcih was reblued.. perfect for me

I had no idea I would find this piece so quickly, and make good friends in the process.... also found a very nice period correct WW1 P08 holster as well as a WW2 holster for my P38 ac43

That's what this forum is all about really...

I'm all the more happy I have not fired my 1st Luger- details in the threead "New member, First Luger, Your opinions?"

[Eugen]

Well, that is great news about acquiring a shooter. I bought my first Luger locally, but then the other 2.5 Lugers I have I purchase from forum members. This forum is a great place for information. ..and Lugers to buy (and sell).

[RShaw]

Hi Eugen,
Same here. My first Luger is the one I bought from my gunsmith friend- a collector's item, and I really did not want to be nervous about parts breaking if it were fired.... so after the "Collectors- to shoot or not to shoot" discussion, I decided not to fire this first one, and find a good shooter. Thanks to this forum, I was able to find a nice one and make a friend at the same time.

I think it was you who wrote in another thread, "Be careful with buying a Luger... you won't stop with just one" or words to that effect. Now I see what you mean.

2,5 Lugers? Do you have an extra "upper toggle train" or lower frame" which is looking for a friend?
One shooter and one collector?

Do you have a special time period, or type of Luger on which you focus your collection ?

[DocSkunk]

contraz on the shooter. Ya they add up quick if your not looking. been collecting lugers for a month....already have 2. doubt ill stop if the right deal comes along. hope you find many more in your area RShaw.

[RShaw]

Collecting for a month, and you already have 2?? You'll need to build a separate room on your house before the end of the year )

Well, I'm living on the border between Netherlands and Germany, and there is a lot of interest in firearms here locally (even though the Netherlands is VERY regulated). Belgium tends to be a bit easier to get through the startup work needed before one is allowed to own and use a gun , and of course, there is all the WWI and WWII history which took place in this area.

Bastogne is 3 hours by car south of here, Overloon is just up the road, the Belgian Ardennes are within 2 hours by car; Arnhem is 2 hours north, Nijmegen even closer. Now that I write all this, I realise I need to go visit these places again!!

[DocSkunk]

im very jealous of where you live, to live near all that history. I watch a guy on YouTube who metal detects in old ww2 battle areas and finds all sorts of cool stuff. id so be doing that if i was there. From what i read its not easy to get or use firearms in Europe, but not impossible. So more power to you for getting some and collecting the history.

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by DocSkunk

im very jealous of where you live, to live near all that history. I watch a guy on YouTube who metal detects in old ww2 battle areas and finds all sorts of cool stuff. id so be doing that if i was there. From what i read its not easy to get or use firearms in Europe, but not impossible. So more power to you for getting some and collecting the history.

Don't be jealous. Some "Historic places" are located on attriction points (that's what makes them "Historic" in the first place) they're good to visit but living there it's another story.

Of course the Netherlands have been at peace since WWII but...

Considering past History, if things go sour in this not so United Europe of us who knows what the future might bring.

I'm sorry if I sound pessimist, but I've seen things better.

[mrerick]

Good for you Robert, and congratulations again.

You are approaching this in what is probably the very best way. It looks like your shooter was conservatively buffed and nicely done. Kudos to the seller that made it available to you.

You'll probably find over time that the history associated with these fine pistols, and the friendships you establish in the collecting community are just as satisfying as the Lugers themselves...

Take the time to get some of the reference books. In particular, the Sturgess red set on "The Borshardt and Luger Automatic Pistols". It is probably the most comprehensive study of any object I've seen in any field. Valuable information as your interest in Lugers progresses. And yes - the book is expensive, and worth every penny.

Marc

[Eugen]

Originally Posted by RShaw

Hi Eugen,
Same here. My first Luger is the one I bought from my gunsmith friend- a collector's item, and I really did not want to be nervous about parts breaking if it were fired.... so after the "Collectors- to shoot or not to shoot" discussion, I decided not to fire this first one, and find a good shooter. Thanks to this forum, I was able to find a nice one and make a friend at the same time.

I think it was you who wrote in another thread, "Be careful with buying a Luger... you won't stop with just one" or words to that effect. Now I see what you mean.

2,5 Lugers? Do you have an extra "upper toggle train" or lower frame" which is looking for a friend?
One shooter and one collector?

Do you have a special time period, or type of Luger on which you focus your collection ?

RShaw, I am a rookie Luger enthusiast. I think it would be an overstatement to suggest that I am a collector. But, once I got one I did contract Luger fever. The fever caused me to buy two more in as many months; a collectible and a shooter. I also purchased a complete artillery upper to shoot. I install it on a collectible grade frame to avoid breaking a matching number upper part. If the opportunity presents itself I may buy a frame for permanent mounting. Long barrels are a hoot to shoot.

As I have other gun interests and other hobbies, I may only buy a few more Lugers. But who knows?!: typing:

[rhuff]

Congrats on your "new" nice looking shooter. Stick with std. velocity FMJRN ammo, and you should be good to go. Lugers are a real hoot to shoot, and scary accurate if the shooter does his/her part....enjoy!!

[RShaw]

Hi Eric, Mario, Marc, Eugen, and Richard,

Many thanks for all your comments! Yes it's true that owning and using firearms here in EU is not as easy as in the US... more details in my post "Ownership of Firearms in the Netherlands" within the "General Discussion" section. However, once you get through the startup phase (2-3 years!) things go more smoothly.

I called our LGS who said they have Fiocchi 115 grain standard load available, I believe FMJRN. I'll go with that first. Subsonic was recommended to me, but I'm hesitating with that after your comment Eugen on the increased force exerted on the toggle train by the heavier bullet. I'll have to transfer the paperwork on the shooter before I can use it.... but I'm working on that. I also have to bring the secretary of the gun club with me as I am not allowed to buy 9mm ammo on my own yet (Dutch law). So.... have to be patient. Only 8,5 more months

Thank you Marc for your time and your observations... AND your book suggestions! We have a good outlet here where I can order virtually any book in print. Can't wait.... I am already experiencing the fun of exchanging ideas and seeing history come alive... of seeing excellent collections and talking to experts- purely as a result of this forum- in many ways more rewarding than working with these handguns themselves- as interesting as they are in their own right...

We are going to the Belgian Ardennes soon... I hope to go to Bastogne again on this trip. I will take photos (if they allow it) and post them here... perhaps can find some interesting literature, or even some Luger user manuals or other similar things..... Will also visit the War Museum in Overloon; that's 30 minutes from here and I haven't been there since they renovated the whole place. A Sherman tank, half tracks, Jeeps, uniforms, all kinds of cool stuff. Bye for now....

[Eugen]

Originally Posted by RShaw

Hi Eric, Mario, Marc, Eugen, and Richard,

Thank you Marc for your time and your observations... AND your book suggestions! We have a good outlet here where I can order virtually any book in print. Can't wait.... I am already experiencing the fun of exchanging ideas and seeing history come alive... of seeing excellent collections and talking to experts- purely as a result of this forum- in many ways more rewarding than working with these handguns themselves- as interesting as they are in their own right...

We are going to the Belgian Ardennes soon... I hope to go to Bastogne again on this trip. I will take photos (if they allow it) and post them here... perhaps can find some interesting literature, or even some Luger user manuals or other similar things..... Will also visit the War Museum in Overloon; that's 30 minutes from here and I haven't been there since they renovated the whole place. A Sherman tank, half tracks, Jeeps, uniforms, all kinds of cool stuff. Bye for now....

RShaw, you got good advice to buy reference books. I think I spent over $700 on recommended books in my first three months of ownership.

Oh, and I am jealous about the itinerary of your trip. I can't wait to hear about those places and see your photos.

[RShaw]

This is the town hall in Venlo- first 2 photos- WWII vehicles in the town square, 3rd photo, the town hall as it is now, and the next photo as it was near the end of the war. May 5 here is "Bevrijdingsdag" - "Liberation Day" when the Americans rode through the Netherlands on May 5, 1945. It's a big thing here, and well celebrated- jeeps and trucks brought out, polished up and driven by veterans.... "heel indrukwekkend" = "makes a deep impression" Talking with the guys who were there is an experience second to none

[RShaw]

Eric, Mario, (and others too of course)
Living here in Netherlands / Germany does have its advantages in terms of being able to drive to very historic places- true, but you guys in the US have the huge advantage of being able to own and collect firearms far more freely than we do here. Here we have a limit of 5 firearms one can own at any one time, unless one is a "collector." I just might go the collector route- but again.... a lot of hoops to jump through." Still just might do it though. Living on either side of the pond has its positive and negative points...........

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by RShaw

Eric, Mario, (and others too of course)
Living here in Netherlands / Germany does have its advantages in terms of being able to drive to very historic places- true, but you guys in the US have the huge advantage of being able to own and collect firearms far more freely than we do here. Here we have a limit of 5 firearms one can own at any one time, unless one is a "collector." I just might go the collector route- but again.... a lot of hoops to jump through." Still just might do it though. Living on either side of the pond has its positive and negative points...........

I' m not in/from the US. I'm Portuguese, I'm in the same boat as you are.

[OIF2]

I'd jump on that "shooter", too...nice one!
Bob