1917 Erfurt

[Dan Clemons]

Hi Art:


I am new to collecting and new to this forum. I have five Lugers in the safe and an appetite for a few more. Recently, I took some heat for posting a rather interesting picture of a Luger with a scope. I was having trouble with the accuracy of my shooter at the time and thought it was funny. Listen, I read your every word and could not agree with you more. ALL Lugers truly are collectible!


Please donâ??t stop posting. It is important for us new enthusiasts to be heard!!

[Johnny Peppers]

No problem, and I appreciate your post. I think it is up to each individual to decide what is collectible and what has collector value to them. If you are collecting to please someone else, you will never be happy with your hobby. Smiley face.

[Marvin]

Johnny,


Boy, you said a mouthful! I agree it is up to the individual what they want/afford to collect. If I want a Luger and can only afford an import, that's OK, If I can afford the high dollar Lugers, that's great, If I can afford the intermediate priced Lugers, that great also! I buy what I like and can afford myself. Some of my pistols are very nice in 95-98% condition. I also have a couple that are only in the 65-70% condition, but to me, these are the real Lugers that saw action from a front line soldier for a number of years. The 98% Lugers I own probably never left the holster very often and never saw action.


As to the import marked dip blued Lugers; these pistols have a history that is unequaled by most other Lugers. As I have stated many time, these pistols are probably more historically significant because they came from the Russian Front where the fighting was intense, and you can probably figure that they were definetly used against the Commies! Then they were captured and stored for years until the Russian needed money. No one should feel they are "second class" Luger collectors for having the import pistols!


My first Luger is a 1936, with approx. 65% blue and beginning to turn brown. This is an all matching pistol with a 1936 holster. The leather holding the buckle is torn away from use and the buckle missing. No, this is not a "collectible" Luger, but to me, I can imagine the soldier wearing this rig for many years of good times and bad times. What has this "uncollectible" been through and what stories it could tell. It holds a very important spot in my collection.


Marvin

[Luke]

[Dok]

but I have always loved the Luger, and the first chance I got I bought one... I'm not a collector, and my choice was a sad one, but I got it fixed up (thanks to Ted - see Luger of the Month) and now it is just so special to me. When I hold it and shoot it, I think... how many other soldiers held this very same gun, how many shot it just like I do, how many enemies did it kill and where? In 83 years it saw a lot of history, and while it may not have collector value as Kyrie and others so accurately point out, it surely has history, stamped all over it, and that can never be taken away, and I don't think I'll willingly part with it.


Dok

[John Sabato]

I agree completely... My widow may sell off my Lugers when I am gone, but they will be with me for the duration!


Before I sign off I just wanted to take this opportunity to add that frequently in the last few months as the Lugerforum participation has risen exponentially, there have been misunderstandings and disagreements over what would otherwise be minor opinions and matters.


I think it would do us all good to remember that this wonderful Internet presence and ability to converse with Luger enthusiasts all over the world and at all levels on a daily basis lacks the one element of face to face interaction that would help us to avoid confrontation... It lacks the ability to transmit "feelings" and to hear "intent" and "intonation" from our printed words...


Words on the screen or on paper are cold and without feeling. Sure we can SHOUT in CAPS, and use smiley faces to attempt to express our feelings and intent, but they are no real substitute for hearing our colleagues speak in a calm voice their own entitled opinions. Try to imagine the context of the printed word before jumping to conclusions... I have found it amusing at times to see that some actually violently agreed with each other, when they thought they were on opposite sides of an issue...


I feel what sets this forum above all other gun forums on the net is the gentlemanly and ladylike behavior that seems to always triumph in these situations... even after a heated discussion...


My hat is off to all of you that visit here, whether you lurk, or contribute... All opinion is welcomed here and there should never be a reason to fight about it.


Keep up the good work GUYS and GALS. Let's keep this a place worth visiting. I long ago stopped going to other places to discuss firearms, and treasure the friendship and acquaintence I have found here with all of you Luger enthusiasts, even those that don't yet own a Luger...


I will be off the net for most of the Holiday season, but will check in when the occasion permits it, so to each of you may I express my warmest wishes for a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!


regards, - John Sabato

You know things are out of hand when collectors have to even catergorize other collectors! This is what I've been talking about. I find the term advanced collector to be about a mis-used and mis-understood as the other slogans this hobby has grabbed hold of over the last 20-30 years (getting much worse the last 10 or so) like, collector grade, vet bring back, non-import (what does that mean were German Lugers made in the US at some time in the past?). Most of the people I consider true advanced collectors (in many fields not just Lugers) have been out front and looking at things in new ways and finding new importance and significance to aspects and features of the items they collect. My concern is this labeling of everything and parrot mentality repeating back what every seller is saying to sell at top dollar and every buyer is saying to get a steal. Judge the piece and understand it...it should only be important to you what the Luger is and is not.

You have summed up my take on this hobby that I have been 30+ years in the making of and did so much better than I could articulate.

[Heinz]

Thanks John for the Greetings


I have a bunck of old guns. It is a collection to me. I have an old beat up Colt 32 baby dragoon that belonged to a deputy sherrif in Harlan county Kentucky. It is all there and sort of works but looks like it was used to smack a lot of people in the head and drive a few poster tacks with the grip. I like that pistol. I have an 1878 double action Colt that has had the grip carefully modified to a single action style grip, the cylinder and barrel updated to smokeless. They restamped the cylinder and when they restamped the barrel they spelleled Hartford "Hartfort". I like that one too and do not believe I will change it back. Even though neither of these is an outstanding example of the type as it left the factory, they are real examples of pistols with long histories of use. I am in the process of purchasing a Luger and opted for one that has been carrefully refinished although I could have gotten a decent 90% gun. More about that one when I finish paying for it. When I got the baby dragoon a "prime example" was running about 1000, now they are maybe 2000 while mine is less than half, but I could afford mine, and it has probably quadrupled in value. "Real" guns have collector value. Guns that spent their life in a drawer or glass case may be "prime examples" and indeed have great value,but they do not have much soul. Do you know there are some car collectors that would never consider a car that had been repainted? Pretty much like a luger that had been reblued. But they would NOT drive their prize either. Great for them, but it misses the point for me. I think I must agree with Art


Happy holidays, Heinz