Inspection Before Buying

[ithacaartist]

What follows may not interest the serious collectors...but I think this pistol is sort of fun. C'mon, its a Luger! I would never be ashamed to let it be an example, if only of a harrrd life. It actually is a fine example of several things that should not be done to them...and discovering and cataloging its deficits as an example, can itself be kind of fascinating. If you can get this cheap enough, none of these discoveries would be a disappointment--merely another nuance in its character.

It does appear to be a mix-master, buffed, ground off, re-blued, front sight challenged, pitted, heartbreak. (Wow, a list this long is somewhat of an event!) Pistols like this are like a trip to the SPCA. This poor thing could be compared to a person who has to sneak up on a glass of water.

So here we are, in the $300 range, give or take--preferably take. Consider that the owner of this one would be able to shoot it anxiety-free with absolutely no worry about breaking any part, serialized or not. It may be a good gun for learning about the care and feeding aspects, as well as an example for exploring the mechanics and unique systems of the Parabellum. And I've also heard tell they are fun to shoot.

The proof of the pudding is ultimately in the shooting. If it is your desire to do so, someone qualified should assess its structural integrity--in hand-- and render judgment as to whether shooting is even feasible. It is frequent to see a gun look like this on the exterior, but find it to be clean and sound internally, so there's hope. If its action and major components can be given a clean bill of health, who cares if it had acne as a teenager? And it matters not, for a shooter, that it carries parts from disparate cousins!

In the meantime, do you think you could provide shots of it field stripped? We may be able to save you that trip to a local expert.

p.s. You used natural light for your shots, but from a window, which is too directional, creates soft glare and shadows. Setup in the open if you have overcast conditions, or in the shade of one of those white canopies on a sunny day will get you better results--mother nature helps you create a giant light-box.

[wrangler5050]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

What follows may not interest the serious collectors...but I think this pistol is sort of fun. C'mon, its a Luger!

ithacaartist, I want to thank you for your perspective. based on the comments so far I was hesitant to admit that I was able to obtain this piece for $2oo, and jumped at the chance. I am well aware that this particular example is far so far from collectable/desirable to most that is would have been passed over by many, if not most, of the members of this forum, but this is my first foray into world of Luger-ownership and after close inspection and with some trepidation, I plunked down my money (actually it was a trade) and bought this piece as a stepping stone.

I wasn't looking for a display piece, a collector, for bragging rights, or even for a correct firearm. All i wanted in my first Luger was a shooter. As it has been suggested, I already talked to my Gunsmith about having it inspected, and I will also try to post some pictures of this gun field stripped.

To the rest of you, thanks for the input and honesty.