Talking to an older Luger collector

hayhugh · 02-08-2017, 12:41 PM

I bought my 1st Luger back in 1956. Mail order out of California seen in back of gun magazine.Working on the Great Lakes had it shipped to Erie Pa. It arrived by mail and the postman said that he had not seen one since he had been in the Army. My mother opened it up to show the postman, I did not see it till I got off the boat a couple of months later. I had paid an extra $5.00 (total $30.00) for select pick. I now owned a Luger. Decided to have it reblued so it would look nice. About 20 years ago my nephew asked if I still had it and I ask did he need it, and so gave it to him, had not shot it since the late 60's Fast forward to 10 years ago Decided I needed a Luger and started doing a little research which I had not done the first time. After I bought a few Lugers I ask the Nephew to look at the one I had given him . He had sold it a couple of years ago for $800.00 when he was short of money. I ask a few questions about it: matching numbers, etc . seems he had someone do some research and it indeed did have matching numbers even the magazine and was also amoung only a few made at a place/country that he could not remember. But could only get $800.00 because it had been reblued. Asked him if I could get permission to look at it but he had sold it thru a third party. So I will never know what I had..........

Bullet Bob · 02-08-2017, 02:19 PM

I was looking through my 1972 Gun Digest last night, which had a blurb at the introduction of the Interarms Mauser - I'm trying to talk myself out of buying another one (fail

).

That issue also had an article on pages 194-197 by Harry M. Campbell entitled "The Famed Luger of Fact and Fantasy".

He talks about 'souvenir grade shooting Lugers' at that time costing about $50.00, while one of the rare U.S. Eagle M 1900 specimens would cost $200.00 - $250.00. Just gives you an idea of that time period.

The 1972 Gun Digest would have come out in late summer of 1971, so the article was probably written in 1970 or '71.

Anyone remember when Gun Digest was great? Sad to see it these days, although I still buy one every year out of habit. Hasn't been great in my opinion since Ken Warner was the editor. I used to have a full collection, but I've given a bunch away trying to downsize my stuff.

4 Scale · 02-08-2017, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullet Bob

He talks about 'souvenir grade shooting Lugers' at that time costing about $50.00, while one of the rare U.S. Eagle M 1900 specimens would cost $200.00 - $250.00.

I find your post especially interesting because you are referencing a discussion of actual prices of that time, not recollections of price.

Using the govt. inflation calculator
https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc...972&year2=2016

Converting the 1972 prices to today - the shooter value is $287, the M1900 is $1,435 (using the $250 1972 valuation).

As shooters and M1900 AEs now cost more than $287/$1,425, this is one more piece of data that Lugers appreciate at a rate over the inflation rate. I.e. they have at least some characteristics of an investment.

rhuff · 02-08-2017, 02:19 PM

I purchased my first Luger in 1972-73. I got it from an individual, and he held it for me while I made/saved the $ to take possession of it. I paid either $200, or $300 for it(likely $300)......but I REALLY wanted it!!! I still have it and shoot it. It is an "i" block 1921 DWM alphabet Luger. That Luger "set the hook" and I have loved them ever since.

Looking back now, I likely paid a bit too much, but they weren't real common in the gun stores, and I didn't know anything about them....except that I wanted one!!

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02-08-2017, 12:41 PM	#1
hayhugh User Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Florida/Penna Posts: 898 Thanks: 893 Thanked 514 Times in 276 Posts	I bought my 1st Luger back in 1956. Mail order out of California seen in back of gun magazine.Working on the Great Lakes had it shipped to Erie Pa. It arrived by mail and the postman said that he had not seen one since he had been in the Army. My mother opened it up to show the postman, I did not see it till I got off the boat a couple of months later. I had paid an extra $5.00 (total $30.00) for select pick. I now owned a Luger. Decided to have it reblued so it would look nice. About 20 years ago my nephew asked if I still had it and I ask did he need it, and so gave it to him, had not shot it since the late 60's Fast forward to 10 years ago Decided I needed a Luger and started doing a little research which I had not done the first time. After I bought a few Lugers I ask the Nephew to look at the one I had given him . He had sold it a couple of years ago for $800.00 when he was short of money. I ask a few questions about it: matching numbers, etc . seems he had someone do some research and it indeed did have matching numbers even the magazine and was also amoung only a few made at a place/country that he could not remember. But could only get $800.00 because it had been reblued. Asked him if I could get permission to look at it but he had sold it thru a third party. So I will never know what I had..........

02-08-2017, 02:19 PM	#2
Bullet Bob User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 10 Thanks: 3 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	I was looking through my 1972 Gun Digest last night, which had a blurb at the introduction of the Interarms Mauser - I'm trying to talk myself out of buying another one (fail ). That issue also had an article on pages 194-197 by Harry M. Campbell entitled "The Famed Luger of Fact and Fantasy". He talks about 'souvenir grade shooting Lugers' at that time costing about $50.00, while one of the rare U.S. Eagle M 1900 specimens would cost $200.00 - $250.00. Just gives you an idea of that time period. The 1972 Gun Digest would have come out in late summer of 1971, so the article was probably written in 1970 or '71. Anyone remember when Gun Digest was great? Sad to see it these days, although I still buy one every year out of habit. Hasn't been great in my opinion since Ken Warner was the editor. I used to have a full collection, but I've given a bunch away trying to downsize my stuff.

02-08-2017, 02:19 PM	#4
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,315 Thanks: 2,751 Thanked 999 Times in 734 Posts	I purchased my first Luger in 1972-73. I got it from an individual, and he held it for me while I made/saved the $ to take possession of it. I paid either $200, or $300 for it(likely $300)......but I REALLY wanted it!!! I still have it and shoot it. It is an "i" block 1921 DWM alphabet Luger. That Luger "set the hook" and I have loved them ever since. Looking back now, I likely paid a bit too much, but they weren't real common in the gun stores, and I didn't know anything about them....except that I wanted one!!