Should I restore 1941 Luger
 

I am considering a full restoration or a deep cleaning. I e heard full restorations will reduce the value. This fully original piece is something I’d like to have as a show piece.

Pros and cons of full restoration including paint?

Why is it not a show piece now?
Picture?

Unless it is severely finish disadvantaged( how is that for PC)- leave it alone.

They are only original once.

Without a picture is difficult to have an idea of what we are talking about.

Detailed photos will help us help you. If it is a rusted, pitted mess, then there is only one person to send it to for restoration, Ted, who goes by Thor on the forum. But as already noted, you will destroy it's original finish, and it will always be a reblue at that point, and will have reduced value. But, we need photos to tell what condition it is in now. So, photos, please.

It is not so much an issue of restorations reducing value, although I suppose that is possible. The more typical problem is, the restoration does not enhance the value of the pistol enough to justify the cost of the restoration. http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...ht=restoration

Puzzled by your mentions of "deep cleaning" and "including paint".

That is absolutely the issue!

Any attempts at refinishing a Luger will kill it's collector value and reduce it's resale value all in one go. So an absolute no-no unless it's a super-duper rare variation in an already terrible condition. And even then you should consider leaving it alone.

The only more or less 'acceptable' approach in my eyes is to (profesionally) touch up damaged areas on an otherwise nice looking pistol. I remember a nice 1900AE which had an awful deblued stain on the left side. That part was professionally redone in the correct rust blue tone, enhancing the pistol's appearance without ruining the rest of the (original) blue on the gun. But even then, the restoration hurts the value and the cost of restoration does not cover the devaluation.

The OP asked about the economics, and my reply pertained solely to economics. I agree that in most cases original pistols should be left alone but that's a separate issue from what the OP asked.

I can imagine an all-original but cosmetically poor pistol that might rise in value if restored. In fact I once owned one. This pistol was a '36 military Mauser (below), original and all-matching except for the un-numbered grips. There was significant corrosion. I acquired a better condition '36 and sold this one; I took me a few months but I I finally sold it for $1,100. If restored it would be worth more than that, assuming a high-quality restoration. I base that estimate on what I have seen well-restored pistols sell for.

Here's a refinished Mauser 'shooter' (mixed parts gun) $3,200 at Simpson's https://simpsonltd.com/mauser-s-42-o...nce-parts-gun/

They also have an all-matching restored 1910 DWM military for $2,700. Even discounting these retail prices by 1/2, it's still more than the $1,100 I got for my corroded original Mauser. I have seen several restored military Lugers over the years on auction sites that went for well over $1,100.

While I agree that most original Lugers should be left alone, at some point if the corrosion has gone too far I think it a legitimate question: would refinish save further rapid deterioration and be the best option to preserve the pistol for the future? It depends on the pistol's condition, rarity etc. but I think the question reasonable.

That $3,200 Mauser "shooter" at Simpson's is a consignment piece and I think it is wildly optimistic on the consignors part. I suspect it will remain in Simpson's inventory for quite some time.
Ron

I think it is pretty hard to issue a good answer to the OP's question until we see some good photos of the pistol. We are issuing opinions based on non-existant data.

When coming out of the factory, after that...

I play with numbers
On Gunbroker when I looked (last 1/2 hour)
134 Lugers listed with an average price of about $2830

I did remove 6 from calcs as they were listed over $10k and skewed numbers somewhat
(mostly carbines and Navy's)

Of the 128 left
9 were being bid on - 1 was a parts/project very low so I also removed from calc which left 8

Average price where someone has bid was $1600 ($1598,88)

To clarify and make a final attempt to help you with your decision:

As this thread shows, collectors prize fully original examples and are loath to restore those. The best course for most folks most of the time who want a cosmetically impressive example is to buy an original finish, high-condition pistol. If you restore, you will not recover the cost, you may actually decrease value and the collector value of the pistol will be gone.

In your case, if you want a nicer cosmetic example, the best course is likely to sell what you have and apply the funds toward a nicer original example.

The most advisable course of learning for newer collectors is first, buy a 'shooter' grade gun with mismatched parts and/or refinish, shoot it, and get to know the type. Then, buy high quality books and read. This will help you figure out where your interests lie. Then, purchase one or more all-original examples that satisfy your now-informed interests and tastes. Of course you can try to shortcut this process but will then run the risk of expensive mistakes, AKA "Luger University Tuition". Don't ask me how I know this.

IMO newer collectors especially should avoid the restoration question, too many pitfalls and complexities and risk of destroying a piece that should be left alone.

Finally, all of this is almost pure speculation as we have not seen pictures of the pistol in question. Best of luck to you and I hope you post photos and let us know your decision.

I have only sent one Luger for "restoration". It was a very rare Simson Luger that had been improperly refinished with salt bluing before I acquired it.

Since Luger collectors most highly value a Luger that is as close to original factory state as possible, I now have a good looking Luger with zero original finish.

In addition, the restorer lost one of the original E/6 marked screws in the process. They are literally "unobtainum", and it was only through the grace of a forum member that I got a replacement two years later.

It is doubtful that I'll ever get return of the financial cost of the Luger and restoration work, but I have the satisfaction of returning this one to close to it's factory appearance.

I would not, in general, do this with a Luger. It was only the rarity and it's improper prior refinishing that motivated me to do it.

One thing to remember. Dollars now are not dollars then.

I bought an original Ruger 'Standard' .22 pistol then for $47.00. It is worth a couple of hundred dollars more now. Inflation is real.

Restorations can involve more than the finish. missing or broken parts, cracked or wrong type pf grips.

One must take into consideration many things and of course cost is only one factor. With any restoration of an antique military item it is easy to cross the monetary point of no return.

But in the case of missing parts..yeah, you HAVE to replace them or the item is not complete.

Much consideration and study is required to make those decisions. Early on I had a valuable Luger re finished..yes it's pretty..but I regret it 30 years later. I still have it. I have an 02 Luger carbine that was missing a side plate. I had to put one on. I use it as a shooter. I have a very fine Krieghoff Luger holster with the Norway holes punched in the back. What to do? Nothing left to do but put on belt loops. Decisions, decisions...When I was a kid I had a German helmet that was scratched some, I found some green paint ..I hate to think of it now. We will all make some of these decisions along the way. Some good some satisfactory some a disaster. Life goes on.

In practice we're still discussing of what?
Without at least a couple of clear close ups from the O.P. I think it's pointless.

Nothing wakes the folks up on this forum more than using the words "restore" and "Luger" in the same sentence.
:typing:

THAT'S THE REASON HE SHOULD CLEAN IT/oil it..take a look then.