Inflation
 

http://www.simpsonltd.com/GeneralInf...n/WhatsNew.htm

Checkout Simpson's latest Lugers. WOW, look at the prices. The cheapest is $1895. It's a 1916 DWM Military. How do you get a poor bore when the blueing is 98% and the strawing is 90%?

All of you retired guys will have to go back to work if you want to buy a Luger.

Tracy

Tracy,
One possible answer would be the corrosive ammo used at that time. Also, poor cleaning practices after firing would tend to exacerbate the situation.
Tom

Tracy..

I have to agree with you.... I just posted on Jan's site about HK Lugers to a new owner - and I bit my tongue a bit.... HKs have suffered from "I'm a new collector with money" - and "dealers" who boost prices to meet their wallet.

Prices today are simply silly.

Many dealers are asking "STUPID" prices in hopes of attacting the "new" collector. Are they "real" prices?

I dunno - if someone is foolish enough to pay those prices - shame on them.... There are some realistic dealers/collectors out there. Neither in this case nor for "Krieghoffs". Lately - dealers have set the price on the "silly" scale.

And oh - I can say that. I just "marvel" at HK prices... Good for any dealer - if they get their asking price. This is America, after all....

Frankly - I'm just glad I bought most of my HKs before most dealers discovered "Internet" pricing and Internet customers.... ;)

John D.

I am quite certain that the two big dealers have a list of well healed customers whom most of us don't even know are collectors. One such person, a Hollywood type, has bought Lugers from me in the past and I know he is a "client" of one of these dealers. This fellow has no idea of value, condition or collectibility.

In fact he had bought several thousand dollars worth of Lugers from me before I realized that he had no good books on Lugers. I introduced him to Mr Still.

Several years ago I helped a doctor liquidate his collection of Lugers, with one exception the entire collection was bought from one dealer. The prices he paid for these guns, years earlier, would make one gag.

While Luger prices are nutty! You guy's should follow transferable machine gun pricing! They usually jump $100-300 every other month! Of course they do reach a threashold. This is usually when they hit $12,000-$20,000! I think that it is the same problem people who have lots of money just say I want it and don't care how much they spend. They probably light cigars with $100 bills!

There are several lugers on the Simpson site that I have much admired but I have been unwilling to spend the amount of money needed to buy them. One was the Navy luger that Tom now owns and which I looked at for a month before it was sold. Another example is this one:

http://www.simpsonltd.com/LugerRoom/DWM/D-35/C5162.htm

very attractive to me since it is a published luger with a related regimental history book.

But, the pistol itself seems to my inexperienced eye to be about average in wear and tear and I can't bring myself to the level of money asked as a result.

I shall, however, continue to try to win our state lottery............ :-)

David