Grading Firearms
 

What are the factors used in determinig the percent of finish? Or is it subjective from person to person. Is there a rule of thumb?

How are grips and stocks graded.

Is muzzle and throat erosin considered in the grading process?

Buy a copy of the Blue Book of Gun Values. It has pictures of guns and shows the percent of finish on each.

I asked this same question about five years ago... Got the same answer ;)

The blue book shows a lot of different guns. I wouldn't mind seeing a wide assortment of lugers in varying stages. But what is 85% blue to me, might be 90% to you?

Ed

It's a very subjective thing, depending on if you're a buyer or seller.

I think the NRA grading system is the one to use, but very few seem to adhere to it.

I don't find the Blue Book photo method particularly useful as it only shows one side view of their examples. I'm not sure how realistic it is, either-- judging by their scale almost all the Lugers one sees are less than 80%. In general, the percentage system seems to be a useful one specifically for collecting.

I like the NRA system as a useful begining designation, but it has its limits in colleting Lugers. It allows for some parts replacement and refinishing in its higher grades--useful for evaluating many firearms, but which would usually eliminate a Luger from consideration as a collection piece.

I've never heard anybody refer to throat erosion in regards to Lugers. I was told by a respected collector-for-condition to "never look at the bore"; this seems, however, to be a minority opinion. Also I am not familiar with bore condition being included in the overall percentage of a Luger's condition, it usually merits its own description. This is partly due to the use of corrosive ammunition during a Luger's lifetime: it is possible to have a Luger which is in extremely good condition on the outside, which has an extremely pitted bore due to poor cleaning protocol during its use.

As an aside, I know a table-holder at the Portland gun show who routinely runs a Hoppes-soaked cleaning patch through the bore of a Luger before he hands it to you to look at; ostensibly this is to demonstrate the bore's cleanliness, but it has the effect of oiling it up a bit, makine it shinier and artificially appear smoother than it in fact may be.

I'm not familiar with a grade for Luger woodwork, either--again, this is usually a matter for actual description.

Ed and Rod are right-on with the subjective conclusion--the buyer/seller differential is particularly apt.

--Dwight

thanx for the replies, I thought it would be more of a subjective call, get 4 guys in a room with one luger and come up with 4 different grades.

Grading is in the eye of the beholder.

I can tell you that the more you do it the better you get at it,as with anything I guess. clint