Honest dealers
 

I hesitate to ask this but can anyone suggest a dealer or dealers who sell over the internet and are held in the highest esteem for their integrity and honesty. I understand business is business and that anyone in business is out to make as much as possible. However, while I don't feel that there is anything inherently wrong with being charged top dollar, I want to get what has been represented and not be taken. Regrettably I have had a recent experience purchasing a gun from a very well known dealer and was, I earnestly believe, seriously mislead and taken advantage of. Thanks

I am sure you will get replies.... Meanwhile, do a search on honest dealers and see what comes up.

maybe dishonest dealers also...

the search is a great tool.

ed

thanks I will. Actually I have no one to blame but myself. I should have educated myself a lot better as what I have learned since, had I known then, would have enabled me to avoid the problems. I was lucky in-so-far as I overpaid only about $250.

Mitch,

Can you relate your story here?

--Dwight

mitchs, something to keep in mind, $250 too much now is $250 profit in 5 years...

Mitch,

If you use the LF's search feature and look for topics related to the luger dealers in the USA, you will get an idea of outfits folks use and have had good experiences with.

Search for :

Simpsons, FGS, Joe Salter, Checkpoint Charlies, Ralph Shattuck, Phoenix Investment Arms, Mike Morris, Mike Krause, Ken Kontos, Mid West Firearms, and others.

As you go through these search results, you will notice that a few bad deals always occur over the years even with dealers with the most stellar reputations. Look for over all trends and learn from others who post about a bad deal and how it may have been remedied by the dealer.

Also worthwhile to note from the search results would be an absence of "endorsements" of some of the dealers by the advanced collectors on the LF. In such cases "silence" can be a message as well.

Some of the old-time collectors do not like to speak poorly of anyone; as a matter of principal and their up-bringing.

A few of the old-time collectors will not speak badly of a spurious dealer in an attempt to stay on that dealer's good side and hope to get the call when a rare and honest gun shows up in the dealer's hands.

I have bought 4 pieces from Checkpoint Charlies, one of them a luger. Very nice guy to deal with and will spend time with ya on the phone to answer any questions. If ya need more pics he will accomodate.

He is a one man operation but ships promptly and answers emails quick too.

Non firing inspection period, return no questions asked. Everything I got was as described. I have him fire the pieces I bought to insure function before purchase.

I only recently got my C&R license but can say that much of the problems come from grading of finishes, there may be a large difference in opinions, one personâ??s 98% may only be 90% to another. Ask for clear pictures before you buy; honest dealers send clear pictures. Ask very specific questions; regarding proofs or hidden stampings not easily seen. For example extractor markings, underside of grips-some should be matched to the gun, many have been replaced. Ask to see pictures of the frame wells and frame under the grips, this will give you a peak at internal parts and help you spot re-bluing, replaced parts or badly rusted guns. Not every Luger came out perfect from the factory, some stamps where hit more than once leaving a double impression, the only way to determine a rework/fake from an original is with a visual inspection, always ask for a return policy.
Be careful of advertised â??WORDINGâ?�. For example: There is a big difference between â??98% bluingâ?� and â??98% original bluingâ?�. Ask for clarification before shipping the gun.
Not long ago I purchased an expensive Luger; I ask the dealer a simple question: Should I decide to trade up to a higher grade Luger in your possession would you be willing to give me full credit toward a Luger of higher value, a yes answer from the dealer cinched that sale.
If you have any doubts post those pictures on this forum, you may not always agree with what you hear but you can at least make an informed decision.

Knowledge is power and you have hundreds of years of knowledge on this forum-use it

Vern

Mitch,
there are a some good dealers who are listed on the internet, But the past few years the only Lugers I buy anymore are from fellow collectors who frequent this forum. I have been most satisfied with George Anderson. If youâ??re looking to acquire something, he would be my first stop.

I know there are others on this forum who are honest and forthright, but I havenâ??t had the opportunity to deal with them yet.

my .02
Jim

Which dealers have that policy?