Would you make this trade?
 

Recently acquired a 1918/20 Double date. Refinished but extremely well with no hard buffing. Markings are ALL sharp, deep, and clear. All matching internals. Grips do not match and have a dent. Mag does not match. Shoots like a dream and dead on accurate.

Another friend of mine, likes my Luger, and he wants to swap his 1970's 4" Mauser for mine. No box or docs on his. Real nice shape. He wants a more original piece and I am interested, on this one, in shootability.

My purpose on the orignal swap was to acquire a shooter without money out of pocket (thanks to those members who have kept Valeri and myself in your prayers) and that worked out fine. It would seem that this swap as outlined above might even "make" money but that is not my intention and I will so inform the owner so that I am not jamming a friend.

But...would you make the deal? Will the refinished double date be worth more in the future than the Mauser (and those seem to hold their value extremely well). So...what would YOU do?

Tim

If the issue is entirely shootability, I'd stay with the two-date. Reputedly the 1970's guns are not good shooters. I've never shot one myself, but I've never been impressed handling or inspecting them.

As a future collector gun, I don't think either one is going to appreciate much in the long run. IMO the only 70's Mausers which are going to rise appreciably are unfired-in-box examples. I could be wrong.

I see by your other post that you are interested in refinished Lugers. If you really want to own one which will appreciate, shoot with the two-date and save your money until you can buy a decent, original gun--doesn't really matter which variation--and stash it away.

--Dwight

Unless the double date was in 30 cal I can see no way it should not be a better shooter unless the bore is toast. My 70s mauser is a jamomatic. clint

Clint,

Do you have an opinion as why the 70's is "jammolicious"? Just lack of hand fitting? Or...???

Please advise your opinion. Think you guys just made my mind up for me and the doulbe date will be a keeper but if there are differing opinions, please keep em comming.

Tim

My opinion?

Well I'd annex the Sudetenland and sign a non-aggression pact with Russia. But that's just me... :)

In other words, I agree with my two esteemed cohorts. :D

Careful there Kameraden, if I am not mistaken, last gent who did that ended up (allegedly) burned in a garden. Or so I was told. He may have made it to Argentina too but guess I/we will never know.

If you want to do that however, you might consider holding off on double crossing the Russians until you can reliably be sure that your Air Marshall is not lying to you about beating the English any day now, or that he is keeping your troops inside the Soviet reliably supplied.

And remember that he is now too fat to fit in the cockpit.

You guys are sick...but I like that.

Tim

Ha, ha, ha, ha!! :D

:cheers:

Mine just does not work as well as my older original pistols,the fit and finish is not as good. Mine seems to have a lot of extraction problems that im sure could be ironed out. I would not trade any of my 3 shooters for the newer pistol I just brought it cause I thought it was a deal. In the end you need to decide which one you like the best. Good luck clint

What you need is very nice DMW 1915 c/w holster?

see you in Morristown 2- 5 April?

DCCUK

Hi,

Having shot a 1970's mauser for some time now, I can only conclude that any negative reports on it's shooting abilities are exaggerated.

The gun was pretty NIB, so it had to be broken in, the blue needed to wear off in the right places. Also, the Dutch made magazines that came with it never functioned reliably for me. I switched to MecGars, which work fine. The gun is a 6" .30 luger 1972-and-a-half version.

I did not make the swap (just in case you were up nights biting your nails). The Double Date just keeps on a rocking. Looking for the Mauser though and think I will eventually have to have one, just to have one you know.

THANKS to ALL who responded.

Tim