Luger Shooter Questions
 

What do you guys look for in a luger shooter? I was at a military gun show this past weekend and talked to a guy selling a DWM luger. I asked if he had shot it and he said no and it was an old gun with lots of parts. I have been looking for a Mauser K, G, BYF, 42 or S/42 code lugers. I realize they are old, but I am more so looking for a collectible gun that can also be used as a shooter. Is a shooter generally not a collectible? I would think that I can find a good collectible that I can use to shoot also. Should I be afraid of breaking the internal parts?

Thanks,
Rob

Rob,

This question generally gets a great deal of discussion on these forums. Go through the "Shooting and Reloading" forums, also do a search on "shooter" and "shooter AND collector", and you should see quite a few opinions on the subject.

--Dwight

Ok. Sorry about that. I'll do a search.

Shoot it, being responsible is the key, do not shoot heavy/hot loads, Clean it gently not rough when done. Don't abuse it and you should have no issues except maybe change the firing pin for shooting if it matches the pistol. They have been know to break but this was mostly caused by particles stuck and jamming the pin up. Round firing pins tend to do this if they do not have space to float a hair. Rick B

Rob,

I take a slightly different view from my esteemed collegue Rick. Check out this discussion http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...n+parts+survey as a more cautionary approach.

Shoot any truly collectible Luger if you are comfortable with the possibility of reducing its value by several hundred dollars by doing so--it can only take one shot.

Frankly there are many respectable Lugers out there which, for one reason or another, may be shot with relative impunity. If you are looking for a truly collectible gun, don't shoot it. If you are buying a Luger to shoot, don't buy--or pay the price for--one which is truly collectible.

--Dwight

I think most folks would consider a Luger a "shooter" if any original and factory-numbered parts have been replaced along the way. There is a "gray" area in the matter regarding some of the very small parts on a Luger such as springs, pins, sight blades, etc. that may not have been numbered at all.

Rebarrelled or replacement of a major part such as a toggle link, breechblock, side pate, etc. make it a shooter.

A Luger is also usually considered a shooter if its original factory finish drops to...say...below 60% or so...unless it is a very rare gun that is collector-valuable at any finish condition.

BTW...I have both in my collection. All of collector-grade pieces (some rare and some, somewhat expensive) have had at least 2-4 rounds fired through them by me. After I buy, I will disassemble and clean/lubricate and will shoot a few rounds through each just to let me know that gun is still a gun and can put a bullet down range. Then I clean them up again and place them in storage.

I also have 4-5 shooters that get 100's of rounds put through them each year...so I am not tempted to go back to the collector pieces...as temptation will creep in...

Dwight is right...(hey that rhymes...)...that that practice has risks...but I have not had any breakage and I want to know each one is still functional. I find Lugers robust.