New member to this forum...
 

Hello y'all. Just wanting to introduce myself - my name is Andre', and I live in Alabama. As far as experience goes - I'm probably what most of you guys would consider a greenhorn as far as "Luger" is a concern. Main reason for me to join this forum is to learn about this hand gun, and to get some advice in buying the right Luger. My intention is buy a Luger in good condition, and to put it aside as some sort of an investment - I'm sure these guns will maintain their value! I'm not interested in just a "shooter" in fair condition with mismatched numbers. What model do I have to look for? A really early model (WW1), a pre-WWII model, or a model used during WWII?

Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards, and Happy New Year

Andre'

Welcome Andre'

Check out the frequently asked questions sticky on this forum.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=133

As far as what model goes that is a personel preference on what you want to collect.

The WWII versions, especially Krieghoffs seem to be the most desired these days along with Navies and Artillaries. Investment grade can run in the thousands.

Andre..My advice is to invest a couple of hundred in some books first. Study, find an interest and then you will know more about what you want.
Jan Still offer's a great book called Central Powers for about a hundred bucks delivered that should fill the bill.
After reading this book you will know so much you will be answering questions here rather than asking them.
Jerry Burney

Hi Andre, and welcome to the forum...

Listen to Jerry, and buy some of the better reference books.

All the Lugers are interesting in their own ways... It would be wise to pick a period you're interested in, and study that period in depth.

Your budget will determine what you acquire. They range into thousands of dollars, and it's easy to make a mistake if you're not well informed, and don't have experience handling actual Lugers. It's hard to judge originality of finish if you haven't seen them closeup and in person.

There is a fair amount of "boosting" going on. With application of certain marks, the value of a Luger can be artificially enhanced. An expert can often detect altered guns. Even with experience, you may not be able to.

Luger collectors want pistols that are as close to the day they left the factory as possible. That means all matching and not restored or refinished. An exquisite restored Luger is not as valuable as a prime condition original.

There are amazing discoveries to be found - and remarkable Lugers appear on the forum periodically - sometimes encountered at Gun Shows or hidden in attics. That's not the normal place to find high end collectible Lugers today. Unfortunately, some of the well known dealers that focus on Lugers have been offering guns recently that are overpriced and with implied rarity that is questionable. Without the clear intent to deceive, sometimes inexperienced sellers mis-represent what they are offering... Cavaet Emptor rules...

I refer to the trials and tribulations of starting Luger collecting as the "Luger University"... The books and careful study keep the tuition down.

Marc

Thanks to everybody for your advice - I guess I have some studying to do!

Regards, Andre'