Repair cost.
 

Been looking at Lugers at a three day auction, want to purchase my first but want one that will gain value but that I can shoot a bit. Am looking at ones with a WW2 history but still haveing a high percentage of matching numbers. Most of what I am looking at are in the $900.00 - $1500.00 appraised value. One I am considering is a 1935 G code marked S42 on the toggle. All parts match except the magazine and grips. How ever it does have a problem described below from the catalog. Is this a easy repair and a easy to obtain and replace part and will I have to replace a numbered part??

"The Luger is complete and hand cycles correctly, however it will not release the firing pin because it's missing the pin inside the sear bar, which should be an easy repair."

If you are handy, it's an easy repair and the part should be available from Tom Heller (Lugerdoc) on this forum. The sear bar is numbered but the pin (plunger) is not a numbered part. You will also need the spring and retaining pin which are not numbered.
Most grips on G dates are not numbered and most Lugers don't have there original mags. You will be shooting a collectable depending on the condition. If a numbered part should happen to break it can decrease the value by 1/2.

In my opinion, purposely buy something nice looking, and inexpensive, not worrying about the value going up, strictly buy a shooter and don't over pay.

Then later buy a collectable piece.

Auctions are not the best place to go for a deal on lugers most of the time :)

Ed

If it's missing the pin it's likely also missing the spring.

I do have PO8 disconnector plungers @$10, spring & pin @$5 each + $5 S&H. Sometimes if the old spring has collasped and the plunger is stuck inside, they are VERY difficult or impossible to get out. Just make sure that they are missing and not stuck. TH PS: while you have the trigger bar removed, also check that the inside where the FP cocks is OK.

Thanks all for the resposes and advise. I bid what I was comfortable with in light of the needed repair but missed out by $100.00. This pistol was at Rock Island Auction Co's three day auction that started yesterday. My brother and I went to the preview Thursday but I missed looking at this particular pistol. Would have ended up with about $1750.00 in it before the needed repair. To be honest I was concerned about putting that into it and finding that I had to replace a numbered part for the gun to function and it ending up being worth a lot less than I spent. I do like the advise to buy one that is a good looking shooter and a collector later. I also need to research and educate myself on Lugers in general before laying out money! Thanks again!